Habits of highly effective managers

“This book is something we’d give out to new managers at Slack”— Stewart Butterfield, Co-founder of Slack

This is my first post here, and I thought I’d start by revisiting something I wrote back in 2019. I had just finished reading “The Making of a Manager” by Julie Zhuo, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey, and “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell.

So much wisdom shared in these books, I thought it was important to highlight the things that stood out the most. Here’s what I wrote then, and what I still think holds true today.

Management

• Start with clarity:
  Know what’s expected of your team, and what the business actually cares about. Set a clear strategy and make sure everyone understands it. Your job is to help the team get from A to B, not just stay busy. Your team should always know where they’re headed and why it matters.
• Understand your people:
  Take time to learn their strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. Good managers know what motivates their team, and they use that insight to set goals that are challenging, realistic, and measurable.
• Prioritise what matters:
  Put first things first. Filter information based on goals and priorities. Building features that no one uses isn’t progress. What matters is whether you’re solving the right problems.
• Remove roadblocks:
  People don’t need micromanaging. They need resources, information, trust, and a clear direction. Your role is to create an environment where they can do their best work.
• Think in outcomes, not tasks:
  Instead of assigning work, give the team an outcome to aim for. What result do you want? What problem are you solving? That shift changes everything, it puts the customer at the centre and gives the team a reason to care.
• Create ownership:
  People are more motivated when they feel like the ideas are their own. Encourage that. And when they succeed, make sure they feel it.
• Be a coach:
  Find out strengths and weaknesses of your team, also their aspirations. Invest in their careers, not just their deliverables.

Leadership

• Create the right environment:
  Encourage collaboration between people and departments. Let people take ownership of their work and be accountable. Give people ownership of tasks. Recognise initiative. Help people find a purpose. Everyone wants to be part of something larger than themselves.
• Share the spotlight:
  Real leadership is earned, not imposed. Build credibility, then give your team the space to lead as well. Share the company’s vision and help people connect their work to something bigger than themselves.
• Appreciation goes a long way:
  People want to feel valued. When they do, they bring more energy, more ideas, and they care more. Recognition also creates healthy competition. Also, a valued person is far less likely to become resentful.
• Become a role model:
  Lead by example. Role modelling is more effective than giving orders, because no one likes to be told what to do. People learn more by watching than by being managed. Be the kind of leader others want to follow.
• Share the company’s vision:
  Help people find purpose in their work. When they understand the why behind what they’re doing, it’s easier to align personal goals with team and company goals. It’s not just about completing tasks , it’s about being part of something that matters.
• Help people grow:
  Give them meaningful, challenging work. Facilitate relationships. Share positive feedback. Offer encouragement and create opportunities to learn and level up.

Relationships

Good communication is at the heart of any meaningful relationship, and strong relationships allow you to become more influential.

• Listen first:
  Not to reply, but to understand. Listening gives you knowledge and options.
• Communicate with care:
  Words matter, they shape how people feel. Value the people around you and treat them accordingly.
• Show genuine interest:
  Showing genuine interest in someone creates attraction. That’s how trust starts.
• Use empathy:
  To cultivate personal connections you must algo understand people. Don’t rush to give advice. Sometimes people just need space to reflect. Focus on them, not you.
• Ask, don’t command:
  Instead of giving commands, try asking for a favour. Requests build rapport, orders build resentment.
• Create feedback loops:
  Give honest feedback, and be open to hearing it too.

Metrics

• Customer behaviour is the key metric for business success.
• If you want to improve something, measure it first. Look for data points that you can use to make any process more effective. For example: How long something takes to deliver from start to finish, or how much your team is actually getting done.
• Measuring the team’s happiness can help determine if the current work environment, team culture, tools and methods are satisfactory.
• Focus on real ROI. Is the team delivering real value and making a difference? Is the work creating measurable impact?

Books

• The Making of a Manager, by Julie Zhuo
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey
• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, by John Maxwell