What makes a good manager?

[Errday]

What experiences do you have with good managers, and what makes them effective/memorable?

Being firm but fair. Listening to their employees. Caring about their employees as humans with lives outside of their workplace.

My best managers have been people who take zero shit but have been very very clear on what is expected. People who trust their team to do what is necessary, without looking over their shoulder all the time and expecting to be CCd in on every email etc.

Being pleasant is important too, but I'd rather work for someone who is consistent than someone who is changeable. So I'd rather work for someone who is a little bit grouchy 100% of the time than someone who is nice as can be 90% of the time and then sometimes flies off the handle. The 90% nice doesn't make up for 10% crappy behaviour.

And I can't tolerate being shouted at. I'm not a school child.

Sets their stall out early and sticks to their expectations so if they said I expect things done xyz way and if you fail to achieve this then xyz will happen and actually follow it through the same for everyone and does this in line with company policy

I am bitter than I have inherited staff from other areas who think that things can be let slide and shoddy work is ok because their old managers let them get away with it and I am the bad guy because I stick to my expectations and follow the company protocol...

Treat your team fairly, don't show favouritism

Listen to your team. If something can't be done, be honest about why that is

Pitch in - don't delegate everything and just put your feet up

Don't micro manage your team. Treat them like adults.
If you say you will do something, do it.
If you say you'll have progress meetings with members of your team, have them.
If they make a minor mistake, especially when they are learning something new, don't keep bringing it up at every opportunity nor should you let it stop the employee from progression to other aspects of their job

Clarity, all day long. Don’t give vague instructions with no timeline for tasks to be completed. Don’t sometimes then change your mind about tasks without bothering to mention it to the person completing the task. Don’t mention new initiatives in passing then wonder why they’ve not been implemented.

And no nepotism! So frustrating when you don’t know if someone’s been promoted above you on merit or because they’ve been lifelong friends with the boss.

I like a manager who i can trust to trust me.

You are paying me for my technical expertise. Accept my decisions in technical matters I know more about than you. If you disagree then do so in an appropriate manner. Don’t deny all knowledge of what I was doing when you know full well (you spineless git)

Can you tell I’m glad I moved jobs.

Fair, approachable, communicative, gives feedback, takes responsibility for issues above your pay grade. Encourages team building and social events. Understands various personalities of team. Doesn't micro-manage. Supports.

Someone who builds a team of people who fill the holes, so hiring new people with strengths that are currently missing and then have them train or be mentored with others who are stronger in areas where they have a weakness.

Someone who encourages and supports them to grow and challenges them to do things they don't think they are capable of.

I've been incredibly lucky to have great managers throughout my working life (and some unbelievably shit ones to tell the difference) and I have a much younger woman managing me now and I think she's amazing and will go far in life!

Oh and learn to delegate

Very disheartening when you have a super busy stressed out boss. While you twiddle your thumbs... and can’t progress to a higher pay grade because you aren’t certain tasks

I once had a boss who went berserk because a junior member of staff picked up the whiteboard pen to make the notes on the whiteboard during a team meeting, because they were the person closest to the board. Red faced fury screaming 'how dare you, only management are allowed to take notes. Give that pen to X right now!!'

Don't be like that manager

I agree with Snoz.

I think it's important to value and motivate your team. People can often do more than you think if you place them right and support them to be creative.

Don't expect people to be mind readers.

Communicate. If you make a mistake, don't blame people for your own lack of communication.

If someone makes a mistake that's as a result of you forgetting to tell them something, apologise for that. Don't turn it back round on the team member and blame them for not knowing something they didn't know because you'd didn't tell them.

If you are joint manager with someone - talk to them about who is doing what.

It's shit being told to do one thing by one manager then getting a bollocking from the other manager because you were doing something you were told to do.

It makes your team resent both of you.

Be fair and consistant,don't try and be friends with those you manage,and if you are already friends with someone when you become their manager it's probably better (if possible) for them to be delegated to a different line manager,I once had a manager who told me I hear what you are saying I don't necessarily agree with you but I'm taking your opinion seriously (we worked in mental health , which I thought was a really supportive commenr.

My favourite boss never micromanaged me which made me feel trusted. She was always approachable if I had questions though.

F