15 years of experience here, an I noticed there is 1 main rule:
A great manager is at the service of their team, the team is not at the service of the manager.
The irony is that you don't really notice a great manager. Their job seems like a walk through the park, and you have a "I could do that job easily" feeling. That's because a good manager shields you from all the shit that's going on, so you and your teammates can concentrate on your job.
If you're in a project where shit hits the fan every time, where you have to extinguish fires, overwork because of deadlines, etc. then this is the managers fault.
I also noticed that the atmosphere within the team and the company, is always a reflection of upper management. And there is not much that can change this.
A great manager is at the service of their team, the team is not at the service of the manager.
The irony is that you don't really notice a great manager. Their job seems like a walk through the park, and you have a "I could do that job easily" feeling. That's because a good manager shields you from all the shit that's going on, so you and your teammates can concentrate on your job.
If you're in a project where shit hits the fan every time, where you have to extinguish fires, overwork because of deadlines, etc. then this is the managers fault.
I also noticed that the atmosphere within the team and the company, is always a reflection of upper management. And there is not much that can change this.