What does a manager do, anyway?

Abstract

IN my decade of experience as an individual contributor, beginning as a support representative and eventually working my way into senior operations and engineering roles, I didn't think much about managers. They were simply an unavoidable aspect of having a job. I judged some to be bosses and others not based on whatever subconscious qualifications I had concocted. When my career unexpectedly led me into taking a management role overseeing a subset of my former peers, one of them asked me very frankly, What does a manager do, anyway? It was a fair question and, at that early stage, I didn't have a good answer. Now, after a year's worth of trial and error as a manager, I believe I understand much more clearly how my role contributes to the success of my organization. I will share with you a few of the maxims I have adopted as a means of answering the question I was asked a year ago.