Never had a great manager, but I can tell you what makes a bad one. Sometimes knowing the opposite of what you want can be just as helpful: - No communication

Never had a great manager, but I can tell you what makes a bad one. Sometimes knowing the opposite of what you want can be just as helpful: - No communication outside of routine things (assigning work, asking about deadlines, etc.) - No vision or goals for the team or individual team members aside from "show up on time and get your work done" - No attempts to encourage or reward employee development - Doesn't effectively manage workload and deadlines (it's impossible to learn new things when you're always behind) - Not receptive to suggestions, even less receptive to feedback/criticism - Never fights for team members when it comes time for raises and promotions