Surprise,
Surprise
The New
York Times reported last week that Google, in 2009, finished a study of
what made for good managers. They looked at performance reviews,
feedback surveys, and nominations for top manager awards. [If you want
to see the article, go here: http://tinyurl.com/4b2wvp3. There's also a
nice sidebar there which details what they found.]
What
did they find? It's Google, right? Bunch of engineers, really smart,
probably want to be left alone, not really "people people", just need
to go to their boss when there's a problem. That's what they USED to
think, when they promoted the smartest technical person to answer the
team's problems.
That's
not what they found when they looked at the data, though. Not even
close.
Most of
what it said:
- Provide
specific, constructive feedback, balancing the negative and
positive.
- Have
regular one on ones.
- Get
to know your employees as people, with lives outside of work.
- Don't
be a sissy: be productive and results oriented.
- Be
a good communicator and listen to your team.
- Hold
all hands meetings.
- Help
your employees with career development.
Stuff
they said not to do:
- Only
have technical skills, rather than the ability to manage.
- Lack
a consistent approach to performance management and career development.
- Spend
too little time managing and communicating.
All of
us at Manager Tools are hoping that this gets management in general
more attention.
And, by
attention, I mean more managers doing the right thing.
I am
betting there are managers all over the world who thought before this
article, I wonder what Google
managers do? And now that they
know, they
fall into two camps. The first says, naaah!
The second says,
I wonder
where I could learn to do that stuff?
Here's
hoping you're in the latter and you realize the answer is Manager
Tools.
Historical Note
The fact that Google's approach to management is newsworthy (and that their aura somehow legitimizes management done right) reminded me of one of my favorite items from one of my favorite business books. In The Soul of a New Machine, by Tracy Kidder, the story is told of Data General building a minicomputer called the Eagle. The book tells how, when IBM finally got into the "mini" market, much later than Data General and DEC and others, business writers said Big Blue's entry "legitimized" the minicomputer market.
The CEO of Data General took out a full page ad (of which there is a picture in the book):
They Say IBM's Entry Into Minicomputers Will Legitimize The Market.
The Bastards Say Welcome.
Premium
Member Conference Call
If
you're a premium member and haven't yet signed up for our premium
member call tomorrow (30th March) check your email for your invite. We
don't want you to miss out. Want to know what it's all about? Go here.
Please
Forward This Newsletter
Those
of you who have premium content know that use of that content is only
for that particular member. This newsletter is not premium content, and
we'd love for you to forward it to anyone who would find it interesting
and useful. You just need to click the link at the bottom of the page.
If
someone
forwarded it
to you, and you'd like your own copy in future, become a Manager Tools
member here.
It's free!
|
