One of the topics of discussion in the blogs of Psychology Today is how to be a good manager. This is fundamental to maintaining a happy working environment, but it is not always an easy task. According to professor Ronald E. Riggio, those in leadership positions need to keep their pulse on the levels of employee morale and dissatisfaction. They need to take steps to stop dysfunctional behaviours on the part of employees and build a positive culture.

Renato Tagiuri, who was a professor emeritus of social sciences at Harvard Business School, after decades of research into what makes a great manager, came up with one conclusion: “It’s not about personality. It’s about behaviour.” Many different kinds of people make good managers. Tagiuri has distilled a lifetime of inquiry into 10 essential actions that make a great boss:

  1. Clarify objectives of job assignments
  2. Describe assignments clearly
  3. Listen to your employees’ views
  4. Make sure the resources necessary to carry out assignments are available
  5. Be explicit about evaluation standards
  6. Reward effort and offer incentives
  7. Give prompt feedback on performance
  8. Avoid personal friendships with employees
  9. Admit your errors, don’t tell lies
  10. Make the decisions that are yours to make