Great Managers Do This Better

Great Managers Do This Better

What makes a great manager?  There is no shortage of perspectives on the topic.  Some based on research, others more on gut instinct.  One of the more intriguing studies on the subject, Google’s Project Oxygen, began as a research project over five years ago.  While many theories remain as such, Google’s findings and follow-on program implementation have produced measureable success.  More on that later.

If you are not familiar with Google’s Project Oxygen, it was an internally conducted study, initially launched to explore the question, “do managers matter?” After gathering more than 10,000 observations across 100 plus variables about managers at the company, the research team analyzed the data to identify patterns to test further through an extensive interview process.   The Project Oxygen team found data that indicated a significant difference between high and low scoring managers on employee performance, job satisfaction, and retention.  The question “do managers matter” at Google now had an answer-yes.

The team next went on to find out what the best managers were doing.  With additional research, the study produced a rank ordered list of 8 actionable behaviors describing what a good Google manager does.  The findings were less than surprising to some.  But to many, the lowest rated behavior of the 8 –   “Has key technical skills that help him/her advise the team” – was something of a mind shift change from what many assumed as more important at Google.  The top three behaviors in order:

1. Is a good coach
2. Empowers the team and does not micromanage
3. Expresses interest/concern for team members’ success and well being

Google took the findings and launched a highly successful change plan including communications, organizational processes, training, measurement, and feedback.  While the 8 attributes program continues to be measured and evaluated, 2010-2012 results evidenced an overall improvement in manager favorable rating scores from 83% to 88%.

You may be thinking your business is nothing like Google’s.  After all, Google has a strong culture largely made up of highly educated, high achieving, millennial generation software engineers.  More “A” players than you may think are employed at many firms.  If so, what’s the potential application of this research for you and your organization?  Google was interested in driving performance, engagement, and retention.  Assuming you are as well, the employees you most likely want to engage and retain to support organizational performance are the ones who are high achieving, educated learners, and a strong cultural fit – your “A” players.  If you are skeptical, you can begin your own research version of “Project Oxygen”.  Or you can consider how the learnings from Google’s study might apply to you and your organization.

So what do great managers do better – they coach.  Look at the top three rated behaviors.  All three relate to coaching and developing people.  So quite simply if you are going to focus your efforts to become a great manager, start with coaching.

Here are three things you can begin doing to become a good coach:

Understand what coaching is and isn’t.  I have worked with a number of managers and executives who believed “coaching” meant leveraging their technical knowledge and skills. It is not surprising that coaching is at the opposite end of the list from technical skills.  If you are using your technical knowledge and experience you may be mentoring, but you are not coaching.  Coaching is not mentoring.  Nor is it simply discussing careers at the annual performance review.  Coaching is supporting associates in their own growth and development.  It is focused on working with your team member on her agenda, helping her find a path forward, and challenging her to achievement.

Get coaching skills training (or provide to others if you are in a position to do so).  Keep it simple. This is not about becoming an executive coach, but learning and applying skills and techniques for more effective listening, asking questions, providing feedback, and helping others frame goals and opportunities.  If enough managers request such training, you may gain support to hold an in-house sponsored coaching skills training program.  If not, check out external providers for options.  The program should provide a simple framework and focus on skills practice and feedback.  Look for facilitators with both coaching skills and general management experience to ensure a pragmatic approach.

Apply coaching skills frequently.  Listen more. Ask more questions.   Practice these skills regularly.  Read books on coaching.  Get a peer coach and seek feedback.