Using Data to Show the Benefit of Managers to a Technical Workforce - the Google Way

In December's Harvard Business Review there's an article on how Google used data to determine that managers in fact do play an important role for the company (sad that they didn't know it already!)  By showing these results to the workforce, the company increased the value of its management to the employees.  The company identified eight key behaviors to being a good manager:

1. Good coaching
2. Empowers and doesn't micromanage
3. Cares about people's success and personal wellbeing
4. Productive and results oriented
5. Good communicator-- listens and shares info
6. Helps with career development
7. Has clear vision and strategy for the team
8. Has key technical skills that help advise the team

Google also uses regular surveys to get at how leaders are doing with relation to these specific behaviors.

http://hbr.org/2013/12/how-google-sold-its-engineers-on-management/ar/1