Ken Haycock has a new blog! YES! I’ve subscribed & I suggest you do as well. Ken has an incredible wealth of experience to share as a manager (both a dean and a director of education), researcher, teacher, working with boards, leading in tough situations, and moving innovative ideas forward to fruition.  So, when Ken speaks I listen; when Ken writes I read.

His blog post today refers to Google’s study of their own performance appraisal and HR data to determine what makes good Google managers; they identified these 8 behaviours:

1. Be a good coach. Provide specific, constructive feedback; Have regular, one-on-ones, presenting solutions to problems tailored to your employees’ specific strengths.

2. Empower your team and don’t micromanage. Balance giving freedom to your employees, while still being available for advice.

3. Express interest in team members’ success and personal well-being. Get to know your employees as peoples with lives outside work.

4. Don’t be a sissy. Be produce and results-oriented. Help the team prioritize work and use seniority to remove roadblocks.

5. Be a good communicator and listen to your team. Communication is two-way: you both listen and share information.  Help the team connect the dots.

6. Help your employees with career development.

7. Have a clear vision and strategy for the team.

8. Have key technical skills so you can advise the team.

And these common pitfalls:

Have trouble making a transition to the team. Sometimes fantastic individual contributors are promoted to managers without

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