Behaviors of a Successful Line Manager

I have worked in the software industry for twenty-five years, including stints at five different companies. I have reported to more managers than I care to count, and I also was a manager for a number of years. I used to think that the most important aspect of being a line (or first level) manager was to understand the technology that his / her team is producing or testing. While that of course is important, during the past decade I have come to realize that the "people side" of management is perhaps even more vital than the technology side itself.

The success of the line manager goes hand in hand with the success of the team. There are thousands of management books out there, but I believe it all boils down to a few simple truths. For a team to reach peak performance, the following is a list of behaviors that the successful manager should have.

The successful line manager needs to:

Be in the Trenches

The manager needs to be involved with what's going on: walking around and chatting with the employees; finding out what they're working on; knowing what problems they're having; and learning what successes they've had. If an employee is stuck and doesn't know where to turn, the manager needs to find help. If the team is putting in extra hours, the manager needs to put in extra hours too, demonstrating the willingness to help out in any way possible.

If the employees are working through dinner, the manager should consider a gesture such as having food brought in. If the manager is out of town, contact information should be made available to the team.

Note that this level of involvement does not mean the manager has to micromanage. It simply means that the manager demonstrates interest in what's going on and willingness to help out in any capacity needed.

Stand Up for the Team

There is a natural tension in most companies between groups; after all, there's a limited budget and each group needs resources (salaries, equipment, office space, lab space, etc.). The manager is the chief defender of the team. At annual budget and salary discussions, the manager needs to firmly take a stance regarding expected salaries, equipment, etc. If a team member is unjustly bad-mouthed by another manager or a member of another team, those are fighting words. If orders come down from above specifying unachievable goals, the manager needs to appropriately push back and explain to upper management what the difficulties are.

Recognize Outstanding Performers

A pat on the back goes a long ways. Some companies seem to have the philosophy of shying away from awards because it may demoralize the non-recipients. Perhaps that's true to a small degree, but my experience is that those who receive a pat on the back end up working harder, and those who did not receive any award also work harder because the possibility of receiving an award has been demonstrated to be a tangible reality.

That being said, the manager should not water down the awards. Give an outstanding award or salary increase for outstanding work. Give a good award or salary increase for good work.

On a particularly difficult project I was managing years ago, the team was working incredibly hard but the company had no budget for individual awards. I made my own awards to hand out, finding online images of my favorite football players and then doing a little photo-shop type of creative work to put an employee's face on the athlete's body. I then would put an appropriate caption on the picture. I would print it, frame it, and have a little award ceremony. Those awards only cost me a couple of dollars for the frame, but they became extremely popular and motivational.

Care for Each Member's Well-Being

The good manager will not pry into personal lives; but at the same time, the good manager will be a good listener. The manager should be sympathetic and empathetic without coddling the employee. The manager should be available most of the time when any employee needs to "unload burdens."

I found that, if possible, getting to know the employees' families can make a significantly positive difference as well. I would have "pot luck cookouts" at my house; I would supply the main course, usually cooking something on the grill, and other families would bring side dishes and desserts. This gives the manager a better handle on an employee's family, but it also shows the family who the manager is.

Develop Each Member's Career Path

The manager should work closely with each team member to determine that member's strengths and weaknesses. In what areas does this member need improvement? What can be done to get there? Is more training needed? Should this team member be paired up with another team member as a mentor? Where does the manager see the team member going career-wise in the next five years? Ten years?

The manager needs to spend serious time with each employee's appraisal! Two key things here:

1. The appraisal should never catch the employee by surprise. If the employee has been struggling and/or is not pulling his weight, the manager should have already discussed this with the employee. Any surprise on the appraisal indicates that the manager is not communicating appropriately.

2. The appraisal should have constructive comments for growth; even the most outstanding employee has something that he / she can address. For example, what does the employee need to do to reach the next level?

Shield the Team from Upper Management Bureaucracy

Frankly, in some companies there is a lot of crap (or politics if you will) going on in the upper levels of management. While it's interesting for a line manager to observe the mechanics that drive the company, much of the information the manager learns is not relevant to the daily tasks of the team; in fact, much of the information could be demoralizing to the team. The manager should be open and honest with the team, but the manager should also protect the team as much as possible so that insignificant executive and senior management decisions do not get in the way of the real work that needs to be done.

While these six behaviors do not guarantee success, the manager who does not exhibit these traits will have a team that is not firing on all cylinders.