Five takeaways from Google's approach to developing managers:
- High-performing employees are not necessarily good managers, and the skills required to manage positions are different . It is not enough to be outstanding in a certain field, not everyone is suitable for management. To find good managers, look at how they work with other employees and see if they are flexible enough to embrace change. To find out if someone is a good fit for a management role, start by assigning them small tasks, such as having him take on an intern or having him manage a small project. After watching it for a while, see if he's up to the task.
- Training managers can take months . Calderon recommends that this time not be too long, so as not to develop bad habits, just wait until they start to understand the manager's role. At Google, this time is generally three months. Instead of training them when they haven't started or just started, Calderon says, put them on the job for a few months so they get to know the job and go through some of the challenges. When it comes to training, don't just talk about it, but really give them the role of a manager.
- Don't put too much work on them in the first place . A new manager shouldn't tell them everything when they're starting out, let them practice first, and then slowly add content. Things to teach them in the beginning: how to give feedback and how to be a good mentor; build a culture of learning and developing emotional intelligence - know yourself and your team, and manage others first and foremost.
- Training is not the only means of developing managers . They can learn from other managers. They should be encouraged to communicate and learn from each other. In addition, collecting feedback is an effective evaluation tool.
- Share your feedback with managers . Every year, Calderon said, Google collects feedback from employees, asking them to fill out a questionnaire about their boss's performance. This information is fed back to managers to help them evaluate themselves and grow from it. First define what a great manager is, and then guide them toward that goal. Google's list of traits of a great manager can be found in this guide .
In addition to the behavioral characteristics that managers should have, Calderon also mentioned: Managers should integrate into the team, not just do micro-management, but help employees grow, become a good mentor and communicator, provide a clear vision for the team, and improve efficiency And results-oriented, able to collaborate across organizations, be a firm decision maker, and be able to advise teams when necessary.