❔Basic definition/tl;dr

<aside> 💡 This section is all about getting clear on the principle accountability of the role of a manager, and some alignment on capacity commitment and the ratio of player vs coach that’s right for your org’s context.

</aside>

🌈 Why care about it?

<aside> 💡 If you don’t have this written down, in the open, and understood – it can easily lead to mismanaged expectations between yourself, the exec, team members and other people managers. It can also lead to a massively inconsistent people management experience for the folks who you are people manager to. All kinds of bad stuff basically!

</aside>

🔧 Here’s what you need to do:

Align on the principle accountability of the role

<aside> 💡 Go speak to some folks! Ask people what their expectations of a manager are

</aside>

• Expectations from Team Members: Are they looking for a coach who helps them grow personally and professionally?
• Expectations from Executives: Do they see managers as points of accountability for project outcomes AND team performance?
• Insights from Existing Managers: Identify managers who are perceived as effective. What are their practices and how do they differ from others?

Define what a manager is

As a group of people managers or on your own if first in role:

• Use what you’ve heard from folks, what you know about the organisation’s context and your own experience to articulate a purpose statement:

The purpose of people managers at [Company Name] is to…

Define what a manager isn’t

We’re not just inverting the previous statement here. We’re trying to enrich shared understanding. Think about where the boundaries are:

• how does your role interface with operational/functional leadership?