Only One Extraordinary Manager - Part 1

I’ve had quite a few managers in my career; and most have been reasonably good at the craft of managing.  (By necessity managing is hands-on and practical so I think of it as a craft.)  Only one was extraordinary and stands out as the finest exemplar.  He was my manager for eight years or so in the academic publishing industry.  Now happily retired, his name is Patrick Walsh.

So, what was it about Patrick Walsh that stands out like a beacon of light surpassing all others? 

There are many reasons which I have grouped under the headings of:

• Character

• Communication

• Consistency

In this first of three short articles, I plan to write some words on the first one of Pat’s abovelisted management/leadership abilities.

Character

As each of his team members got to know Pat, we all discovered his strong and courageous character.  He worked hard and long hours.  He did not ask more of us than he demanded of himself. 
His self-discipline and dedication was evident in his thorough preparation and organisation.  We got the message that there is no substitute for doing the work, and putting in the hours if you want to be successful. 


When we needed his words of wisdom and encouragement, Pat made time.

When we needed his counsel, Pat was there to listen.  When we needed a practical solution, Pat would work it out for us and with us.

When he had to manage “the hard stuff,” Pat was firm and fair.  He did not avoid or shirk the unpleasant task as many managers do.  When one of us said or did the wrong thing, he did not look the other way.  He had the difficult conversations that needed to be had.  We respected him for it.

Another aspect of Pat’s character we all came to know was his curiosity about others and about what and why the world turned around as it did.  Being endlessly curious means never having to be bored even when some of the routine tasks of managing must have been repetitive and tiresome for Pat. 

Through everything, Pat set the gold standard for his team and kept going.  He modelled the value of persistence, of digging in and not letting go.  No matter what the problem or challenge, Pat persisted. 

Part of Pat’s extraordinary character was his courage.  He went in to bat for his team on issues that made him quite unpopular with the senior managers at various times.  We – his team members – always knew that Pat would take up our issues with the executives of the company.  He didn’t always win but he always tried hard to win for us.  We knew that. 

Another aspect of Pat’s character was (and is) his essential humanity which you could see in his twinkling blue eyes.  He was very kind, caring and humorous.  He always saw the funny side of a situation.  Often he restrained his laughter until he could no longer keep it in and it burst out of him. 
We knew when it was coming like a gigantic sneeze you can’t contain.  Sure enough, his laughter would set off everyone else laughing with him.

The net effect of Pat’s strong character was the total respect we all developed for him as our manager/leader.  When we respect another human being, we move quickly into trusting him/her.  We know he/she will act in our best interests.  We want to return their trust and do our best and achieve our best.  We will walk over the “hot coals” and do what is difficult and persist to live up to our manager’s expectations.  We want to shine in their eyes.  We think, “How can I live up to Pat’s example?”  “How can I get better?”  “What would Pat say or do in this situation?”

Through their example, do we take on some of our manager/leader’s character?  Yes, I am sure of it.  To develop into an extraordinary manager/leader, firstly we must work on our own character and be the sort of person that others will follow, respect, admire and want to emulate. 

 

In the next article in this three-part series, I will focus on Pat’s extraordinary communication abilities.

What do you think makes a great manager/leader?  It would be great to have the benefits of your experience and thoughts on this topic.

Have a Great Week!

Lynne



Lynne Lloyd

People Results

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