How does senior management choose or evaluate their managers?

At a certain level in the corporate hierarchy, the vast majority of mid-level managers are intelligent, articulate, and professional. Many managers of managers rely upon these attributes in evaluating the managers that work for them. This is a colossal mistake. Being effective at one’s role is not an inevitable consequence of being intelligent, articulate or professional. Without tangible, objective measures of success, thick layers of corporate management become populated with smooth talkers or political mavens. If you are a manager of managers, it is imperative you base your evaluation of each manager on their actual performance. What did they accomplish over the short run? Over the long run? What successes? What failures? How much planning or driving did they do versus you having to ask them to do something?

Another colossal mistake that managers of managers make is not kicking the tires on their managers. Go one or two levels below to hear feedback. Otherwise, you’ll never know if you have someone who manages up very well but is poorly regarded by his colleagues or direct reports. Granted, this is not a popularity contest but one need only consider the fair and objective feedback on the manager. That a manager is tough or demanding is not really a criticism.

Do not overvalue the loyalty of your managers at the expense of their competency when placing them in important roles. All too often, a very senior manager wants to surround themselves by people they trust. This desire often leads to the senior manager placing a long-time colleague in a senior role without really asking the critical questions above – Is this person competent at this role? Have I checked with the teams below for feedback? Having loyal and trust worthy direct reports is imperative but not at the cost of competency. A loyal clown is still a clown. No quality employee will want to work for or with a clown for a long time.

Ask yourself one basic question when you evaluate your team. If you could do it all over again would you hire them again for the same job? If not, you can’t leave the situation alone. You’ll need to act and either find a new role for the questionable ones or let them go.

People respect fair but firm.