What Bad Managers, Good Managers, and Great Managers Do

By Mark Graban On Sep 11, 2014 Last updated May 11, 2017

Today's post is something that I wrote for a broader LinkedIn audience, but might have meaning and significance to my Lean readers:

“What Bad Managers, Good Managers, and Great Managers Do“

You might particularly enjoy the old blog post I linked to about the “power of why” at NUMMI, compared to my experiences at GM.

Feel free to comment on LinkedIn or here.

Here is picture of mine from a hospital lab… there was a warning label that I've illustrated because it wasn't readable in the picture:

A bad manager would just say “Do not lean on here!”

A good manager (and sign) explains why.

A great manager might engage people in figuring out how to error proof the system in some way…

Do you have examples of good managers explaining why rules or policies are necessary instead of just forcing things on people in a “command and control” manner? Do you have examples of how you've helped leaders better engage employees in the development of policies, procedures, or standardized work?

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Mark Graban

Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker who has worked in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. His latest book is Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More. He is author of the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, as well as The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. He also published the anthology Practicing Lean that benefits the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation, where Mark is a board member. Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus.

3 Comments

Mark Graban says 4 years ago

The LinkedIn piece has now been read over 82,000 times… wow.

Mark Graban says 8 months ago

Here is an email that I received from somebody who read this article:

Worked for Toyota in the past and had the privilege to work under Managers who helped shape me into the Manager I am today.

I was recently let go by a Manager who believed in yelling and belittling the hard working people on the floor to get his point across. He could not give me a reason why he was letting me go but I believe it was because our management styles clashed.

The majority of the staff walked out on my boss the day I was let go. They sent me messages thanking me for being the only Manager who ever respected and engaged them in decision making and continuous improvement.

Toyota had taught me that people come before the cars! If we treat the employees with the respect that they deserve, it will reflect on the end product. Respect of People is value added to any company.

Thanks for reminding me what a great manager is! I will forever live by this regardless of what some “Bad Manager” thinks!

Mark Graban says 8 months ago

The article has now been read over 145,000 times. Again, wow.

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