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The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo

I just finished reading this book and wanted to share my notes as I am building my own skills at being a more effective manager.

Three universal categories that all great managers have:

  1. Great managers build trust

  2. Great managers give great feedback

  3. Great managers run amazing meetings

If we trust our manager, we:

  1. Share problems we’re facing

  2. Are not afraid to give them feedback

  3. Would want to work for them again.

What do great managers do to build trust?

  1. Show vulnerability – sounds like truth and feels like courage

  2. Give specific advice and advice – the more timely and specific shows that the manager pays attention and recognise the additional effort to get right

  3. Prepare for 1:1s – A fully prepared manager at 1:1 shows that they prioritise the team member rather than just their work. Fully prepared doesn’t mean they know all the answers, but rather they cam prepared with relevant questions to help us decide on next steps.

These great questions can be broken down into three categories:

Identify

  1. What’s top of mind for you right now?

  2. What priorities are you thinking about this week?

  3. What the best use of our time today?

Understand

  1. What does your ideal outcome look like?

  2. What’s hard for you in getting to that outcome?

  3. What the worst-case scenario you’re worried about?

Support

  1. How can I help you?

  2. What can I do to make you more successful?

  3. What was the most useful part of our conversation today?

Feedback is more than just suggestions for improvement.

Great feedback inspires us to change our behaviour.

Great managers take the time to listen to their employees’ perspectives and provide feedback in a way that is tailored to their individual needs and learning styles!

When giving feedback, great managers do the following:

  1. Set clear expectations

  2. The manager shares ideal outcomes according to a timeline

  3. They make their feedback very specific and actionable

  4. They collect 360 degree feedback for maximum objectivity

  5. Combine the manager’s observations along with others in the team to get a truly objective feedback

Every meeting mush have clear outcomes.

There are only five outcomes that warrant a meeting in the first place, they are:

Decision-making meeting

  1. This requires the decision maker to be present

  2. Everyone affected by the decision feels the process was fair

Sharing information meeting

  1. Only invite the minimum & relevant people necessary

  2. It’s the speakers job to keep the audience engaged

Providing feedback / review meetings

  1. Must cover the changes since the last check-in or review

  2. Go through specific problems that the reviewer or person providing feedback can actually help with

  3. Result in specific action items and next steps

Generating ideas meetings

  1. It’s actually been proven that people are most creative when they are alone.

  2. So the key here is to prompt the attendees to brainstorm BEFORE the meeting

  3. Use the meeting instead to discuss and decide which ideas are worth pursing and turn into action

Strengthen relationship meetings

  1. The more we learn about our colleagues, such as hobbies and life interests, then we are able to better work with them

  2. Social events are just as important as formal business meetings.

  1. Even great managers struggles with imposter syndrome.

  2. As a result, they are always learning and looking to grow their skills and abilities

  1. Understands that a consistently performing person is a much better hire than the person that shouts out the loudest

  2. Is able to identify the right mix of experience needed to execute their objectives

  3. Understand the emotional intelligence needed to nurture the right team

  1. Understands that perfect execution is much more effective than perfect strategy.

  2. Once they pick a reasonable strategic direction, they move quickly to learn what works and what doesn’t and make adjustments on the go.

  1. Constantly reminding & motivating the team of the purpose rather than talking about tasks

  2. “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood…instead team them to yearn for the vast and endless sea”

  1. The quickest way for managers to lose respect and authority is to say one thing and do something else.

  2. Being meaningful and honest will have a team that will support the manager no matter where they go.

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