Unlocking Leadership Excellence
A Game-Changer for Engineering Leaders
As engineering managers, measuring our own performance can be challenging since our impact is often indirect and manifests through our team's success. However, getting regular feedback from our direct reports is crucial for our growth and effectiveness.
Project Oxygen1 and Project Aristotle2, two significant research initiatives by Google, provided valuable insights into management effectiveness and team dynamics in modern workplaces. Their findings demonstrated that skilled managers meaningfully impact team performance and identified specific behaviors that characterize effective leadership. This research has helped establish measurable criteria for evaluating engineering management performance.
Project Oxygen, initiated in 2008, set out to evaluate the impact of management on team success. Through analysis of performance reviews, surveys, and employee feedback, the research identified eight (later expanded to ten) key management behaviors. These included coaching ability, empowering without micromanaging, supporting inclusive team environments, and maintaining a balance between results orientation and employee well-being.
Project Aristotle, launched in 2012, focused on understanding team effectiveness. The study examined numerous Google teams and analyzed various team attributes to identify success factors. The research concluded that psychological safety was the primary driver of team effectiveness, followed by other key dynamics such as dependability, structure and clarity, meaning, and impact. These findings have influenced how organizations approach team building and management, emphasizing the importance of team dynamics over individual composition.
The most effective way to gauge management effectiveness and foster continuous improvement is through structured feedback mechanisms. Manager Performance Surveys, incorporating key insights from Google's Project Oxygen and Project Aristotle, provide a systematic approach to measuring and developing management capabilities. These surveys help translate theoretical frameworks into practical, actionable feedback that can enhance leadership effectiveness and team dynamics.
Why Manager Performance Surveys Matter
Direct Feedback: They provide unfiltered insights from the people you directly impact your team members. By hearing directly from those you lead, you get authentic perspectives on your management style and its effects on the team.
Early Warning System: Regular surveys help identify issues before they become major problems. This proactive approach allows managers to address concerns while they're still manageable and maintain team health.
Growth Tool: Consistent feedback helps you identify areas for improvement. By understanding your strengths and weaknesses through regular feedback, you can focus your development efforts more effectively.
Trust Building: Showing vulnerability and openness to feedback builds psychological safety. When managers demonstrate willingness to receive and act on feedback, it creates an environment where open communication thrives.
Accountability: Regular feedback keeps you accountable to your team's needs. Having a structured system for receiving feedback ensures that managers remain focused on their team's development and success.
Implementation Guidelines
Frequency
While many companies conduct manager surveys quarterly or annually, this cadence is often too slow to catch emerging issues. A monthly cadence is recommended for several reasons:
Shorter feedback cycles allow for faster course correction
Recent events are fresher in people's minds
Issues can be addressed before they become serious problems
Creates a regular rhythm of feedback and improvement
Survey Design
To prevent survey fatigue while maintaining effectiveness:
Keep the survey short and focused
Use a consistent set of core questions
Include a mix of quantitative (Likert scale3) and qualitative questions
Ensure anonymity to encourage honest feedback
Follow-up Actions
The survey is only valuable if you act on the feedback:
Review results promptly
Share aggregated insights with your team
Create action items based on feedback
Follow up in subsequent 1:1s on areas of concern
Track improvements over time
Sample Survey Template
Below, we'll explore some example questions that can help you assess your performance against the principles discussed above, drawing from Google's Project Oxygen findings and effective management practices:
1. Technical Leadership
"My manager helps me solve technical problems effectively"
“My manager keeps the team focused on priorities, even when it’s difficult”
“My manager has the technical expertise required to effectively manage me”
2. Career Development
"My manager takes an active interest in my career growth"
“My manager helps me develop in my career”
“My manager gives me actionable feedback on a regular basis”
3. Communication
"My manager communicates clear expectations and goals"
“My manager communicates clear goals for our team”
4. Team Environment
"My manager creates an inclusive team environment where I feel I belong"
“My manager consistently shows consideration for me as a person”
“My manager effectively collaborates across boundaries”
5. Decision Making
"My manager involves the team in important decisions"
“My manager provides the autonomy I need to do my job”
6. Open-ended Questions
"What should I start doing?"
"What should I stop doing?"
"What should I continue doing?"
Conclusion
Manager Performance Surveys are an essential tool for engineering managers who want to:
Continuously improve their leadership skills
Build trust with their team
Create a culture of open feedback
Make data-driven decisions about their management style
Remember: The most important aspect isn't just collecting the feedback - it's acting on it consistently and visibly. This shows your team that their input matters and helps create a culture of continuous improvement.
By implementing regular Manager Performance Surveys, you create a feedback loop that helps you grow as a leader while building stronger relationships with your team. It's an investment in both your success and your team's success.
To help you get started, we've created a template based on established management frameworks and best practices. You can find an example of a Manager Performance Survey at Google Forms. Feel free to adapt it to your team's specific needs and context.