What makes an effective manager?

The ability to delegate work to, and to connect with, their workers. Also conflict management skills.

Basically a project manager would make a good manager.

 

A good manager finds the absolute best people available to make up his or her team, even if they are smarter, more skilled, and talented than the manager. Such a manager suppresses his or her ego and is unintimidated by excellent subordinates because he or she knows that the better the team, the better it reflects on the manager. Ego-driven managers like to outshine their teams' members to everyone's detriment. A good manager treats subordinates well and fairly, and evaluates them based on performance, not petty, rigid rules and policies (e.g., whether they were 10 minutes late, a couple of times).

 

My managerial philosophy.

Delegate, set deadlines, and make sure employees know what is expected.

Make sure any and all materials and support are available for employees to complete their tasks.

Be open to ideas from those actually doing the work as to how things can be done more effectively.

Step back, stay out of the way, and let employees do their jobs as they deem necessary. (people need to have ownership in their work.)

Don't be afraid to get your own hands dirty if the workload demands it.

It's really very easy.
How would you want to be treated? What do you respond too when given a task?

 

I don't care how efficiently you can delegate, set deadlines, and make the people under you know what's expected of them, if they hate you, you're a bad manager - and I guarantee, subordination will be begrudgingly performed.

Being able to empathize, want to see people succeed, AND do what you can to help them get there very rare in managers. If a manager has these qualities, the people on their team will so much more willing to slog through whatever comes their way (i.e. people will do what is delegated to them, meet their deadlines and understand what's expected of them). If they don't, it's because the manager is a bad manager.

Not everyone is manager material. Some managers just suck.

 

1. The ability to solve problems.
2. Humility.
3. Persistence.
4. Being able to point out the good in the course of number 1, which is very difficult to do. You'll spend most your time focusing on solving problems.

I also agree with what Wyst said, but it is very easy to have everyone who works for you end up hating you when you are in charge, especially if you are leading a bunch of morons. Even when you try your best, it is not unlikely that half of everyone will hate you and will blame their failure and laziness on you.

I have a very cynical view of leadership.

 

People in general suck. They would rather point fingers than try to help.

 

This is pretty much what I would have said.

 

Yep - Dragon has a good point.

 

A good manager, like any person in a leadership position, understands what gives them just authority, the limits by which they may exercise their authority, and that their authority extends beyond mere command but also by example.

I am a firm believer that rules, regulations, orders, etc., etc. cannot change people into what is needed for a task. Only people can change themselves. That requires inspiration and direction, yes, but rules and such exist to restrain people from where they fail to change themselves as desired not as the director or inspiration itself. Thus, a manager, being an executive (decision-making) position, ought to be capable of leading via example.

 

I used to work at a local Mcdonalds a few years ago, the store manager was very strict and very demanding. However, I've never learned so much from a manager than by him. He yelled at me, made fun at me and exploited my potential. He made me a very responsible and respected individual by him. He knew that I had everything to succeed in the company and was made a manager myself by him just 6 months later after I was hired. I know he did wrong by humiliating me in front of everyone but I somehow learned that he did that on purpose. He treated everybody nicely, as an employee. But with me, he pushed my limits and now that I think about it, I appreciate everything he did for me. He was a very hard worker, praised his employees when they deserved it but when he saw potential, he made sure too develop their character to be the best they can be.

I hated him when I was there, but now I think he has been very influential by having challenged myself. However, as a manager I would never do the things he did. I left a year later but it was an eye opener at the things you can learn in the most insignificant places.