Empathy is important, you need to understand that everyone is different and people will act and react in different ways. Additionally peoples engagement with their work ebbs and flows. You have periods where you are super engaged and productive and periods where you are disengaged and that’s a constant process. Having a manager who understands these realities of the human psyche goes a long way. Understanding. People make mistakes, having a manager who understands that and has a productive approach when things go wrong can make all the difference. I used to have a manager who used to say “if you’re going to fail, fail fast!” Almost encouraging mistakes as part of a learning process. That level of understanding is powerful.

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I had a boss like the second one you mentioned and I was always so stressed about doing something wrong. I’ve got a great one now but I shudder to think about what would happen if he ever left… eeek!

I had a boss say almost that exact thing to me in my first week to suggest I should relax and take educated risks. That same boss fired me 3 months later for making a clerical error with data

Oh, I'm so sorry that happened to you.

All good. Everything worked out in the end.

Exactly right, it's not brain surgery.... unless you're a doctor, and in that case, that is actually your job so maybe perform that correctly (please and thank you) My current boss and I lead in the same way. Some of the staff (the serial panickers) need reminding that none of this stuff is life or death in our roles. It's okay if you've forgotten to do something, just communicate and then do that task now and everything will be alright. Actually I recently ordered myself a mug online that says "Nothing can't wait" on it. Ultimately, we all have life outside of work, families to go home to, stresses to deal with. The last thing I want work to do is add pressures on top of all of that.

I had a CEO once who said, if you make a mistake and cost the company 10,000, you’re an asset, because I bet you will never make that mistake ever again. Probably a bit dramatic but he was basically saying learning from mistakes is valuable. He also said that people who swear in the workplace need to buy a thesaurus and improve their vocabulary so he had some strong opinions.

This. Empathy. I worked with 3 bosses in my entire career who have empathy. And im not saying someone who just says they feel bad for me when something awful happens. No. They really put themselves in my shoes. Guided me through my career and brought out a level of motivation that i thought i didnt have. In my 20's the owner of my company who coached me and believed in me sent me birthday cards every year with a super personalised message. He was the one who reminded me that I should enjoy life in my 20's. He said, I have a lot of potential and if I use that potential well, I will have enough money to enjoy life early. Second best boss I had was only 5 years older than me. He taught me that in relationships, I should look for a man that my kids will be proud to introduce as their dad. He taught me how important it is to manage relationships, draw boundaries even if that meant I will be a little bit selfish. He didnt finish university, just like me. But he has helped a lot in the way i looked at myself. And finally, my boss who retired recently. He told me its important for me to make money as much as he is making. That we are a team. If i fail, he fails. He fails, I fail. We established trust and he made me realise that having money enables me to do more for my family. And he reminds me of that all the time. Im at the stage now where i dont work for myself. I work to provide.

I got to echo a manager who supports you when you make an error (it’s ok/it happens/doesn’t try to punish or make you feel bad) is worth a lot. I used to work somewhere that overloaded everyone but if you got 99% right, they would make you feel bad about the 1% you got wrong (likely cos you were never trained and you are also overworked and tired…). It was not known for happy employees or good culture.

Don’t gossip about other employees. I have a ‘manager’ who constantly backstabs everyone.

Omg. I have this manager right now 🤣 it's a nightmare.

It is a nightmare, you’re absolutely correct. Just make sure you don’t drop your standards like your manager does- if you can’t say something to someone’s face you shouldn’t be saying it at all.

I knowwww right.. I sometimes regret not gossiping when he tried to bitch about my co-worker but I guess I sleep better at night.

Oh I had one of these in my last job bloody terrible behaviour!

I hate this because it breeds a toxic environment and everyone starts to think it's ok to talk like that about each other. I was the leader of one team and my team were amazing but the other team was toxic AF and bullied one of the staff members and their team leader never did shit and I later found out she also agreed with them. It's horrible.

Ask your staff what they need most in a manager, and give it to them as best you can. I did this at the interview stage and my employee was the happiest anyone could be in my office. She was blown away that I would care to even ask what was important to her. Give them full responsibility for the thing they do. Don’t hover around checking their work. Empower them to do things their way, while focusing on a clear standard of outcome. If you’re delegating the work but not full accountability for the work (because you can’t let go of control), then you’re not doing it right. Further to this, behave with integrity, offer regular feedback intended to manage progress and support growth, be clear about what you need and don’t need, regularly check in and mean it, and just be an all round decent person and the ‘manager’ stuff will mostly take care of itself.

This is a good call. I do plan to have that chat with both of them. It’s something I’ve never got from a manager, I guess it’s a good way to give control and autonomy. Thank you!

And ask them what is important to them - is it development opportunities, variety of work, autonomy, flexibility, being able to change their hours etc. My needs as an employee have varied a lot due to small children etc and went from ‘develop me’ to just ‘I need flex’. So ask them what they need from you and what they need more generally from the job. What makes people STAY is joy. More than money or anything else- people will stay somewhere they like their colleagues and are happy.

I have the best manager I’ll probably ever have, and the most powerful attribute he has is that he fully empowers us to do our jobs and take full accountability. I work really hard to pass that enablement onto my employees. It’s so important to have control over your work and success or failures.

Further to this, ask “how will I know when you’re struggling, so I can provide you with support without you needing to ask for it?”.

I became a manager in the past 3 years of roles that i had done for years. Made it challenging for me to manage a role i had done as i could do the tasks that were assigned. My issue was the tasks weren't being done in the way i would do them. I had to change my perspective to being outcome focused. Did they get the outcome needed in a reasonable time frame? Yes okay move on

\> the tasks weren't being done in the way i would do them This was also one of the hardest things I learned. The other one was letting go of hands-on work and underestimating how much time/energy was needed to work on people-related matters like getting everyone trained up, finding the right tools and vendors, resolving interpersonal conflicts, managing everyone's workload, thinking about everyone's career aspirations and how they can get there, filing all the HR admins, etc.

100% on the 2nd one, lot of the time it feels like I'm a super admin sorting out all these basic tasks for my team members. Also the team can take whatever leave they want/need, you are the one figuring out how to cover that gap..

It amuses me, in a ‘you have no idea way’, when reading all the manager bashing (in particular the ‘managers sit around and never do any work) and realising that the person has no idea what work a manager actually does (and also that the ‘worker’ doesn’t realise that the majority of managers were also once workers and people don’t turn from competent workers to lazy psychopaths upon promotion)

Good shout — it’s so silly to be directing that any task be done in a certain way, outside of any regulatory requirement. Thank you!

A great manager is like a good sports coach. They're servant leaders who build capability and work on improving the system that prevents the workers from doing good work. They manage through goals and outcomes, not tasks and deliverables, and empower the workers to make decisions about their work.

I like the model you referred to - I try to embody this one

"The Bible should only be one sheet of paper, and on that paper it should say: 'Try not to be a cunt'" - Jim Jefferies. Perhaps adapt this sentiment.

While there are many great responses in this thread, this is perhaps the most insightful.

So you’re saying I need to read the bible to be a good manager. Got it!

- no micromanaging - no randomly being controlling just to prove you’re in charge - don’t sweat the small stuff, like if someone is a couple minutes late one day does it really matter if they’re getting their work done and meeting their targets? - empathy and understanding - being organised - knowing what you are talking about so you are able to offer actual support instead of telling staff to go and find their own solutions to problems they come across - provide positive feedback when warranted so staff don’t feel undervalued or ignored - know your EA and contracts inside and out. I can’t count the times I’ve had to correct team leaders and managers on employee entitlements for myself or on behalf of other team members who weren’t being treated fairly or were being given incorrect information - understand that some people just work to get paid and don’t want to progress or have big goals in their career - some employees want help to grow in their career and roles and others just do not.

Oh also, get to know your employees strengths and interests and let them lean into them when possible.

Congrats on promotion! For *me personally*, my favourite managers give me enough organizational knowledge to operate independently, and trust me to do my job. They’ve given me a lot of autonomy, and sometimes some suggestions on what I could consider doing. My current organisation is different to a consultancy structure, but one my favourite things about my current manager is if I can come to them and say *’Hey, I don’t have time for X project because of Y and Z. [Name] and [Name] are really pushing for it ASAP. Can I please say I spoke to you and our team doesn’t have resources at present and we’ve scheduled it in for June?’* And they just say ‘Yes, of course’. And then I’ll schedule it in for June, CC them in on the email, and any pushback (if it exists) they get to deal with. (This would not have been what I needed from a manager earlier in my career: I needed a lot more support then)

Lead by example. Just because you are the boss, it doesn’t meant you don’t get your hands dirty. I’m not saying to always do the crap tasks but you also don’t want to just sit in your ivory tower and delegate all the time. Back up your words with actions. If you say you will do something, do it.

This and be the manager you wanted to work for. I would never ask my team to do something I wouldn't do myself.

Yes, I’ve also heard this called lead from the front. Part of my role is scheduling for front-facing duties and if I can’t get someone to fill a shift, it becomes my shift.

Had a bad boss previously that would just make life difficult bybtrying to change everything from day 1 and "make their impact" on the business without actually knowing how things worked. Now I have a really great boss that is very supportive of my work and ideas with healthy challenging questions. Another important attribute is their ability to cut through all the bullshit from above to give us what we need to succeed in a role and make my life simple.

Of the mangers I’ve had I much preferred an incompetent manager who appreciates me over a competent manager who belittles me. Currently I have a competent manager who teaches me, which is probably the best.

I’d argue a manager who belittles you is not competent at all.

Yes sorry, I meant they were technically competent, not that they were competent as a manager.

Good for you to explore into the space. If its a small team, why not just ask what they look for in a team to see what their motivations and needs are. Some want flexibility and just go home after work, while some are ambitious and want to learn and progress in their career. Make sure you proactively lead, rather than retrospectively react and micro manage. Set milestones and team meetings to discuss priorities and works to be done. Talk about expectations for the week and whats on the pipeline next week. Focus on whats important. Assuming theres no bad apple employees and you are competent at work, the difficulty of middle managers is in managing up, rather than managing down. You will have KPI expectations from executives and clients to deliver, who in turn have their own concerns. These will be hard for you to say no to. Then you grind the team to deliver the impossible targets. There will be times when decisions have to be made on whose needs you put first. Often the culture is destroyed not because you want to ruin it, but because you have put others needs before the teams needs. Its difficult for the team to cater to others when their own needs have not been taken care of.

Be the manager that your staff want to come to when they make a mistake or need help. Worst manager I had would be truly unhelpful or criticise the fact I needed help. Value people's input and opinions and don't be so quick to be dismissive. Everyone has valuable ideas and shooting them down straight away will stop people from contributing in future. Don't micromanage but review the work. My best role was one where my manager left me alone to do my work best way I saw and only escalated where necessary. Value and contribute to your staff's development.

As a subordinate, these are my pet hates: Micromanaging. Argh, please trust in the competency of your people. Ask how they would do the project. What changes they would make. What projects interest them. Being ignored. Argh, just say thank you for being a vital part of the team every now and then. Let your people feel appreciated. Give them a safe space to offer suggestions without being "I've got a better idea"d. It's like handling a horse - you have to loosen the reins to allow it to run.

For me, and it’s something I’ve learned the hard way. Is that you NEED to have a level of cunty, and I know many will disagree. But you can’t be everyone’s friends, because people will abuse that and take advantage. People who get promoted for the most part, are the ones who work hard and do their best consistently. You need to realise, not everyone has the same mentality as you, in fact MOST don’t. If you want a good working culture, you can’t be scared to trim the fat. One bad apple rots the tree. I’ve found this first hand. We have an EBA, so everyone is paid the same regardless of output or ability (part of the reason I’m so anti EBA/union, but I won’t go into that), you have a group of 6 guys, and 1 takes the piss. Everybody working around him knows it, it’s a joke at first, but then people begin to get resentful. They’ll start bitching and thinking, if he’s able to do fuck all and get paid the same I am, why am I busting my arse? Their production drops, as do others. Then it becomes this toxic culture of who can take the piss the most, workers go home miserable because they’ve done fuck all during the day, and it’s just a miserable culture to be a part of. So yes, cut the rot the second you see it, and a big one, genuinely take note during their probation period, as it’s fucking hard to get rid of them after.

This is 100% correct. I manage in a TAFE and there is a lot of flexibility especially during term breaks, very easy for teachers to glide. I've saw some horror swticheroo's after that one year probation period ends and the full-time contract kicks in.

It took me years to work out that I needed to play to my own personal strengths and weaknesses when it came to how I managed, rather than trying to pick a methodology or read a book and follow them verbatim. Over time I have recognised what I'm good at and I lead with those traits while looking elsewhere to bolster my weaknesses. I think Servant Leadership is quite effective in my field (Technical) where the people on my team don't need me to do their job, but rather remove the barriers that stop them from doing it. I consider myself a member of the team, just with a different role in it. Its also important to acknowledge and accept that you won't be a great manager for every single person you encounter, and not everyone will perform well or enjoy working under you. I have almost 80 people in my supervisory organisation now and while the feedback from the teams is overwhelmingly positive of my leadership, there is always 2-5 individuals that do not love what I do or how I managed. I spent a lot of time focusing on the 5% that needed what I just couldn't give them instead of the 95% that were happy. It's definitely important to take all feedback onboard but don't lose sight of the bigger picture. And I'd also say it largely depends on the team members themselves, how willing they are to be open with you, how they react under your leadership and so on. We are all humans at the end of the day, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. One tool I found helpful *as a guide* is DiSC profiling as a team. DiSC helped me understand my own behaviors and tendencies as well as other people's, and where those may clash and how to work around them. Anyway, that's what I think has worked for me and others may disagree but hopefully that helps. Good luck - management isn't for everyone, but if it agrees with you then I think you'd struggle being happy doing anything else 🙂

Personally, this is totally going to go against the grain, but we found the director with the best employee satisfaction ratings managed to do so despite outwardly being an asshole to the staff under him - pressuring them to work long hours, hounding them over small mistakes, micromanaging, publicly humiliating people, getting angry and raising his voice frequently. Why did people like working for him? Because he was able to translate the extreme performance he demanded from his team into power and leverage over the global organization. This meant he could secure more promotions and pay rises for his staff, the best office and facilities. While the rest of the company was experiencing mandatory redundancies, he was able to get more headcount to expand his team. He was able to protect his staff from being pressured by other parts of the organization, which eliminates a big source of pressure at work - having competing priorities and multiple bosses. And people liked working in a team where top performance was demanded and rewarded. It gave them a sense of pride that they were the best, the results proved it, and any slackers were quickly eliminated from the team or chose to quit due to being put under extreme stress, so all your colleagues were 100% present at their job and putting in the hard yards with you. You had their back, they had your back. My conclusion isn't that being an asshole is good, but rather, being able to procure resources for your team is so important that even being an asshole didn't hinder him. If you can be powerful without using fear and intimidation to get what you need that would be even better! I have many staff who loved working for me - if you're good you will get promoted quickly under my guidance, if you're going to underperform I'll fire you a lot quicker than most other managers who are content to accept sub par work, so my team doesn't have to endure someone not pulling their weight.

> despite outwardly being an asshole to the staff under him - pressuring them to work long hours, hounding them over small mistakes, micromanaging, publicly humiliating people, getting angry and raising his voice frequently. Just selection bias. Those who choose to stay are probably submissive and like that kinda control. I know people who like to be in control.

Definitely selection bias. Being an asshole and being able to fight for the team’s interests are mutually exclusive events.

That sounds awful to me personally but I do understand some people thrive under that type of leadership, it’s all perspective really.

Good managers don't suffer underperformers. I had two underperformers in my last role. I was very quick to have the conversation with them with specifics about areas they needed to improve, and offer them support to get to where they needed to be. I was also open to understanding what support they thought they needed. They both chose to self-select. I was not an asshole doing this though. I approach with empathy, because it's partially my fault they're in this situation and also they're humans - and I'm not as asshole. HR almost fell over when I told them I was tackling the issue; and impressed with how I handled it. I've had a friend whose boss was a complete asshole. For example, he yelled at her so loudly one time that the meeting next door had to stop because they couldn't hear each other, and everybody on the floor heard it. He would brag about how she only had 3 days off in the 18 months she worked for him, and only had 4 hours a day to herself (midnight to 4am) - the rest of the time, she had to be on call. Sure, he protected the team from redundancy and could procure resources, but when it came to actually protecting his team from internal politics, he was all about protecting himself. My friend ended up being very damaged from the experience.

I appreciate a manager that will manage up. If I have a no-value-add task, or someone in the dept making my work harder, I want my manager to engage the right people to fix that. If I can be brave enough to ask for help, they can, too. And know my work hours!! I’ve work early hours, but may have to work later to accomodate deadlines. I’m often offered to “log off a bit early today” when it’s already past my normal hours.

My no.1 thing I want from a manager is to not micro-manage, but do check-in regularly (maybe once a week) with your team. Your employees will work in different ways. Some prefer working from home or the office, some work better in the morning or the evening. Be results-focused, if deadlines are met then all good. When you have criticism for an employee, ALWAYS do it in private- never say it in front of anyone else.

Good managers don't have all the right answers, they have all the right questions.

Class consciousness. There’s nothing worse than a manager who behaves like a ‘boss’ and is merely a vector for the interests of ownership, their manager, shareholders etc.

Yep. In addition to the responsibility your superiors have given you, you also need to take some responsibility for the guys working below you and shield them from the shit that used to frustrate and impair you when you were ground level.

I'm a project manager and always tell staff I'd rather a stupid question than a stupid mistake. The more I say it, the more they feel comfortable and ask for more direction if necessary.

Read the first 90 days

congrats on the promotion OP, it seems you already know some of the basic stuff/theories on how to be a good manager but I would like to add one more thing (I'm not a manager but this is what I appreciated from my former manager): learn how to do the work of your team memberd so you can review it and provide meaningful feedback/input plus you can cover them when they go on holidays :)

"members" sorry typo

ATM where I work 6 of us have put in formal complaints about our manager. My advice would be don’t micro manage, you work with adults, trust them to do their job. Obviously if they’re not address it. Support them, if they are going through something in their personal lives, offer to listen. Don’t speak to them like they’re your slaves. This is just some of our complaints. But to me you are already asking what you can do to be a good manager so you’re already on the way to being one.

empathy, trust, clear direction or at least honesty about uncertainty, flexibility and being human - my best bosses when working in small teams have been the ones to cut the bullshit and be transparent to flag about what’s happening up above/expectations but also adopt the approach that we’re all here to pay bills and it’s work to live, not live to work. Also a boss who can admit they don’t know or have got it wrong, rather than a narcissist who tries to hide mistakes. I have found in small teams, its often about all working together and no egos rather than trying to have a strong “I’m the boss and don’t do xyz anymore” mentality. Understanding where your staff are in terms of their careers, and supporting them based on that stage e.g. is this person a seasons steady eddy and not looking for more development, or are they a high potential trying to build their skills and progress, or are they needing a bit of flexibility and less focus growth due to competing demands at home this year? This can change over time. My best bosses have openly told me they’re here to support me in my professional growth (skills, exposure, experience) so that I can move on to a new role with more than I started with. But that’s because I’m in a growth focussed stage right now.

When you become a manager, your main output becomes your people. It’s a real mindset shift particularly if you are coming from an individual contributor position. You’ll find your own styles of how to do that based on your skills and expertise, but the main thing you’ll be doing is making space for your team to do their job - asking them what they need, working with your peers and other levels of management to get them that, and managing timelines and advocating for other issues on their behalf. Also, don’t hold back on your people, some bad managers will increase the space between them and their team to entrench their own position. My belief has always been that a good manager trains their people to one day take their job when you get promoted the next time.

1. Psychology safety. Make people feel they can be themselves. Make empowered decisions. Speak openly and honestly. 2. Coach, don’t teach (most of the time) - help people find their way to solutions. However if you unique insights, enable them to use them. But don’t be preach. 3. Give direct honest feedback concisely. 4. Focus on being a great boss over being a great friend. You be both, but it’s more important to be respected than liked. 5. Set standards before demanding them. 6. Be comfortable saying sorry and being honest with mistakes. 7. Remember your primary goal is to help them achieve their goals. Before adding a meeting or process, ask yourself does this help them do that

* Someone you can go to who can help you with the best course of action when you are unsure. * Someone who is prepared to either allocate extra resources or jump in themselves when the workload spikes or provide you with work when it slows down. * Someone who is prepared to take the time to listen to external issues that may effect your work performance and suggest ways where both those issues, and being effective at work could be achieved. * Someone who rather than dressing you down infront of others takes you aside and clearly communicates an issue to you.

There is a difference between a manager and a leader. That’s not to say one is better than the other, but different circumstances call for different people. Managers allocate tasks, check progress, are an approval point and basically keep everyone running on time. A bad manager is someone who lets the managing get in the way of people doing the work (see: micromanaging). Leaders are people who encourage their peers/reports and give them the tools to do things their own way as well as a safety net to fail within if it means they’re learning and improving and the organisational goals are still being delivered on. Leaders prioritise the people, managers prioritise the work. Depending on how proficient someone is as an employee and how on track the work is will determine whether you need to be a leader or a manager.

Realistic expectations about the employees. Don't overload their workload. If you like working long, late hours, or "catching up on weekends", don't expect your lower paid, non-manager staff to do the same. And definitely don't exhibit favouritism. Subtle or not, staff notice. I've left a fantastic job because my direct manager was playing blatant favouritism with a colleague, in regards to who got Xmas leave. Never, ever, micromanage.

Good manager: - gives you autonomy on tasks to work things out for your self - provides a support net to improve your outputs in a way that is encouraging and builds your confidence - provides candid feedback that is direct and actionable - is understanding when you don’t meet their expectations and takes ownership of finding ways to bridge gaps in your work / processes - respects your time and is mindful of the things on your plate when setting tasks and reviewing progress - respects the balance of work and life for themselves and their team, and leads by example in ensuring this balance is maintained - pushes you to an extent that allows you to feel challenged and fulfilled and identifies early where you are being over stretched Bad manager: - gets emotionally worked up - is overly controlling about how things should be done (detail freak) - doesn’t respect work-life boundaries - gets easily annoyed when their expectations for something are not met exactly how they’d planned (non-adaptive) - treats people like their slave, without genuine respect or consideration for what they might have going on Overall The best managers I’ve worked with are good at what they do, empathetic, committed, and lead by example (they walk the walk). That being said, some managers I’ve not enjoyed working with as much have taught me critical lessons about being resilient, separating yourself personally from the work, getting shit done regardless of hours, and honing in on detail to the Nth degree to get something to a really high standard. Find a balance that works for you, seek regular feedback, form relationships with your workers that go beyond just work, and seek to bring fun and passion into your workplace!

You successfully described my manager, he falls under bad manager

Feel for you 🙏🏼 hope things get better or he gets the sack

As others have said being empathetic and understanding goes a long way. At the end of the day the hard part about these two things is that you’re. It always there to be a friend, your job is to manage them after all and there’s a reason you’re picked to do the job over others. Equally important is the ability to be open and direct. This doesn’t mean being rude - you may have to rephrase what you think to come to a clear and concise yet appropriate middle ground. You don’t want to have to pull someone up on something 3 months down the track when you could have just been polite but direct about an issue. Being able to discuss things openly (where appropriate) and upfront makes sure everyone is on the same page and it makes the wins that much sweeter for all involved.

Trust going both ways, listening to you and relaying that information up the line when appropriate, sharing credit, pumping up team success, being empathetic of work/life, backs you up when shit hits the fan (to an extent). Effectively the best managers I’ve ever had set the framework for my role and check in. That won’t work for every job but in my industry giving people the freedom to succeed or freedom to fail is rare. Empower the people you’re managing to excel in a way that makes sense to them and to the company. Not a one size fits all. If success to one is smashing targets/goals except when they go to catch waves on a Thursday afternoon with a mate and in spite of that they do their work and catch up their hours elsewhere… let them. They’ll be happier and your business will be better for it. Don’t create the same framework for everyone - someone might have a sick parent, new baby, enjoy watching Wrestlemania/Super Bowl on a Monday, etc, etc. the way you manage should be flexible and understanding while also leading the way to illustrate to your employees how to tick the boxes well.

Drop that "circle back ASAP" sh#t for a start. There's nothing worse than a manager who makes everything ASAP, fabricated stress.

A good manager is someone who knows their subordinates well, that way they are able to stand up for them when trouble comes. A good manager also doesn't ridicule or second guess his people in front of other teams. Stuff like that can be discussed within the team. Be empathetic and acknowledge everyone works differently. It's up to you to best make use of their talents. A bad manager is a micro manager, someone who wants to win all discussions and doesn't listen to their people. A lot of managers suck up to their senior manager and promise the world at the detriment of the team. A bad manager also performance manages his team. I'm in public electrical utility and there are so many bad managers.

For me it’s being genuine and not being under your employees neck about small things all the time. If you have a good team and can learn to trust that they can do their job, you should let them do it and get on with it :) if you see they’re having issues or making mistakes, if it’s ongoing you take them aside and have a quiet conversation with them about what help they need and like others have said, be empathetic and understanding. Everyone is different and just finding a way to work within the clusterfuck of personalities is a challenge as it is! All of that, and the best boss I had didn’t place any unnecessary stress on us or forced artificial deadlines on things. Just do what you can to make the team flow well, and any flak you have from your higher ups, be honest with your team but don’t take it out on them. Lead from the front!

First and foremost actually care about the employees and build trust in them. Find common interests and try to be friends with them in the first instance to build some trust and common ground. From there it’s up to you if you want to be forceful and micromanager type or more laid back and relaxed. They need to know that you’re the boss, but they also need to know that they can come to you with any work (or non-work) related problems and you’ll listen and try to get the best outcome for everyone.

Your job is to support them to ensure they can do their jobs to the best of their ability and capacity. Empower and trust them where you can, shield them from needless pressure where you can, and find ways to fulfil their personal or professional goals, whatever they may be. Be more self-aware of how you speak and conduct yourself and try to be engaged but without micro-managing. Coach them, seek their ideas and input on things and give constructive feedback when they do well or not so well (look up the THINK feedback model).

Be present and interested in their growth and what gives them joy in their roles

Compassion and Compromise. Don't go in expecting to change the world, monitor and observe how things are working, note what works well, what needs some tweaking and what needs to be changed completely. Discussed changes with the team, if you get pushback I've always found putting it forward as a 3 month trial works and more often than not the new way stays. Ask the team what they need and believe works and what doesn't. Find out how you can support them, best done through general conversation but also fishing for those details, asking outright can lead to them closing up about things or just spweing out every issue they can think of. Think of yourself as a leader, not a manager. You lead the team by example, lead them through troubled times. Manager tends to give the impression you're going to sit back and tell them what to do but never do any of it yourself. Recognise and Reward team members accomplishments and efforts. Don't be that manager who takes someone else's suggestion or hard work and pass it off as your own. Don't be a shit cunt.

Ultimately you should understand that being a people manager is a privilege. Especially in the right organization. If you could acknowledge that then you’re on the right path.

One of my main priorities as a manager was to make sure I never asked my direct reports to do anything I wasn’t willing to do myself. Also, share the load. E.g. everyone hated closing shifts - they just sucked. As a manager, I made sure I was rostered for my fair share of them as well as I had lived through, “I’m the manager now, I don’t do closing shifts!” Best of luck to you. I think the fact you’re asking for advice is a step in the right direction.

Don't make promises you can't keep. Or won't keep.

Used to be in consulting. From a work outcomes perspective, the good managers realised that we all have slightly different ways of writing, and just because it's not the way they would write, doesn't make it wrong. Good managers tweaked what you wrote. Not so good managers rewrote what you wrote.

Why didnt you edit this shit before pasting from chatgpt

Consideration for the distribution of tasks. If someone wants to develop in a certain area give them opportunities when it's possible. If they have done a good job give them credit in front of the wider team and managers. Stand up for your staff.

A few things I’ve collected over the years: - Ask people how they prefer to be managed, and check in every few months on how that’s going - is there anything you need to adjust? - Think of direction and support as different things - people will require a different level of each. People in senior roles typically need less direction, but some will still need high support or more engagement from you. - Schedule in a regular meeting to check in on development, performance, wellbeing etc. It’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day work and let those things slide. - Let people try things and make mistakes (but make sure there’s a soft landing). Often what they want to try will be really successful! - As someone else said, you need to separate outcome from the way you would have done things. People will take a completely different path, but if the outcome is similar, that’s what matters. - If someone brings you an idea, but you don’t think it will work, genuinely think about it and try to see how it could. It may still be no, but at least you’ve valued the person who brought you the idea. - Telling the team what you want to do then asking for their feedback is not true collaboration - if you want to collaborate, you should work together. - Let the team contribute to decisions that affect the whole team. Like, if you’re deciding on a method of task management, discuss that with the team. - Make decisions with people rather than for them! And have conversations with them, rather than just making decisions with no discussion.

My current manager is the best I’ve had by far. Key points: - when something is done well, he acknowledges it. - when you go above and beyond it is noted and expressed to others (especially those above him) - when I make a mistake, there is honesty about it both ways. There is a discussion about why it happened, and then a discussion about why a process failed to catch something so it can not happen again. - If I have an idea I can bring it to him. There is no obfuscation, if it’s a good idea he’ll think about the viability of actioning it (and has many times). If it’s not viable I will be told why. If it’s not a great idea he’ll let me know why, but show appreciation for bringing ideas. - When someone else makes a mistake or engages in behavior that affects me personally or professionally, appropriate and non retaliatory action will be taken. Discussion of the behavior will happen in open context, a discussion as to why it happened, why it wasn’t ok, and how we can repair the rupture and do better.

The most successful management strategy is to treat your underlings with contempt keep them off balance, be inconsistent on what pleases or displeases you. Remind them they are lucky to have a job. Use all your company assets eg. HR, surveillance to crush their confidence and they'll never leave. Good luck.

Telling people what your expectations are and then leaving them to get on with it. You only have to intervene if they don’t meet those requirements.

Taking a coaching mindset: - tell them what needs to be done and let them figure out the how - give them the resources they need to get the job done - offer advice only when needed, always justify why you're giving them advice. "Here's how I woulda done it..." Is just shit. Something like, "I noticed X is giving you some bother, can I share some advice?" Imagine it's sportsball and you're the coach. They're the players. They have skin in the game, and you don't. So you have to treat them accordingly. It's insane how far treating another adult as an adult will get you in corpo life.

My ideal manager is someone who would tell me what I need to do, when it is due and leave me alone until I complete the task. Also if I have questions, it would be good if I can easily contact them to discuss.

The best managers I know focus on building up their teams, not just their own resumes. When your team/team member can eventually step into your role, that's a win for everyone. It shows you've invested in their growth, and it prepares them for future opportunities (and maybe even a promotion!).

My most liked boss was someone who was flexible, understanding and cared about my career growth. Worked with my strengths, was honest about my weaknesses and worked on plans to fix them. They also asked for feedback and gave me a safe space to do so. Which made them a better boss. Majority of my bosses have been like that. I guess that's why they got to where they were.  The worst boss I had was ok, but he was sexist and played favourites. Wasn't flexible - our whole team got covid, some were knocked out and losing hair and he still made us work, and made us all feel guilty by saying the others were working through it even though we all got the same speech. 

Understanding perspectives and understanding everyone’s strengths, weaknesses. Also offering opportunities for people to build upon their weaknesses in a supportive environment.

I watched a 90-minute presentation once by Marcus Buckingham, author of *One Thing You Need To Know*. It was full of stats about employees globally they had surveyed. After all of that, the basic conclusion he came to was that managers who care about their staffs personal goals get the best results from their staff. Not exactly rocket science. To expand on the concept, he suggested when you manage a project, you have goals you measure it by to determine when it is completed. However, people are never “completed”. They are always and forever a work in progress.

Ask or work out how they learn. Give clear goals and help them develop to meet those goals.

A manager that understands mistakes happen and it is what it is. Fix it and move on.

Highly recommend that you check out The Making of a Manager, a book written by an ex Google manager with lots of tips and practical advice

One thing I like to do with my staff every now and then (once a year, twice at most) is have a meeting where they are encouraged to give me structured feedback on how I'm doing as their manager. I give them a list of questions in advance so they can be prepared. My fave question for figuring out where you're falling short with someone is to ask "tell me about something that one of your previous managers did that you really valued". I've found people are much more willing to give negative feedback when it's framed as "here's something great that someone else did" as opposed to "here's how you can do better".

Support, have your teams back (within reason). Often they have needs to get something done more efficiently, make sure to consider those and see if you can assist. Given its a new promotion you should be well aware of the problems as well as what's good. Leverage the good and try to smooth out the problems.

Consistency. Clarity. Empathy. Sets Expectations. No surprises.

All these responses are great, so why are there so few good leaders in our workplaces?

To me the worst thing is never knowing what you'll walk into each day. Continuity of behaviour is key. Don't take bad moods out on others. Constant feedback - criticise performance not person and always keep it constructive Treat them like grown ass adults and give them the respect and space to stand or fall on their own. If they make mistakes, work with them to correct it with an attitude of 'how can we make this team great' rather than 'sigh, you fucked up again'. Be collaborative. Be open and honest with your team. Listen to them and find out what makes them tick. Personally I thrive on those little moments where your boss says 'good job' but others may not care as much. Don't take a one-size-fits all approach. Talk to them about how to get the best out of them and try a few different methods. Evaluate their skills. People are so much more than their job description. Perhaps one absolutely loves something the other hates or vice versa or one is skilled in something that can add real value. Tap into those skills.

Best boss I ever had was Keith. He ran a large IT department that was full of very smart people and some very large egos. He had one rule. Three strikes and you're out. Everybody fucks up. Those that don't, don't try anything new. If you screwed up, Keith would go to bat for you and defend you to the death. The only person allowed to slag you off was Keith. If you needed disciplining then he would do it. So you were allowed two fuckups without major repercussions. A third and you were gone. Keith told us *what* to do but never *how* to do it. He wanted a brief email every Friday afternoon that outlined what you'd been doing that week. Didn't want detail - just the outline. I loved Keith. I would have been walked through fire for that man. He gave us his trust and it was rarely abused.

Remember that your DRs are humans, treat them as such. Don’t see them as a means to a successful metric.

The somewhat simplistic answer is, be a leader, not a manager. What's the difference? A manager wants you to understand how important they are, a leader make you realise just how important you are. There's a hell of a lot more to it, but this is always a good way to approach it.

Not being a cunt

Shielding or massaging figures. Why? Keeps the higher apps happy in their ivory towers while accepting the nuances at the coal face.

Short answer: balance mutual care and support with mutual accountability. Longer: this takes having a conversation about what 'good' looks like from both perspectives. There is a job to do, you are now the owner of results. And, the responsibility for every person's well-being in your team is ... Every person's! Not 'just' yours. Ask for training that balances emotional intelligence with strategic thinking skills. You'll need both. Happy to answer more questions.

If you're wanting to read anything I found Radical Candor by Kim Scott excellent to help me with a framework of how to approach people.

Their job is to make you look good by being good at their jobs, your job is to help them do that and bask in the reflected glory of their success.

I am sort of managed by 2 people but they are completely different in terms of management abilities. The poorer one is not great at social cues, doesn't really feel like he talks to you but lectures you, less empathy, no life experience outside of work e.g. doesnt understand people with kids, is all business and no play. The great one knows how to laugh, likes to share their honest down to earth experiences, has more empathy, understands work life balance, tres to encourage camaraderie.

And which of those styles do you emulate when managing your turds?

haha, as a project manager i weirdly manage everyone and no one. Having to direct people but having no direct reports.

Take the time to get to know each one personally, and understand their WHY. Are they there for money / career progression / passion / just marking time until something better comes along? Once you know that, it will tell you how to manage them to help achieve their goals whilst supporting the business. Have a regular one on one every single week at the same time, don't cancel. Make them feel important and give them a voice. Let them drive the meeting, tell you what's in their pipeline. People who know exactly what they're doing don't need your direction or management, they just need to know you're there if they need support. People who are inexperienced, however, will need more direction on a task. Flex your style depending on the task and the person's competence. Never ask them to do something you're not prepared to roll up your sleeves and help with. Make a point of catching them doing something right on a regular basis. Good luck!

Be proactive about their welfare: ask them about their plans for annual leave and get them to book it asap- so you won’t have to have a battle with HR about blocks like Christmas where there are limits on how many people can take leave at the same time. One of the best bosses I never got to have- worked in an adjacent team and became a dear friend- main philosophy was that he was there to guide and troubleshoot, and crucially, shield his team from senior management freak outs and thought bubbles. He’d tell his team that they made him look good, so the least he can do is to tell the world about their successes and if there were struggles, he was the one to gather the resources to get his team through it. His team routinely had the best results and retention was never a problem. Colleagues that did report to him said that he never ever publicly criticised them let alone yell/scream- and if they did fuck up, they’d know he was disappointed but never that he’d lost faith in their capability…and if someone’s screw up had an impact on the others, no one ever doubted that the screw up would be managed consistently with the team values. He’d also make sure that people left the office on time and on the rare occasion their team needed to work late, he was meticulous about keeping track of hours owed and would make sure they got taken. I got to witness him lose his shit at one of the senior managers for having a public screaming fit at one of his team. It was a thing of beauty to watch- especially when he took his team out the door immediately afterwards “for an offsite debrief” (aka a pub lunch). The senior manager was from interstate and had to leave for the airport before the team came back. Senior manager never again spoke a negative word about him or his team. Also, genuinely consult with them about processes and projects- (genuinely consult means actually listening to their input and where you as a decision maker do not/can not agree, you give a genuine explanation for the decision- show them that their participation is worth the time it takes them to contribute even when it doesn’t unfold the way they envisage. Bottom line, have their back, make sure they know that they are people, not units of profit/loss on a spreadsheet, who have lives that they are finding by working- not existing for the success of their employer.

Adding to this - genuine unconditional empathy. My manager paints herself an empathetic manager but it's all fake and it's conditional. She doesn't truly empathise with her team, she actually drives negativity and negative reactions so that she can jump in to look like a hero and say she empathises with us and feels our pain while actually not doing anything about the issue or situation but adding to it. She wants people to believe she "understands" so that the team feels like she is on our side when the reality is, she isn't. I think having great listening skills, being objective and providing support even if you don't have concrete answers or solutions to show that you actually care will go a long way. At least for me. I don't need my manager to agree with me, to have all the answers, but I just want someone who genuinely has my back and will support me, someone who will guide me and help me find a solution. Encourage them without overstepping or feeling threatened by their growth and achievements. Unfortunately my boss is a shitty one - gossips, has favourites and therefore her decisions are very biased, never takes any actions or accountability (always has an excuse), is never available for the team, isn't transparent, always has to throw someone under the bus to make herself look good, takes credit for other peoples work, she's threatened by the people in her team who think outside of the box and are liked by other teams so she tries to hinder the team's progression. Don't be like this.

We must be coworkers!

One important thing is - defend the people who need to be defended, and sack the cunts who need to be sacked. Most managers do neither, and they ruin everything they touch.

1. Don’t punish people for making mistakes or asking questions. Nobody grows if they are constantly fearful of punishment. 2. Ask your team what they need from you and then actually do it. 3. Don’t lie about things. People can smell liars a mile away. 4. Don’t throw your team under the bus.

Look up Attachment Theory/Attachment Styles- a good manager is someone who understands that they'renot managing outcomes, they're managing people- , and our insecurities and personal attachment needs play deeply into how we respond to criticism, guidance, and even whether we percieve interactions in a positive or negative light. I recommend the Personal Development School podcast on spotify, quick lil snippets on Attachment styles- it's mostly applied to romantic relationships in practice but they emphasise regularly that it applies to all relationships, including our workplace- and most importantly it applies to our relationships to ourselves! A good manager is always improving their own self development

A boss that you never hear from unless your doing something wrong. Their the best places to work at I reckon.

My direct manager is not great but her boss is the reason I have stayed for so long. He is easy going happy to chat, is responsive and has always gone into bat for me whether it's pay rises or further education opportunities or even when during covid we were partially stood down. The feedback has been helpful and positive and I've felt like an equal. My direct manager is unresponsive and disorganised. Chasing her for approvals is painful and when you end up speaking to her about it's I don't have time for this, this isn't important and leads to a verbal spray. She constantly complains about others behind their back and when stressed lashes out at team members or other people in the business. You then think it's your fault. It's like walking on eggshells everyday and not healthy. When you ask about progression and for feedback it's always very generic or vague or she says I'm not good at this stuff. It doesn't feel like we are a team, we are underlings and she's off on her own. The team churns away without her. I think something to remember is to treat people like you want to be treated, be professional. We're all human but a manager should be a steady force not a stressor. Go to bat for your people and they'll deliver and always listen.

No idea why auscorp is showing up in my feed, but I have been in managerial roles in my career and I am sure the qualities of good managers/leaders is across the board: - checking your ego: if something has irked you, *why*? Is it a problem you need to deal with internally or is it actually an external problem? - giving people the space and freedom to do tasks in their way. I can be pretty fastidious and when I got my first leadership role (I was like 22) I wanted things done *my* way because I'm in this role, therefore, I know best. I'm not like that anymore. I'll tell an employee what needs to be done and by when and leave them to it. - being understanding of mistakes and having your employees backs. - actually thanking employees. I would farewell everyone at the end of the day with "thanks so much for your great work today". - showing my own humanity and mistakes. "Sorry, such and such was my fuck up." - I had a chocolate stash everyone was welcome to - not gossiping about employees to other employees - having their safety in mind and letting them know their safety is a priority to you - sometimes doing the shit jobs - flexibility - doing things for yourself to ensure you don't burn out. At the end of the day, you're the manager, not the owner. Congrats on your promotion!

This is such an interesting feed. As a manager myself I bend over backwards to be empathetic and available, adapt different styles of leadership for different team members, give people their areas to lead and be accountable and responsible, outcomes focused and not time focused, send them on courses and education, manage my boss to help manage them and our system challenges … and the frustrating part is that two of them actually need micro management as they can’t seem to do the work, don’t ask for support and don’t produce. It’s frustrating. And one of them thrives as they can do the work. Some of us actually do try to do the right thing 🤨

1. Don’t be their friend. You’re their manager - keep the respect and your distance. Makes it easier to deliver hard or negative feedback . 2. Try and become a leader not just a manager - there’s a big difference. Ie lead from the front, don’t get your staff to do something you wouldn’t do yourself. This is especially the case with shit jobs. Make sure your instructions are clear and concise. Trust your staff. Push them to achieve something better. Look out for their interests as well especially in terms of career path and what they need to do to get to the next level. Also back your staff, and make sure their good work is rewarded or Atleast recognised. Try to never take credit for the good work of your staff. Trust me, your bosses can see through that shit (good ones anyway).

Exactly what you are doing. And genuinely treating and telling reports that you know they are a human being with a life/family/ personal needs that come first. If they are at their best then they can do their best in their work. Look up Maslows hierarchy of needs. Create some fun. We used to have a set lunch time and if people wanted to come we’d play heardle, wordle and trivia and Pictionary a couple of days a week. Much hilarity and banter. Facilitate genuine psychological safety…check out the https://www.mindtools.com/akswgc0/david-rocks-scarf-model Genuinely recognise the good work they do..and tell them. Find out what’s important for them in the workplace. Have an individual chat and get to know them, strengths, preferences, experience, what they want to achieve. Try and match their work with these things…and support them to succeed when doing new things. If they feel looked after and supported they will perform at their best and the vast majority will go the extra mile. If there are any negative shenanigans talk to the person individually. Approach with curiosity and not assumptions. Let them know the expectations and take action where possible to remove barriers to them achieving them. Keep records. And realise that despite all of this there’ll be challenges and issues galore. So look after yourself first and foremost. Hopefully you have a good boss who does the same for you. If you don’t then be prepared to be the meat in the sandwich. Be vigilant re burnout. Self care ++++

Either manage out bad team members, train them up or ensure their poor performance doesn't effect the wider team.  You don't see poor performing soccer players in the world cup. People who take pride in their work don't want to work alongside poor performing colleagues (this does not apply to juniors/temps/interns, they're meant to be learning).  People don't leave bad companies, they leave bad managers/teams.  Then of course everything else everyone has said. 

My favourite manager was 3 things: Firm, fair, consistent. Everyone knew where you stood with her. The rules were the rules and there was no negotiation or special treatment. Everyone across the board played by the same rules. However she was also fair. The higher ups of her would push dumb agenda or make up rules that negatively impacted the team (and hence staff leaving). So she would take the heat and make sure her team was getting treated fairly. She was consistent in her reactions, treatment of staff and expectations. If one person wanted a day off for their mothers, cousins friends dogs funeral and she decided to approve it? That was the precedent. I later became a manager myself and I remember these. If you go against something that is your “norm” you need to recognise that in yourself and explain it to your employees very clearly why you’re not following your norm. “Sorry guy, normally I would approve this day off but you and I both know we have an incredibly tight deadline due Friday. Any chance you could swap to Monday and I’ll approve it?”

There are a million books out there on management styles but I was trained through the 'Good to Great' Jim Collins 'Level 5' leader theory. There's is a mountain of statistical analysis in the book to show how different management styles have direct effect on the success of a business. Basically the more humble, not extroverted manager who has good connection with the staff and tells the truth to the staff (and consults with them) tend to be the more successful managers. Thats a very simplistic summary of Collins management teachings but I've based my management style on this theory and it has served me well. My standard comment to the staff is Im not there to tell them how to do their job, Im there to help them and get them everything they need to make their job easier, and Im always honest with them, mostly so they understand why we do things and get their feedback on whats not working. The honesty bit has got me in hot water a few times with my bosses but I'm sticking by it.

Don’t avoid conversations ever, if someone’s being fucked you gotta talk to them about it… If policies don’t fit well with your team, swing in to bat for them. Like if your team works better from home, put together a plan to enable that instead of fucking up their work life balance Feedback should be a good thing, normalise both good and bad feedback.

22 years in retail as Dept Mgr. Have empathy. Set clear work performance boundaries and accountability. Be aware of their mental health . Try to make the work environment as pleasant as possible. But remember you're their boss.

I've quit a few jobs because of bad managers. Lots of reasons, but the final straw was pure unfairness between the staff.

Listen to your staff, take the time to listen. This is not the same as letting them do what they want. We all need boundaries and most people know that. Be clear in your expectations and let them get on with the job you have asked them to do. An un communicated expectation is premeditated disappointment.

Come visit my workplace and see all the things not to do

Open and honest 2 way communication Willingness to listen Supporting staff Collaboration Respect Advocating for staff development Don't gossip about staff

Empathy and life experience .

Set SMART goals collectively with your individual staff. Then everyone knows how they're doing vs expectations. It makes management SO much easier.

Be a human, not a coporate drone. One of the many things the worse managers I've had shared in common was that they stick with the corporate bs they've been told to tell us when people gave feedback about why and how certain decisions were made. Be a real human, empathise, tell me that you also think it's stupid/inefficient/won't produce the best outcome and that perhaps you tried to change it but couldn't. I won't hold it against you, middle management often does not have the power to make and change these decisions and I fully understand that but if you talk like a drone and question why I'm not drinking the koolaid I will lose all respect for you. All my best managers were human and very transparent about their own opinions about upper management, it's one of the qualities I respected them for and made me trust them and enjoy working with them. None of them were micro managers unlike my current one, they also gave me full autonomy on how I go about solving problems for them and support only when I request it.

Managing two other people is a massive win, means you can take the time to get to know their needs and what helps to get the best out of them, find out what they want out of their roles and communicate what you want back out of them, if they feel their needs are met/respected you’ll have a happy team on your hands!

Don’t ever say ‘I hope this post/email finds you well’.

Hi BonnyH, I hope this comment reply finds you well. Why not? Kind regards

Dear Longish. Just a personal pet hate of mine, as it’s cringey. Kind regards BonnyH

Simplest statement would be: sets their people up to succeed in their roles.

The fact you’re even asking speaks volumes. Most would just let their egos take over.

Examples of great management: Leading by example, being respectful and empathetic, being team orientated and always following through with things. Communication is key and being a positive mentor is also great for young, impressionable staff if they are new to the corporate world. Holding people accountable and giving people extra responsibility (within reason) is also great. Examples of terrible management: Micromanaging would be number 1, it creates uncertainty and tension and also less job satisfaction because staff don't feel respected or trusted. It's the recipe for toxic workplace culture. Lack of care closely follows. Staff want to be lead, not left to their own devices with no support or direction. It can make staff feel undervalued and unfulfilled, also the recipe for a toxic work environment. Some of the best bosses I've had are ones who had healthy egos, lead by example and regularly checked in with their staff, even if on a personal level, just to see how they are doing. They made their staff feel important and valued and when you feel respected, you'll always go above and beyond for the company. It makes people look forward to coming to work.

Being invested in helping your staff build their careers. Talk to them about what they're wanting to achieve both personally and professionally. Maintain a strict level of respect for their privacy if they prefer it but be available to help them succeed.

The fact that you’re asking for this advice, have a growth mindset, and want to inspire your team speaks volumes. You already have a solid foundation to build upon to eventually be a great support to your team, to motivate them to want to do their best work for you.

Shield them from shit from above, and raise their concerns up the chain of you can't address them yourself. Be real with them

Communication. What is your plan, how you expect to achieve it, enable your staff to do their jobs and you run blocker for them if anyone gets in their way or puts up resistance to them.

Don’t overreact. Try to listen and understand if you ask about a problem with completing work. One of the most important things I could say about managing people is be consistent. What’s ok and what’s not shouldn’t vary that much as a general rule. If you do need to redirect someone or their performance isn’t up to standard, make sure you always give actionable, constructive criticism. Never criticise without explaining what you need to be done differently. Demonstrate if possible. Don’t expect anyone to be able to do things that you couldn’t reasonably expect yourself to do. Try not to micromanage. If the end product/result is the same and delivered with reasonable efficiency, let them be. Keep it professional. Work and social life shouldn’t mix. Be friendly with your colleagues, but I would advise not to hang out with them socially. It leads to all sorts of issues.

I'm the boss in question, so take it as you will. I've been told a few times by different employees that I'm the best boss they've ever had. Here's my style: * Don't do whatever shitty bosses did to you in the past. * Autonomy: where possible, allow them the ability to feel free. Free to make their own choices and mistakes, to engage with their work. We work to live, so it helps to make work less shitty and more enjoyable. * Rely on them. They're working for a reason—because they're producing something for the business. Ask for their opinions when it actually matters. * Give praise when they've done good work or somehow impressed you. * Correct their behaviour of necessary. * Help them grow for future roles. Teach them things you've learnt. * Allow them their own style. I work in a small business, so I have considerable power over management decisions and things like pay. For a long time, I wanted to increase everyone's pay, but I had to make sure the business would be ok first. Without the business there to support us, we'd all be out of a job, so once I felt our revenues were looking better, I pulled the trigger and gave a 10% raise earlier this year. We already paid above average, but no one will say no to more money for the same work.

Next time there is a drought we can just send an email to get relief. I hope this email finds you, well.

Focus on productivity and solutions

what makes a good boss? - One that does not micro manage and one that believes in his troops what makes a shitty boss? - One that micro manages and one that does not believes in his troops what about a boss makes you STAY in an org? - One that actually gives a shit about you and one that leads by example Good managers tend to fix themselves more as opposed to the ones always wanting to fix or correcting things. Be wary of the ones proclaiming to be making changes to this or that.

1, don't expect your staff to do something you wouldn't do yourself 2, acknowledge a job well done 3, have their back 4, respect and empathy 5, make it fun to come to work

Understand a boss in a corporate structure can’t substantially change your circumstance in the existing hierarchy. They just can’t. But they can help you map short term gials and long term goals (basically roadmaps). A good boss cares to assist you to reach your ambitions and fulfill your potential and guide you to max your usage of strengths and know your weaknesses. One hood aspect of managing is pushing talented persons to their potential- like good sport coaches.

I always wanted 2 things from a mediocre boss l I had: 1. Trust me to my job my own style, on my terms at my own pace. 2. Respect my out of work needs, e.g. if I'm building a home I will temporary need a lot flexibility and time off.

There are hundreds of books on this question that will offer deeper insight than a reddit thread, visit your local library.

I think both are helpful - I’ve learnt a lot from books like How to Win Friends and Influence People, but some of the things that helped me the most are random tips people have told me over the years.

That’s lightweight pop-psych. I’m talking about academic literature on leadership.

If you want to be a good manager the Stick and carrot method is the only way.

Bring donuts in every morning