Management
We believe in the value of managers to drive results for the company, support teams and enable growth for individuals.
A manager’s job therefore can be divided into two areas.
- Making the company successful
- Taking care of their people
Making the company successful means delivering on company goals.
A manager has to deliver results with their team. They have to set the right context for their team. The other nature of your role is being a consultant for the company; when you are an engineering manager, you get questions about engineering and need to be able to have or get the answers.
Taking care of their people is the other part of the role.
You can have great goals, but what are goals without a team to help work towards them? As a manager, you have to build and retain a performing team by growing individuals, fostering collaboration, and recruiting talent. Taking care also means affording the team enough freedom to do their best work.
These areas are not only connected, but they depend on each other. Making the company successful is the WHY and taking care of their people is the HOW.
It doesn’t help if the company is successful, but its employees are frustrated. But there is also no value in having a happy team when the company is underperforming.
One manager should not have more than 8 direct reports over a longer period of time. This limit makes it possible to build genuine and trusting relationships.
Management soft skills
Depending on your experience as a manager, we expect you to have certain soft skills at different seniority levels. Independent of your current level as a manager, feel free to work on any of these traits.
Manager Stage 1
At this stage, individuals are often transitioning from being individual contributors to overseeing the work of others. Active listening, communication, and problem-solving are essential for understanding team dynamics and issues. Time management, adaptability, and goal-orientation help ensure tasks are completed efficiently and objectives are met. The ability to give and receive constructive feedback promotes continuous learning and improvement within the team.
Manager Stage 2
As managers gain more experience, they begin to take on more complex responsibilities that require advanced skills. Conflict resolution and decision-making are crucial for handling disagreements and making tough calls. Collaboration, delegation, and advanced problem-solving become critical as tasks and projects grow more complex. Emotional intelligence and relationship building are important for managing interpersonal dynamics and fostering a positive team environment.
Senior Manager
Senior managers typically oversee several teams or a larger department. Strategic thinking becomes paramount for aligning team objectives with broader organizational goals. Leading by example, change management, and mentoring are vital for driving team performance, managing transitions, and developing future leaders. Emotional resilience and cross-functional collaboration are essential for dealing with challenges and working effectively across the organization.
(Unit) Lead
Unit leads usually have broad responsibilities that may span multiple functions or departments. Advanced strategic thinking, vision setting, and decision-making under uncertainty are critical for navigating complex situations and guiding their teams towards strategic objectives. Team building, coaching, and organizational awareness are crucial for cultivating a high-performing team, developing its members, and understanding how their unit fits within the wider organization. Influencing and persuasion skills are key for aligning stakeholders with their vision and decisions.
Director
Directors typically hold high-level leadership roles with substantial influence over the organization's direction. Transformational leadership and visionary thinking are crucial for inspiring their teams and setting strategic direction. Change management, cultural awareness, and negotiation skills are vital for driving organizational change, managing diverse teams, and securing beneficial agreements. Corporate governance and executive stakeholder management are essential for ensuring the organization operates effectively and aligns with stakeholder interests. Crisis management is key for handling unforeseen challenges and ensuring the organization's resilience.