Google's research has found that often effective managers focus on empowering their teams to deliver concrete results. They combine a focus on urgency with an understanding of what results will have the most impact. One of the most critical roles that a manager can play is to anticipate roadblocks and help remove them for their team members.

Having the technical skills to work alongside the team helps managers act as credible advisors by showing they have deep expertise in their field. It can help them keep their skills current and sends an important message: the manager is not just the leader but a participant on the team.

The most effective managers realize that they work for their teams and not the other way around. One Googler described his manager, “She empowers everyone to do what they need to do to deliver successful products, but at the same time is unbelievably technical and when called on can help teams solve problems.”

Here is a short list of the behaviors of Google's higher-scoring managers demonstrate to support their team’s productivity and ability to deliver results:

• Keeps the team focused on results
• Helps the team prioritize
• Removes roadblocks
• Is clear about who owns what
• Is a hard worker; sets the pace for the team

At Google, many effective managers are credible advisors to their teams. These managers usually have deep expertise in their field of work which they can use to help team members come up with creative solutions. These managers often:

• Roll up their sleeves work alongside the team
• Understand the challenges of the work
• Help solve problems based on their technical knowledge and skills

It can be helpful for managers to work side-by-side with the team to demonstrate their knowledge and keep their skills current. Also important is the signal that it sends: getting involved can show that the manager is not just the leader but a participant on the team.

Managers work for their teams and not the other way around. One Googler said of their manager: “She empowers everyone to do what they need to do to deliver successful products, but at the same time is unbelievably technical and when called on can help teams solve problems.”