Best Manager ?

How often do you ask yourself about the best manager or leader you’ve ever worked for or with? I was asked recently and I named a few people but I think I may have answered too quickly for it requires more thought about how long and who I have worked with over my life.

The initial answers came easy because I hadn’t had many jobs and names like Garry Muirhead (my first business partner who introduced me to this industry and taught me a lot), Sharyn Schick (the first person I worked for in 20 years and who turned out to be a guiding influence for my future thinking), Leith Mills (always mentoring) and finally to people like Janette Davie who motivates me in the best possible ways.

Yet my thinking should have more structure and consider strategy, KPIs, reporting, innovation, relationship skills, SLAs, salesmanship and integrity and credibility. All the things considered important in today’s business environment from a leadership, management level

So who was the best manager, leader I ever worked with?

It was someone who was expert in dealing with remote staff on a daily basis so that I was always set up properly to handle whatever the day threw at me. Someone who made sure my reputation and credibility remained intact while keeping up my training for interpersonal relationships. Who made sure that I adhered to my KPIs and that the SLAs I had agreed to, became the benchmark for others in my group. Someone who encouraged innovation and the ability to fail without consequence, all the while working within a flat reporting structure that engendered trust.

My SLAs were centred around cleanliness, that included teeth and behind the ears, on time arrivals, in bed before 11 and no drugs. The KPIs were just as stringent and test scores, homework, along with sporting achievements and parent teacher nights, made sure I was working to maximum efficiency. Innovation included things like a flannel poncho made from my bedspread to take part in the school Christmas play when someone got sick four hours before the curtain rose and I was the next alternate shepherd.

Relationship skills were honed daily and I was always armed with the right tools (a lunch consisting of Bavarian ham with smoked Gouda on thick Rye with a pickle) to negotiate and trade my way past the tomatoe and devon on white bread brigade, looking to upset the status quo. Reputations made on the sporting fields were honed and practiced and then leveraged for maximum effect at school dances.

As long as I was able to sustain the above I was allowed to push the envelope and even fail on occasions, as long as I learnt from those mistakes. A rare call to the kitchen table for explanations on strategy and aspirations usually led to a full on mentoring session.

So in the end it was an easy choice for the best manager, leader I have ever worked with.

Thanks Mum.