Alessandra,
Well, you hit the key points of being a good manager.  They are similar to
the ones you have for being a mentor.  Wesley summarized it very well but it
looks like you have already discovered some of the key pitfalls yourself and
are looking out to avoid them.

To the list below I would only add, "Do not hesitate to correct
action/direction as soon as you spot a problem."  Problems only multiply and
get much, much worse - they never go away on their own.  It is much easier
to work with an employee to change a behavior/process/attitude if you start
right away.  Otherwise they will be justifiably confused and possibly even
resentful and hostile if, after several months (or years! it has been known
to happen) their supervisor says "Joe Employee, the work you have been doing
for three months now has been done incorrectly or isn't a priority."  Not
only will you have wasted valuable time and resources, but it will have
affected morale - theirs, yours, and the other employees who will (you can
be sure) have noticed that Joe Employee hasn't been performing in a stellar
fashion yet hasn't been called on it.

Good luck.

Dr. Elizabeth A. Moore
Curator of Collections and Archaeology
Virginia Museum of Natural History
1001 Douglas Avenue
Martinsville, VA  24112

clip>  I already mentor high school students in my rowing club, and that's
so much
simpler; i can feed off their enthusiasm and give them guidance, while
letting them be free to take their own direction. <

clip>
From: "Wesley Creel" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2002 4:36 PM
Subject: Re: what is your management style?
Good Afternoon Alessandra,
(In 100 words....more or less)
A good manager:
1.)  Tells staff what to do when to do it (in priority order);
2.)  Lets staff figure-out how to do it (manager then learns to "live" with
it);
3.)  Shares with staff as to why they are doing it;
4.)  Is the staff's primary cheerleader and coach;
5.)  Listens and responds to staff concerns with empathy;
6.)  Strives to maintain or enhance the staff's self esteem;
7.)  Asks for help in solving institutional problems;
8.)  Gives credit to staff when they have done well;
9.)  Follows the 12 points of the Scout Law; and
10.) Makes decisions carefully and communicates them ASAP, and keeps memos
to one page, e-mails to less than 100 words (more or less)....and all
meetings need an agenda and should be as short as possible.
I hope this helps,
Wesley Creel (an old Boy Scout)
Administrator of Programs and Interim Director of Museums
Pink Palace Family of Museums
Memphis, Tennessee
www.memphismuseums.org

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