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What Makes for Ideal Managers?

Opinion

Anyone that knows me that I read a great deal, and one of the topics I focus on is management and leadership. It has meant attending B-school, reading books on management, as well as reading numerous articles and studies - I definitely prefer to base my ideas on statistical proof - so I think I have a good sense of what research says excellent management and leadership means. After reading a blog post that resonated with me, but I thought overly-specific, I decided to abstract that article's rules into something generic, add some needed items, then convert those items into practice.
  • Making sure one's team has adequate tools, resources, contacts, and training
  • Being a leader, and in that providing vision, expectations, goals, and standards, as well communicating that clearly
  • In one's self, exemplifying excellence, being a role model, maintaining a positive image, having personality and charm, while earning respect
  • In one's team, having excellence, cohesion, friendship, and camaraderie
  • Developing one's people, having a concern for their welfare, providing praise and encouragement, and listening
  • For the business, service, strategic goal-setting, clear communication, protecting the team, improving efficiency, managing requirements and resources

The only issue is that this list is a bit of a 'kitchen-sink-laundry-list' including everything without concern for the appropriateness. When I look through my history, very few managers have been what I saw as truly excellent. For other items, they were not specifically a manager's duty but were provided by the organization, such as with providing training.

The Source

How to Tell If You're a Great Manager:
  • Do I know what is expected of me at work? 
  • Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
  • At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
  • In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?
  • Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
  • Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
  • At work, do my opinions seem to count?
  • Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?
  • Are my co-workers committed to doing high-quality work?
  • Do I have a best friend at work?
  • In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?
  • This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?
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