The Good Manager

As with most professions, the role of a manager has been transformed considerably these past few decades. Our employees, our customers, and our competition have changed as the years’ progress, so it stands to reason that management must do so as well. We see that the demands of the position have increased the hours needed to perform those demands and exacerbated the stress in managers’ lives as they attempt to balance these escalating work demands with some semblance of a personal life. And then, since 2008, the collapse of the economy has brought doubt to the competence and ethical comportment for those in the managerial profession. To be sure, it is a difficult time to be a manager, and in such times, those in the profession are looking for a tool or strategy as a guide through the trials and tribulations of their job. And there are thousands of weekly magazine articles, hundreds of books at the neighborhood bookstore, and dozens of courses at the local college all addressing the topic that mystifies much of the organizational world: what makes a good manager. Magnifying the answer to this question is the increasing importance of the role a manager plays in an organization’s success, along with the growing complexity for the profession in today’s globally competitive environment. One does not need decades of experience, and a doctorate in organizational management, to be a good manager. In reality, there are several basic principles, or attributes, that are common to the most effective manager. It is similar to a baseball player learning how to hold a bat or a golfer choosing the right club for a particular shot. It starts with the fundamentals—the basics. These attributes are simple, and they can be learned by those with the drive and determination to be a better manager and a better person. This book highlights the six fundamentals of management, six attributes of a good, decent, honorable, and effective manager. The hope is that you adopt these attributes as you manage your employees, your department, your business, and even your life. In summary, these attributes were: First is that you like what you do. Management is a physically and emotionally draining profession, filled with many challenges and disappointments. The profession may not be for everyone, but if managing employees and an organization is what you like to do, it can also be one of your most exhilarating experiences, allowing you to have a weightier role in the development and success of an employee and an organization. There are few professions more rewarding. Second is knowledge. Managers with the broadest breadth and depth of knowledge simply have a better opportunity to make a more reasoned and intelligent decision on a wide range of organizational issues, from the hiring of an employee to the development of the organization’s strategic plan. This knowledge, gained through a broad education and diverse experiences, best prepares a manager to make the right decision, at the right time, and for the right reason. Third is exceptional organizational skills. Decades ago, an organization’s primary competitor was in the same town or state; rarely was that competitor in another country. Today’s globally competitive environment has radically increased the complexity of the managerial profession, requiring a relentless focus on quality and costs. Organizations are often required to produce more goods at a lower cost, which necessitates that a manager learn the art of planning, delegating, and managing time. These are the basic building blocks of a manager’s competence, and without this foundation very little in an organization can be accomplished. Fourth is work hard. The world is replete with talented people who have done little to perfect and utilize their talent. There are superb painters who never market their paintings because they fear criticism; phenomenal writers who do not publish their books because they fear failure. What a shame. Managers may have certain talents—say, for instance, the ability to communicate well, or an ability to decipher complex mathematical computations—but unless they have the drive and determination to maximize and market their talents they become a cautionary tale for an unrealized promise and wasted lives. Fifth is fun. To be honest, several colleagues believe this attribute to be the least important of a manager and have offered several attributes they feel are more important to include in this book. I, however, have stood my ground! I am convinced that people yearn for fun, for a time and place where they feel comfortable and are welcomed regardless of their challenges and difficulties. If that place can be where they work, where their manager instills a sense of adventure and excitement in what they do and who they do it for, I believe the repercussions for such a work environment will lead to a level of loyalty, commitment, and productivity rarely seen in an organization. Finally is a good person. No matter the attributes you possess as a manager, I believe that your success and failure as a manager rests on your ability to be a good person. A good person is one who lives a decent and honorable life, who is incredibly kind-hearted, controls the most destructive human emotions, tells the truth, does what is right, and always looks for the good along the road of life. As employees search for the perfect job in the perfect career, look for a manager that is first a kind and generous person. As organizations search for the brightest, most driven employees, they should look first for a decent and honorable manager who has only the purest and noblest intentions for the employees. Inevitably, I believe our happiness or unhappiness, success or failure, in the workplace depends on finding that good person. Never settle until you find such a person to work with; never stop until you become one yourself. The quest for goodness in your personal and professional life is an exhilarating quest, one that is attainable to those with the drive and desire to live in a good and decent manner. I sincerely hope you are, or will become, that type of manager and that type of person.