[rbellio]

An analogy I try to keep in mind is that often as a manager you are in charge of manning the rudder and steering the ship in the right direction. Typically, you get a great seat on the boat and the laborious job of motility is left to someone else. Without a team of people dipping their oars into the water, though, you're just adrift.

Managers often lose sight that their job should be the least selfish role in the organization and that their job is really determined by the success or failure of those they manage. Your job is to facilitate your employees, not handle them. Your job is to nurture their talents and help them with their faults. The greatest success a manager can have is helping someone live up to their potential.

[trafficlight]

According to the article, your job as a manager should be to interrupt them with one-on-one meetings where they teach you what you should already know and then discipline them for not being back in the office at 1:00 PM exactly.

[rbellio]

I think the devil is in the details here. Yes, all of these things could slide into micromanagement if the intent and execution of them are not done properly. I've had experiences with managers who want to meet every week for a one-on-one, regardless of whether it's needed or not and it had to be endured for the full duration. It was miserable. On the other hand, having a bi-monthly meeting where I know that I have my manager's undivided attention to ask questions or air grievances is great. Not to mention, on the other side of the ball, it's a great time to be able to gauge the stress level of the employee and ensure that they are happy with where they're at.

As for the educating the manager part, I understand where you're coming from. You shouldn't have to sit down and teach your manager what the MVC pattern is, or how it's implemented in the language your company is using. You want to bring Grails into an organization that's never seen it before? Okay, I can understand explaining the technology to those folks above you, giving them the pros and cons of working with it and letting them make a decision on whether it's the right fit for the organization.