It's been one rough year for IT managers, filled with lots of uncertainty, chaos, tight budgets and in some cases, layoffs.

Next year, it's supposed to be getting easier if you believe the predictions that the recession is ending. Nevertheless, it's time to come up with some new ways of doing things as a manager.

Should you be the hands-on manager or the one who delegates the workload? Do you need to know every new trend coming down the pike or can you wait to see what works and what does not?

This week, we report on a Forbes magazine article about what kind of manager succeeds. This article talks about highly successful managers--such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett--who are introverts. They succeed being low key and quiet, and absorbing information after listening to what others have to say.

There are plenty of other approaches. Here are a few from a recent article in CIOzone.com. Some are basic common sense, but it's always good to be reminded of them:

• Surround yourself with good people.
• Have a firm grasp of budgets.
• Communicate with a blog or other social media.
• Build good sound relationships.

IT managers may have to repair the damage from this year, both economically and psychologically, as the times begin to improve. A New Year's resolution could begin with reinvigorating the IT staff, laying out the rules of the road, setting realistic goals and learning from a year of much uncertainty.

Hopefully, 2010 will permit the rebuilding of IT shops and investing in software, hardware, mobile technology, security and other IT needs. And there is always training to keep the IT staff up-to-date and up-to-speed with what's going on in this rapidly changing field.

Let's hope that 2010 will be better than 2009, and permit the kind of investments, both in personnel and technology, that are needed. If that is the case, being an IT manager will become much easier no matter what philosophy or style you choose. - Judi