The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You

by Julie Zhuo

This is the crux of management: It is the belief that a team of people can achieve more than a single person going it alone.

Your job, as a manager, is to get better outcomes from a group of people working together.

Half of what he looked at was my team’s results—did we achieve our aspirations in creating valuable, easy-to-use, and well-crafted design work? The other half was based on the strength and satisfaction of my team—did I do a good job hiring and developing individuals, and was my team happy and working well together? The first criterion looks at our team’s present outcomes; the second criterion asks whether we’re set up for great outcomes in the future.

Through thick or thin, in spite of the hundreds of things calling for your attention every day, never forget what you’re ultimately here to do: help your team achieve great outcomes.

Hackman’s research describes five conditions that increase a team’s odds of success: having a real team (one with clear boundaries and stable membership),3 a compelling direction, an enabling structure, a supportive organizational context, and expert coaching.

Your role as a manager is not to do the work yourself, even if you are the best at it, because that will only take you so far. Your role is to improve the purpose, people, and process of your team to get as high a multiplier effect on your collective outcome as you can.

you have to enjoy the day-to-day of management and want to do it.

Do I Find It More Motivating to Achieve a Particular Outcome or to Play a Specific Role?

What they have in common is that their number one priority is making their team successful, and they are willing to adapt to become the leaders that their organizations need.

Do I Like Talking with People?

Can I Provide Stability for an Emotionally Challenging Situation?

the best outcomes come from inspiring people to action, not telling them what to do.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT