What makes a good manager?
By ahgong
@ahgong (10064)
Singapore
February 15, 2009 11:32pm CST
I am sure for those who worked, you will know what I mean.
Having been working close to a decade, I have met with a variety of managers and supervisors.
Some were really good. And some... well... not so good.
The good ones are really good. They plan their time and man power well. And with a good schedule and clear objectives, they are able to lead their team into successful projects after successful projects.
The not so good ones, well, some have very good team players. So they do okay.
The ones that doesn't have the support of good team players, do a terrible job. And it makes you wonder, how in the world these horrible managers get to become managers.
So, here I am, wondering. What makes a good Manager?
Why is it that some managers, obviously cannot lead, can be promoted to the position of a manager?
4 people like this
6 responses
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
16 Feb 09
BY pulling strings i guess.. lol =D That's always the case, and most of the time, or maybe in this day and time now, everything is about qualifications and a piece of paper.. SO as long as one has got the neccesary qualifications, but has got no experience at all, they will be more likely to become manager.. lol =D
This is happening everywhere, because those management level ple, only believe in qualifications, and trust them totally.. But too bad, they often fail to realise, what makes a paper manager good, are the staffs under him, working things seem perfect.. lol =D
BUt when there's a good manager, they are able to foster good relationship with staffs and share credits with them, not leaving them out at all.. That's a very huge difference because most ple tend to be selfish and only be thinking of taking credit for themselves, just like those 'paper' managers, whom throw their weight around because of a paper.. lol =D
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
16 Feb 09
Yeah, and the best part is, these managers get away with a lot of things!
Some times, it is just plain frustrating to be working under some one like that!
I sure am glad those days are over for me.
If only something could be done to expose these incompetent managers so that they will not be doing their disgusting things (which they call leading) and make the project worst or more messy than it originally is!
2 people like this
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
17 Feb 09
haha.. There will always be a way.. BY hiding your true skills from the managers, only showing sloppy attitude.. hehe ^_^ If they are really good, they should be able to come up with something out of nothing.. If not, then be ready to see the paper manger being burned and toasted.. lol =D
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
17 Feb 09
I have been in management for three or four years now and at first it was tough. I didn't even know where to start but I have learned a few things since then. I am by no means a great manager but i do my best and what I can't do..my team helps with. It doesn't matter so much that they like you but that they respect you.This is a fine line. Having knowledgable answers and knowing what is going on and what needs to be done. Being able to distribute workloads evenly and fairly. Promoting teamwork and pitching in when it's needed instead of just telling everyone what to do.Recognizing people as individuals with individual needs. Understanding when you need to and asking when you don't.Helping your team understand when you have to reprimend them that it's for their awareness and actually a way of helping them to excel in the company. This is just the tip of the iceburg but it's a start.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
17 Feb 09
Thanks for the insight.
Well, not everyone is able to practice what you laid out.
There was this manager that I know that did a horrible job at managing the projects under his care. He is one lucky fellow who had a very capable team to hold things together. Otherwise, I am sure his lack of skills in management will be obvious to the people on top of him.
Problem is this, he doesn't seem to know who to appreciate and who not to.
And it is frustrating for the team working under him.
In the few years that I had been working for that company, his team's attrition rate is so high, I am glad I wasn't working under him.
That is the amazing part you see. An obviously lousy manager who cannot keep his team, is still able to move up the ranks to the management level!
That is one puzzle I can never understand.
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
17 Feb 09
well i guess it depends on who is looking. for the company, a good manager is someone who works towards achieving the company's goals. for subordinates, a good manager is someone who cares about their welfare. it is not easy to strike a perfect balance between these two needs. some are promoted to the managerial level for being able to put the organisation first. however, this usually means welfare is not in their priority list.
striking a delicate balance between meeting demands of profit and welfare makes a good manager to me. the ability to motivate subordinates to put organisational needs before their own is a good way of striking this balance too. 
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
17 Feb 09
Yes, I understand that it may not be easy to strike a balance between the betterment of the company vs the welfare of the staff working under you.
But I have also seen so many managers that are obviously not competent.
They do not know how to manage their time line. They do not know how to care for the people who carry out their work for them.
All they do know is to make things difficult for the very resources that help him maintain his position in the company.
I guess, all sorts of people make up this world. It is the obciously lousy ones that really make your blood boil!
1 person likes this
@izathewzia (5134)
• Philippines
17 Feb 09
For me, a good manager is the one who not only understand but are considerate of the works of his or her subordinates. The one who finds time to appreciate and reward the hardwrk of tohers. And is able to run the business well.
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
17 Feb 09
Yeah, those managers are treasures. And if I ever work under one, I will be really loyal!
But those kind of managers are far and few in between. Like a one in a million chance of ever meeting one. Seeking out one is like looking for a needle in a hay stack!
@victorywp (3524)
• United States
17 Feb 09
for me, a good manager should be able to balance up things well. he/she should be:-
1) clear about the goal & objective of the company
2) good in time management & planning
3) charismatic & motivational enough to lead the team
4) responsible with his/her decision
sometimes we can see managers who are obviously cannot lead & we still wondering why he/she can be promoted to the position of a manager. i think there are certain reasons like:-
1) maybe they are one of the workforce who have working for the directors for a long time (maybe since they started up the business)
2) they know how to polish an apple well (apple-polisher) or "polish the shoes" of the directors
3) they already feel comfortable with the position & lost their drive
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
17 Feb 09
Apple polishers who become managers are the worst of the lot in my opinion.
Most of the time, they have no idea what it takes to lead a team.
Yet they are promoted to the ire of the rest of the team.
Sigh... if only life was more fair, then we would all be rewarded accordingly to the effort we put in to our work!
@victorywp (3524)
• United States
17 Feb 09
yeah i have to agree that if an apple-polisher was promoted to lead a team, the whole team might collapsed. but too bad life will never fair...
1 person likes this
@wxx0418 (44)
• China
17 Feb 09
How to judge the manager good or bad?
In my opinion, we need to be very clear to the responsibility of the manager.
Surely, as you said, some have plan their time and man power well, with good schedule and clear objectives. Organize and lead team well...From this point, he
is qulified his position, we called "optimistic side".
But at present, financial crisis pavilion every people in every conner of the world. Then majory of companies began to lower the poor salary, reduced the staffment, which lead to many wokers who hadn't work to do, they became unemploy men. if the manager should take some responsibility to some extent?
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
17 Feb 09
Well, to me, this would be unfair to blame the manager. This one should blame on the people higher up for not doing a good job to ensure the survivability of the company.
Remember this, there are many ranks in the company.
Those who get the job done, which is the majority of the people at the bottom rung.
Those who distribute the jobs to the people who gets it done. This is the managers level I am referring to.
Then there are the higher ranks such as the people who manages the money. The people who solicit the jobs to keep the company going.
The managers you are referring to are the managers of the higher hierarchy.
And yes, part of the blame goes to these managers of managers who did not plan their products and their jobs well to ensure the survivability of the company which leads to the fall of the company.
Always remember this. A car can only go as far as the engine will allow it to go. And how far an engine will go, will depend on the way the people takes care of it.
Same goes for the company. If the people who are suppose to take care of the engine (the people who gets the job done, meaning me and you), are not doing a good job, how far do you think the car (company) can go?
