To ask what you think makes a good line manager?

[ChickenLickenSticken]

I'm about to become a line manager for the first time, and whilst I've got some ideas of how to make a good job of it, I would be interested in hearing what other people think.

I know it's going to depend on the person, role, company etc, but:

What do you expect from your line manager?
What things does your line manager do that makes them a good manager?
What would like more/less of from your manager?
If you are a line manager, what are your top tips?

Thanks all!

Empathy is essential.

'Don't try to be friends with your team - it's a hard thing to pull off when you're first finding your feet'

I co-manage a team with 2 colleagues. 1 of the other managers is far too matey with the rest of the team - desperate to be liked, bends over backwards to accommodate demands that I think are unreasonable, tolerates shoddy behaviour (e.g. submitting work way after deadlines), organises leaving drinks/tea parties/nights out for people who are leaving. It drives me insane! I am on good terms with most of the team and will occasionally chat with them about their kids or their holiday or whatever but I have no interest in becoming friends with them or being super popular all the time. I feel that this co-manager undermines the other 2 of us by not being firmer and more consistent. So this is very good advice - be aware of professional boundaries and don't try to be mates with your team members.

I went on a management course once where the trainer told us that as a manager, you have to be prepared to keep a distance from your staff. You are a manager, not just another colleague, so she always avoided going down the pub with the team on a Friday evening for example - she just felt it wasn't appropriate. Other people may have different views on this of course but I can see where she was coming from.

Don't feel threatened when your employees do a good job and hold them back. Help them get even better, offer them the training they need to be as good as you. Then you will get the credit for their brilliance. See yourself as a teacher and mentor. Good employees reflect well on you, and they will remember your help in the future.

And as someone said upthread, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.

Also, put in the hours. I used to have a manager who swanned in at 10, went for long lunches every day then fucked off to the golf course at every opportunity in the afternoons, leaving the rest of us to pick up the slack and cover for him. As a line manager you are paid more for more responsibility, not paid more to sit back and do fuck all

the biggest thing I've found lacking in previous management is consistency. its often very look over and is so frustrating when not applied. and it means consistency both with people and within how you do things.

this is how things often went with my previous hellish line manager:

• eagle, please do x in x way. this lead to 'why the hell have you done x in this way, you should have done it in y way, why don't you use your brain. I never told you to do it in x way, that email instruction is wrong and you should have know'
• eagle, please do y in y way. but y can't be done in y way but can in x way so I use my brain and do it in x way. 'why have you done it like that. I told you to do it in y way. of course y way works' goes off for a bit 'OK so y way doesn't work however you should have told me that beforehand'
• eagle, please do z in z way. z can't be done in z way, so I tell LM it can't be but can be done in another way. 'why are you wasting my time like this, just do your bloody job and think'

so basically talk face to face as often as possible, encourage working questions and don't spend your life contradicting yourself and you should be OK

And always trust your intuition, if you think someone's not happy, swinging the lead, about to leave etc they probably are. Don't be afraid to ask your reports searching questions if you think something is up. Don't shy away from difficult conversations. Share as much info as you can with your colleagues on company matters, stuff that's going on up the tree, gain their trust that you are in their corner and will back them when it matters.

Respond rather than react. Don't wear your heart on your sleeve. Find the positive. Glad I'm on ML

My line manager:

Bitches about everyone behind their back

Sends email instructions and commands when you are sat next to her

Has clear favourites with whom she sits whispering in corners.

Refuses to let anyone leave early or change their shift but picks and chooses when she herself comes in and fucks off early most days.

Is actually bad at the job. It's quite galling to take instructions from someone who doesn't know what they are talking about

Flaps around getting in the way when things kick off (I work in quite a high pressure environment)

If you do none of those things you will probably be ok.

Oh Em Gee tryharder, you could be describing my boss! When I took over line management of most of our team from her (she's the ultimate 'delegator') the team practically had a party. These days if they can the whole team avoid going to her because she's so inconsistent (annoyingly this means they come to me instead).

OP, make sure you deal with issues as and when they come up, particularly poor performance. It'll save you grief in the long run and your line managees will respect you if you listen to them and make things happen. Also developing staff members - learning and development v important!

Be approachable and accessible but encourage people to come to you with solutions not just problems. That way you avoid becoming a whingeing post for everyone who just fancies having a good moan. You don't have time or space in your head to listen to moaning. It also stops people seeing you as a dumping ground for all their problems, and encourages them to take some responsibility

Communicate, communicate & communicate!

Do not micromanage (let the professionals do the job they are paid to do.)

Be consistent.

Finally do not be indiscrete & two faced.

Tryharder are you in my team? :)

Encouraging honesty. You can manage easier, and life is less stressful if your response to a team member coming forward with a work problem is "How can we fix this?" rather than "Why are you bothering me?"

Lead from the front. I did the 'coming up from the ranks' bit, and it wasn't easy - but it did give me a good idea about what everyone's job entailed, so I knew if they were bullshitting...
You need to be prepared to demonstrate that you will pitch in and help if things are really hectic - but not that you are always available to pick up the slack.

I have to disagree with some things. Re the going for friday drinks. why should a Manager NOT do this?
Over the years, I have met many of dh's employees. Often at THEIR weddings. They told me that he was the best Manager they ever worked for.

My top tips...

• Tackle issues as soon as they come up rather than stewing about them.
• Come to terms that you can't be one of the team any more and start working on professional detachment.
• Don't micromanage - let your staff get on with it.
• Be happy if they know more than you. It means you can get on with managing rather than doing.
• Don't be afraid about asking people to do things. A common mistake for new managers is to do it themselves rather than ask.

Good luck!

Agree with much of what has already been written. I would add - stand between your team and bollox from above.

Second consistency with decisions/people etc. Its really demoralising for the people you manage if they're always having to guess how you want things done/what decisions need making/whether you are in a good mood etc.

Make sure you know what your team are up to and who the good/bad performers are and deal with accordingly. Don't forget that the impression on the surface and what is really going on might be completely different (eg if is the 'good' employee just better at covering up mistakes/laziness etc)

Treat both your subordinates fairly. Eg. if you get to approve their leave, make sure they get equal dibs of the Friday off or whatever.

I have a great line manager, so based on her I would say:

Fair
Approachable
Flexible
Supportive - this is really important. Where I work there is essentially three departments. Whenever there have been to issues between us and another team/manager, either individually, she is always up front and on side.
No matter what is going on I always feel that she's got my back.

I think I'm working with TryHarder and MrsEdinburgh*.

Don't take the attitude that what you say goes no question because you're the line manager.
Be prepared to admit when you get it wrong, you will get things wrong sometimes.

Hold yourself to the same standards as your staff. If you're going to lay into them about something, don't brush it off as not being important when your line manager comes to you saying you've made the same mistake.

'Fuck off' is not an appropriate response to a member off your staff asking you a question, however stressed you are.
Listen to what your staff are saying and take their views into account.
Try not to refer to staff with mental health issues using disablist language to their face.
Don't spread lies about members of your team behind their backs.

Mostly I think it's about respect and being valued. Respect works both ways and it can be lost. You're less likely to lose it if you have respect for the staff working for you. You'll get much further if you work as a team with your staff. Ultimately the buck stops with you but it doesn't mean others can't have input.

Consistency. But while i say that, you need to know your staff and be adaptable to their competencies and strengths.
Consisteny is about things like leave policy..

Consistent
Fair
Transparent
Understanding of employee role
No favourite employees
Good communicator
Technically able at own role
Able to deliver feedback (good and negative)
Ability to prioritise workload
Anticipate what ifs

Technically able at own role

Ooh yes, second this a THOUSAND times

Twice, I have been beaten to a promotion by someone else and twice I have been asked to take on part of the promotee's role, because I was 'better at it or more qualified than them' '.

OK, a large part of been overlooked for promotion is that I would be a hopeless line manager and I wouldn't want to do it anyway but stuff like this still really grinds my gears.

Accept that your staff are human and will make mistakes from time to time. If they do something really stupid or make the same mistake over and over then by all means let loose on them, but if somebody who's generally good and trustworthy slips up, cut them some slack.

I had a manager who did the above, followed by a manager who didn't. The second one had just as many mistakes happening - the only difference is that people were more inclined to try and cover up the problem instead of being open and honest about it.

Be k

appreciate your team because its the little people that are the working cogs in a big company. Some managers forget that.

Give people a bit of encouragement and trust. People who feel in control are happier and have more pride in what they're doing than people who feel demoralized.

If there's an incipient problem, speak to the person first and quick before it really becomes a problem.

Be kind and fair. It goes a long way.

Don't take things personally. It might feel personal if someone is a bit off, but you can't know what's going on in their life.