8 skills Google looks for in its managers

In 2001, less than five years after it was founded, Google had already opened its first international office, offered search in 15 different languages and built a team of 400 employees. Larry Page, one of its founders and now CEO, was determined to continue growing while keeping the company nimble and bureaucracy-free. So he did something bold: he decided to fire all engineering managers.

The experiment didn’t go down well and in the end failed. After only a few months, the engineering manager role was restored. It turns out that far from creating an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy, a good manager is actually key to a happy and productive team. Google’s latest research, which they published last week on their new platform, re:Work, confirms this: “Teams with great managers were happier and more productive,” they concluded.

But what exactly makes a manager “great”? They’ve also done some research into that, through their Project Oxygen. Using data from staff surveys and performance reviews, along with double-blind qualitative interviews, they found eight common characteristics shared by all great managers.

Source: Google re:Work

Google hasn’t just released its findings on what makes a good manager: it has also published guides and tools to help people develop those skills. For example, those interested in learning more can find out how to create and communicate a clear team vision, support and develop their teams both professionally and personally, and motivate people.

All the tools and guides are based on the training Google’s managers receive – and seem to value highly. Speaking to the Harvard Business Review in 2013, Eric Clayberg, a Google software engineer manager, praised the training, saying it helped him see the bigger picture: “I now spend a third to half of my time looking for ways to help my team members grow.”

Author: Stéphanie Thomson is an Editor at the World Economic Forum

Image: Google CEO Page speaks during a press announcement at Google headquarters in New York