The Definition of a Good Manager

Good managers as far up in rank as CEOs, are hard to evaluate. It’s not as easy as evaluating an athlete who wins or loses events, or has measurable statistics. I know that the sports media have experts who make lots of senseless noise, comparable to locker room or bar room chatter.

While business sales can be measured, as well as profit and loss, it’s not that simple to evaluate executives who may not be responsible for the bottom line after all.

I have always said a good executive may still lose money for his or her company. But less than a poor manager or executive would have lost under similar conditions. Thus more arcane yardsticks must be employed, depending on the type of business.

Moreover, what incentives do you give to get results? What is good pay? Or options? Do more and more money inducements really make a difference?

The definition of a good manager is difficult when the evaluation is equally hard to make. On-the-job experience may accomplish it, not text book explanations and suggestions.