[他山之石]Google's Project Oxygen Pumps Fresh Air Into Management

The Project Oxygen team spent one year data-mining performance appraisals, employee surveys, nominations for top manager awards and other sources. The result was more than 10,000 observations of manager behaviors. The research team complemented the quantitative data with qualitative information from interviews.

The interviews produced more than 400 pages of notes, which were coded using standard behavioral science methodologies. The final result was eight behaviors -- things great managers do that make them great. They are, in order of importance:

1. Be a good coach.

2. Empower; don't micromanage.

3. Be interested in direct reports, success and well-being.

4. Don't be a sissy: Be productive and results-oriented.

5. Be a good communicator and listen to your team.

6. Help your employees with career development.

7. Have a clear vision and strategy for the team.

8. Have key technical skills so you can advise the team.

Of Project Oxygen's eight manager behaviors, number eight was technical skills. Ironically, this is where most managers spend their time. In an interview with the New York Times, Laszlo Bock, Google's senior vice president of People Operations, said in regards to manager technical skills, "It turns out that that's absolutely the least important thing. Much more important is just making that connection and being accessible."

Additionally, Project Oxygen found three manager pitfalls:

1. Have trouble making a transition to the team.

2. Lack a consistent approach to performance management.

3. Spend too little time managing and communicating.

All three are common with managers who continue to behave as technical experts -- those who are too busy "doing" to be "managing." A representative behavior was, "Not proactive; waits for the employee to come to them." 

 

资料来源：

https://www.thestreet.com/story/12328981/2/googles-project-oxygen-pumps-fresh-air-into-management.html