What in your experience makes a good mansger

[Lavender14]

Starting a new role soon which will be a step up and I'll be line managing a number of my colleagues. I'm really keen to do a good job and to support and get the best from them while balancing what's best for the organisation which is community work based.

Hoping people will share their positive experiences of being managed - what things did your manager do that was supportive/ helpful/encouraging to you? Was there a particular approach your manager had that you thought was really good for you/ your team? Particularly if there was a supervision/coaching and mentoring element as that will be a big part of my role.

Thanks so much!

A good manager knows more about your job than they can fit on a spreadsheet. I don't have a good manager sadly.

Get comfortable with not being liked at times.

This is so true

I was appointed a manager in my early 20s (too young in hindsight) and made lots of mistakes in the first 2/3 years. These are the things I wish someone told me when I was appointed first.

• It's OK to not know everything and have all the answers
• Owns your mistakes & admit when wrong
• Don't be a perfectionist - do not sweat the small stuff - there will be plenty of big stuff
• People work at their own speed and not everyone will want to be a high performer- It's not your job to elavate everyone to a high performer. To some people, it's a career & opportunityfor advancement, to others, it's a job, then want to just do it well & will never want to be promoted or additional responsibility (these are normally the easiest staff to manage if you do it right & the most difficult if you do it wrong - you treat them well & you get it back. If not, they will let you know)
• Your job is to get the best out of everybody by ensuring they like their job & are supported in it
• The "steady as they go" members of your team are the ones that will be around longest- they will be there long after others move up or out
• They are vitally important- if they aren't on your side, it doesn't matter if you have 2 or 3 high performers - you need the main cohort yo want to work for just just as much
• Don't be the manager you would like to have - that won't work - be the manager each team member would like to have.
• Treat everyone fairly & equally but be aware they will need & want different things from you

This is true - they are like children!

Make sure it's clear you work hard but never moan about your own workload, working late or how it's too hard to find time to take holiday to your juniors. It's hard to be sympathetic to someone paid considerably more than you when you also work hard and are not so well rewarded.

Be a facilitator. Listen to those working at the coal face, listen, be open and approachable, value everyones thoughts, ask them to work together to create practical solutions to issues within remit. This way everyone will be on board and understand processes.

Hold regular probation meetings with new staff. Sort the probation paperwork to cover every aspect of a new job, with clear targets/plans and who to approach. Ask their thoughts/experiences/suggestions for issues.

The worst managers I’ve had are top down sorts with no meaningful understanding of the issues faced by the workforce. This often goes hand in hand with poor levels of reflective practice among management and general defensive behaviour to suggestions. These behaviours stunt a companies growth and effect staff retention.

@Mademetoxic

I see your point. I as a parent honestly don't even have to take advantage of that. I share the school runs with other half but even then the juggle between work and children is a lot, any hours lost I make up once kids are in bed, my manager doesn't expect that but I do it to make sure I'm on top.

If anyone is taking advantage of flexible time I would say it would show through the quality of their work and a childless employee pulling all the stops is more likely to progress I suppose.

Guess it depends on industry too.

Wow thank you all so much - I didn't expect so many replies and all really good, insightful responses too!

For those who asked, I'm moving to a new organisation so I'm not known there. Which will maybe in some ways be easier than managing people I've known for a long time, but I guess that will come with its own challenges trying to learn as much as I can about my role as well as the roles within my team as quickly as I can.

And I am normally better at spelling thankfully! Just trying to juggle a toddler while typing earlier was a challenge!

I've one further question, any tips on the best ways to get honest and fair feedback from the team on how they feel about my management?

The being friendly but not friends part may be tricky. It's an extremely social sector and by nature I think generates really close relationships within teams as some of the work we do is emotive and heavy so you do learn to have fun and care a lot about each other to help balance that out. So I guess there will be a fine line I'll need to tread with that.

Really interested in this, I am 6 weeks in to a role as a new line ma Amber

Don’t talk too much, let the team answer questions rather than answering yourself - I suspect this can be a nerves thing. Allow the team to suggest solutions before you step in. Don’t immediately make changes, learn and consult before hand, but implement your plan if it’s the best decision even if unpopular. People hate change, it’s not personal.

Be careful how friendly you are, choose wisely who to trust more but don’t be seen as biased to those you like most. Don’t criticise others to anyone but your immediate boss and be mindful of how you express it.

Be honest if you don’t know and follow up queries and requests. Don’t forget as that erodes trust. Don’t cancel 121s constantly.

Don’t allow a crappy team member to get away with it. And don’t pick up the slack, for your sake. You’ll keep the crap one and the good ones will leave.

Genuine question on parent vs childless people balance.

I want to be flexible with parents but it's small team which needs to be on site. What can I realistically offer the childless in return to make it fair without having more time off site.

This

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