Revisiting Project

Oxygen: A look at
what makes a good
manager
By Madeline Miles

July 19, 2022 - 13 MIN READ

Jump to sectionIt started with resistance from engineers and
millennials Project Oxygen asked the question How the findings
on good managers apply to your company
We've long heard about the role of tech in "disrupting" the
status quo.

Reflecting on the past decade alone, we've lived through plenty

of workplace disruption. As a workforce, we've evolved from
wanting ping pong tables and nap pods to a workforce craving
connection , autonomy, and flexibility. We've pivoted from
chasing efficiency and sticking to business to showing up as our
whole selves at work and putting belonging and inclusion at the
forefront of the employee experience .

Through COVID-19 and the Great Resignation , we learned that

employees want to find purpose in their work . They also want
flexibility, health, and meaning. Employees want to choose
when and where they work while still maintaining meaningful
connections with others. We've learned that, for many, working
remotely actually unlocked creativity , opened up new
opportunities, and helped galvanize a workforce to reach more
of its potential.
Over a decade ago Google, a BetterUp customer, examined one
question with the aim to disrupt the status quo of people
operations . The question? What does it take to be a good
manager?

The answer? It starts with coaching.

Now, more than a decade after Google launched Project

Oxygen, many lessons still stand the test of time. Here are
some reflections on Project Oxygen — and why coaching holds
strong as a top attribute for any successful leader.

It started with resistance

from engineers and
millennials
The group that had the biggest problem with management was
the company’s engineers. Engineers may have lower tolerance
for bad management. It's a field that fosters creative
individuals who have their own style and way of doing things.

When someone tries to micromanage this type of worker it

results in conflicts and a loss of interest. Laszlo Bock, author
of Work Rules! Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform
How You Live, explained:

"Engineers generally think managers are at best a necessary

evil, but mainly they get in the way, create bureaucracy, and
screw things up."

Laszlo Bock, Former Senior Vice President of People Operations,

Google
However, it’s not just engineer-driven companies that looking
for some change from the status quo when it comes to
management. A survey by Virtuali found that 83% of millennials
want fewer layers of management . This means they want
managers who are easily approachable and willing to take their
opinions into account. This became evident in millennial-led or
millennial-heavy organizations that favored open workspaces
where CEOs, managers, and employees worked alongside each
other.

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Project Oxygen asked the

question
In an environment where the conventional was often
challenged, Google’s People Innovation Lab started Project
Oxygen with a goal of proving that manager quality does not
have an impact on performance. They hired a group of
statisticians to evaluate the differences between the highest
and lowest rated managers. Data was collected using
past performance appraisals , employee engagement surveys ,
interviews, and other sources of employee feedback.

However, instead of proving that manager quality did not

matter, the statisticians found that good management actually
does make a difference. To better define what makes a good
manager they analyzed the data and arrived at the following
list of eight qualities of good managers.

8 findings about good managers

from Google’s Project Oxygen
1. Is a good coach
2. Empowers the team and does not micromanage
3. Expresses interest in and concern for team members’
success and personal well-being
4. Is productive and results-oriented
5. Is a good communicator—listens and shares information
6. Helps with career development
7. Has a clear vision and strategy for the team
8. Has key technical skills that help him or her advise the
team

While this list seems obvious, there were three reasons why it
had such a big impact on management at Google. First, it was
based on people analytics. In a culture that valued data and
scientific evidence, using people analytics gave the project
greater credibility.

The fact that it was based on employee feedback encouraged

wider employee buy-in and trust. Similarly, the hard data
helped to convince managers why they needed to improve
their management style .

Second, the interesting thing is that technical skills came in

last. While it’s important that managers have the needed
technical level to guide employees, soft skills such
as coaching and communication are absolutely essential. This
proves what many employees instinctively knew from their own
experience: being a great developer doesn’t necessarily make
you a great manager.

Third, it provided a checklist of management qualities. As Bock

explained, whether or not your manager is well versed in
management 101 and every training course your company
offers, having a checklist makes a big difference as it actually
reminds managers to remember and implement these skills on
a daily basis.

As a result, Google changed its feedback surveys to mirror

these qualities. Instead of simply measuring how much output a
manager achieves, the surveys now focus on how much time
they spend coaching their team, whether or not they
communicate a clear vision, etc. They also developed new
management training programs centered around these skills.
How the findings on good
managers apply to your
company
Great employees don’t always
make great managers
Though it may be common sense that a company of engineers
would value technical knowledge and ability in a manager, it is
telling that this skill came in last place on Google’s list.

Great employees don’t always make the best managers. Some

engineers may prefer to focus on their work. You have to have
patience, great communication skills, and the ability to see the
big picture and create long-term goals.

The problem is that the traditional company is based on linking

promotions with higher levels of managerial responsibilities. It’s
time for your company to rethink this strategy.

Instead of putting people with great technical skills in

management positions, put people with great leadership skills
in management positions. Some companies have instituted dual
tracks so that not everyone has to take the management path.
Become a great coach
Becoming a great coach, especially in the tech world, is
essential. What engineers, developers, and everyone under the
sun really want is a manager who knows how to distinguish the
line between coaching and micromanaging.

To learn where this line lies, think about your employee. Are
they an engineer with more than five years of experience? Then
what they probably need most is a manager who will help them
to set goals and then stand back and allow them to execute
them in their own way (as long as this gets results).

As a manager, one of your most important responsibilities is to

guide your employees towards goals that fall in line with your
company’s objectives and long-term goals.

That being said, also allow some space for creativity. Google
gained a lot of traction with media and in-demand talent for its
policy of letting employees devote 20% of their time to passion
projects. 20% time resulted in popular products such as Gmail
and AdSense. Other companies adopted similar policies. While
this may not an official policy for your company, as a manager,
encouraging employees to dedicate some time to working on
innovative new ideas with colleagues can bring you great
products and loyalty from motivated employees.

New engineers on the other hand may need more coaching.

Here the line may become thinner but the best way to provide
guidance while not encroaching on your employee's freedom is
through feedback.

Feedback culture
Being able to give feedback the right way is the strongest tool
in your management utility belt (think more Batman than Home
Depot). Two-thirds of millennials believe it’s their manager's
responsibility to provide them with development opportunities.

Despite this, many managers are often hesitant to

give constructive feedback to their employees, fearing their
reaction. However, this is a major part of the development
process, so if your employees don’t know what they need to do
to improve, their professional development could become
stagnant.

Many leading HR and People Teams have recognized this risk,

and are finding new ways to support Managers to have more
continuous conversations with their team to help fuel
performance as well as professional development.

Delivering well-balanced actionable feedback is the answer.

When you have to deliver constructive feedback , some
managers balance it out by first explaining to their employees
what they’re doing well.
Always make sure your feedback places emphasis on actions
and completely avoids personality traits. For example, “I
noticed you talked over Mark in the meeting yesterday” rather
than “You’re overbearing in meetings.” Always provide advice
on how they can fix the situation and discuss the best solution.

In return, it’s also important to millennials that managers

are open to their feedback . This generation does not like to see
hierarchal barriers that prevent their ideas from being heard.
This means that managers also have to be good at not
only receiving feedback but acting upon it as well.

Finally don’t forget that positive feedback is also needed. When

your employee reaches an achievement a great coach always
remembers to recognize them for their efforts.

Get to know your employees

This is important both at a professional and personal level.
Getting to know your employees’ strengths will help you give
better feedback and show them you have a genuine interest in
their careers.

Managers who know their employees’ strengths are 71% more

likely to have people who are engaged and energized . Showing
them you’re taking an interest in their career and professional
goals will help you gain a loyal workforce.

Give your managers the tools

they need to lead the modern
workforce
Managing teams today is a tough job, and they rarely get the
support they need to succeed. Just like your employees,
offering regular trainings on key skills will keep managers
engaged and motivated to improve their management
strategies. Here are a few topics that every management
training program should include:

 How to give and receive feedback as a manager

 How to run effective 1-on-1s

 How to engage employees
 Tackling unconscious bias

Beyond this, providing your managers with helpful tools to

provide more actionable and effective feedback will go a long
way to helping them keep their teams engaged and motivated.

And above all, how are you empowering a culture of coaching ?

With BetterUp, provide your managers with personalized
support to help navigate change, uncertainty, and tough
conversations. With one-on-one coaching, you can grow your
employees' mental fitness , increase productivity , and unlock
their full potential.

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