Where managers should focus their energy

Managers are responsible for ensuring that they and their teams perform at a high level to create value for a firm. To do that, managers need to focus on: direction, commitment, and execution.

Direction

• A manager should communicate a clear vision / strategy for the team (e.g. setting challenging goals and explicit expectations).
• By conveying a clear sense of purpose, managers need to do less hand holding because team members understand how and why their contributions move things forward.

Commitment

• A manager's team needs to believe they have an advocate. It's important to actively listen and ask thoughtful questions.
• A manager should demonstrate to commitment to helping employees grow and to clearing administrative hurdles that will empower a team to produce.

Execution

• A manager is responsible for keeping a team accountable.
• A manager should coordinate efforts with other teams and partners.