What is a good manager? by Eduardo Bellani
It is hard to do science without proper definitions. So what is a manager?
Abstracting from (Horstman 2016), my definition of a manager is the following:
A manager continuously balances present output with creating the conditions of future output.
Figure 1: The Good Sheperd, emblem found in a Roman catacomb, sec III
As one can see, this definition is similar to an investor. That is expected, since a manager is an investor of a company’s resources. 1
As an illustration, a manager can usually deliver more results in the present by burning up people. This probably will increase turnover in the future. Is it the right choice? Only with a holistic view and sound judgement can one decide correctly.
Given this definition, one can easily see that a good manager is not some things:
- An extrovert
- A good communicator
- A frequent yeller
- Someone who cares
- Someone who is agreeable