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I know the feeling.
I had a boss that would ask me to bid a job, then he would come back and say we got the job but instead of x hours it's now x/2 hours.
I would tell him it's going to take x hours, he would answer...no problem!
Give me coffee to change the things I can and wine for those I can not!
PartsBin an Electronics Part Organizer - An updated version available! JaxCoder.com
Latest Article: Simon Says, A Child's Game
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I have worked for only a couple of good managers -- most managers are not good, as per the Peter Principle.
I'm trying to think of what made the best one so good, but I am stumped.
You are probably on the right track, surmising that the ability to complete a project solo -- not just outsourcing it -- is a good indicator.
One trait which I value in a manager is that he/she will point me in the general direction of the goal and leave me to it.
But I don't know why some managers will do that while others don't.
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In the sense of a mentor ... never met one. Particlarly where there is a "bonus" program: you only look good if you can make others look bad.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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In my experience a good manager:
1 Takes the heat from upper management so devs can actually work.
2 Understands the project enough to perform #1 but not enough to interfere with the details.
3 Creates and enforces milestones so devs don't go rogue.
I'm sure there are more but it's Friday and I'm easily distracted... <Ooooh! Shiny!!>
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I somewhat disagree with 3. I might change it to "trusts that the devs won't go rogue, unless there is a history of rogality".
Manager : What did you accomplish yesterday?
DEV : I addressed the issue of physical security in the server room.
Manager : That sounds good, how did you do that?
DEV : I mounted a freakin' laser on the server cabinet.
Manager: Yeah, let's not do that. Ask me before adding features in the future.
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Shielding their staff from CEOs.
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In a large organization, it extends below CEOs.
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Same job, different parent corporations.
Old corp
Me -> manager -> VP -> C suite
If your priorities need to change or you need more money, let us know.
New corp
Me -> manager -> director -> junior VP -> senior VP -> C suite
Our department probably has one sentence per month on the junior VP’s status report.
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Good golfer? Good manager.
I had one of those.
1. Stopped by a few times a week and asked me if there was anything he should know.
2. If he saw me working on a tough problem, handed me a note saying to let him know if he could help.
3. When I was stuck in the office, on phone support, for an extended time, brought me something to eat.
4. Only asked me once what I wanted to be when I grew up.
Contracting was better, results oriented.
>64
Some days the dragon wins. Suck it up.
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Sending coherent emails, proper grammar, and spelling. Come on people, even my cat can click on the "correct the spelling" button and it just amazes me, it seems the higher up you go, the worse the communication gets.
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Marc Clifton wrote: Sending coherent emails, proper grammar, and spelling
I do not consider two and three significant.
Following grammatical rules certainly does not mean that someone can be an effective manager nor even effective at communication.
I would certainly rather have poor grammar versus things like yelling at employees, yelling at customers, crying, illegal drug use, inability to prioritize, inability to track what projects were assigned, inability to track what people are working on, inability to understand the difference between a demo and working application (in that case could not even conceptualize the difference when explained).
Those are all some things that I have experienced.
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Marc Clifton wrote: Sending coherent emails, proper grammar, and spelling.
It appears that American English as used in the business world has diverged significantly from the King's English, to the extent of being a separate language. I do not refer to different words for the same thing (film vs movie, lift vs elevator, etc.), but to the way that American English has turned verbs into adjectives/nouns, nouns into adjectives/verbs, and adjectives into verbs/nouns. There are times, when reading a communication from our CEO, that I feel that I need a translator.
There is, reputedly, a course a West Point where the cadets are given an assignment to write a clear set of orders for a task, If the resulting orders can be misunderstood, they've failed. I am fairly certain that not one CEO has ever passed that course.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
-- 6079 Smith W.
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englebart wrote: I anticipate a lot of answers like BS, blame deflection, etc
People are people.
On average people are average. By definition. Expecting or demanding more is often just hubris.
Then some are better and some are worse.
Even given one person they might excel at one thing but be average at others or even worse at some.
This does mean of course that some people will, as probability dictates that they will have a run of luck either with better than average or below average.
But with probability most people will just experience the average ones.
So enjoy the above average ones while it lasts.
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“… where all of the X are above average.”
X = children, developers, managers, etc
Well said!
It becomes scary when X is drivers and you are stuck in a traffic jam or moving at 140+ km/hr
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The last manager I worked for used to be a junior support person, a very good one, she gradually worked her way through development to management and became a tyrant - a bloody good tyrant. Having the background in development and a deep industry knowledge she was invaluable, I expect to see her name in the senior ranks someday.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity -
RAH
I'm old. I know stuff - JSOP
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I got my first employee two weeks ago.
So it's now up to me to manage said employee.
I gave him a clear task, helped him figure out the first steps, I'm (almost) always available for questions and I tell him not to overdo it and that he doesn't owe me overtime.
I'm not into micro managing, I've got other stuff to do.
Last week, we reviewed the work he did so far and we made some revisions.
Since I've been programming professionally for 13 years and he just started he can learn a lot from such sessions.
And, of course, I asked him what he wanted of a good work environment and provided (he picked his own laptop and he wanted a mechanical keyboard).
Oh yeah, and give proper praise for a job well done!
Basically what I wished my managers would do yet never did for some reason.
I hope I can continue doing this even when I get more employees.
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Communication - listening for understanding as well as spoken, clear expectations
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Good for you, finding a good manager is difficult.
My experience is that a good manager actually manages. IOW, not "we've got this problem, throw a developer at it, regardless of skills necessary," but actually understands what skills are necessary and gets people with those skills on the project.
Also, doesn't run around with hair on fire, acting as if every problem is priority one. If they all are, none are. Understanding priortization is a big component.
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A good manager protects me from upper mangement - already said
Kicks me in the backside when I need it - not said
Provides the tools, support and access I need to get my job done.
That's what I got now. It would take a 50% raise to get me to think about leaving.
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a previous managers' management style was limited to "Work harder . Work faster ." upon leaving the company and shacking his outstretched hand i felt ill for the rest of the day .
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It's taken me a long time but I have evolved as a manager to where I understand that the people in the trenches are the ones earning our money, and my only job is to smooth their way so that the income keeps rolling in. That includes seeing them as people with hopes and fears. It also includes "tough love" whenever it is needed.
If a client rings and our priorities change the team will rise to the occasion if I am seen as one of them and ask for their help in meeting the new priority.
It's all about people. See them, care for them, be honest with them and work can be enjoyable and successful.
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Hey, you know I mean well.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Double groan 
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Triple groan
In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity. - Hunter S Thompson - RIP
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