Expectations of my manager

Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

I expect my manager to be…

Clear, respectful, and supportive

• I expect to be treated like an adult and not a child
• I expect my manager to have “candor, humility, and trust”
• I expect my manager to be direct and straight with me (don’t beat around the bush)
• I expect to be autonomous (“Drive” by Daniel H. Pink)
• Don’t micromanage me (Theory Y)
• I expect my manager to prioritize the team first, and me second
• Show empathy
• Help me succeed (e.g., identify and provide me with opportunities to grow)

“Kind” rather than “nice”

• I don’t want my manager to be a “people-pleaser”
• I expect difficult conversations
• Constructive conflict is expected and should not be avoided
• Issues should be confronted immediately
• I want to be told what I need to hear rather than what I want to hear (e.g., why I can’t be promoted, feedback on my blunders, etc.)

My “boss” rather than my “friend”

• I expect the relationship to be “professional”
• A line must be drawn
• Conflicts of interest must be minimized
• I expect my manager to do what’s best for the team
• I expect my manager to hold me accountable

Decisive

• In a scenario where there are multiple opinions, I expect my manager to be the tie-breaker
• I expect my manager to align the team and create clarity
• I expect my manager to remove blockers and move things forward

Do you agree or disagree with my expectations? What expectations do you have?

This article was originally published on remarkablemark.org on March 1, 2021.