A bill of rights for direct reports

Every in-house counsel is a direct report of someone (you have at least one boss).  For you, and for those who are bosses (and thus have direct reports), here is a "bill of rights for direct reports" -- a short-list of management competencies of good bosses -- from the perspective of direct reports:
1.  Be trustworthy.
2.  Exercise influence beyond your team/group.
3.  Develop your teams (a spirit of "we").
4.  Recognize individuals and support their development.
How does your boss fare (and if you're a boss, how do you fare) under this list?  The list, some explanation, and the catchy phrase "direct reports' bill of rights" are in a post by Linda Hill & Kent Lineback, The Right to Management Competence.

The competency I found most interesting is #2, on exercising influence beyond your group.  The authors explain:

"Every group works in a web of interdependence within a broader organization and beyond. Success — through, for example, securing needed resources, attention, and cooperation — depends on the boss's ability to exercise influence in that broader context through a network of ongoing, mutually supportive relationships."   The Right to Management Competence.

The authors discuss these management competencies, as well as the "3 Imperatives" of being a good boss, in their new book Being the Boss: The 3 Imperatives for Becoming a Great Leader.  Their 3 imperatives, by the way, are:

• manage yourself
• manage your network
• manage your team.

This summary was prepared by Perry Cone and posted at www.leadinginhouse.com/

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