As an organizational psychologist, I focus my work on individual behavior, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal relationships in business and other organizational settings. My observations of leaders are based on a concept that I call a Good Enough Manager or a GEM.

Good enough management is based on psychological theories about “good enough’’ parenting. Good enough parents seek a balance between autonomy and structure for their children, letting go enough so a child can experiment and learn from inevitable failures. In the workplace, Good Enough Managers don’t seek perfection because they recognize people are inherently imperfect. Instead, they encourage and strive for excellence — and results. GEMs facilitate, adapt, and respond. They see failure as an opportunity to learn.

Governor Charlie Baker is proving to be a GEM, as evidenced by last winter, when keeping the trains running on time was more than a metaphor. During a time of crisis, the governor chose to acknowledge and share the public’s frustration over the MBTA’s failures (one of many opportunities to learn), while at the same time acknowledging the hard work of MBTA staff. He took ownership of the problem at the appropriate moment, kept calm, and did not micromanage. He made it known that he would have important conversations with the MBTA leadership.

This measured yet confident approach to addressing the public, containing the mood, and projecting managerial competence earned him good reviews from the press and the people.

Another example of Baker’s GEM approach is his willingness to have conversations with various leaders and stakeholders, regardless of party affiliation, to accomplish his goals. His refreshing attempts to build bridges rather than simply forge ahead with a predetermined agenda has helped win people over. For example, immediately following his election, he met with the Democratic mayor of Springfield, Domenic J. Sarno, who had supported former attorney general Martha Coakley, and with Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, also a Democrat who endorsed Coakley.

Baker seems to be willing to own up to mistakes and adjust, such as his initial reaction to the South Carolina confederate flag controversy, when he said decisions on whether to fly the flag — widely viewed as racist symbol — should be left to states. He soon after apologized, adapting his position to be more in line with his Massachusetts constituents.

Baker emerged as a data-driven and introverted policy wonk from his Cabinet posts in the administration of former governor William F. Weld and as chief executive of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. In his first run for governor, Baker often came across as brittle and irritable, which contributed to his losing that race. In his second run for governor, we saw him revealing more optimism and personal warmth, which, coupled with the pragmatic problem-solving persona, created a more likeable manager-leader.

I observed Governor Baker in December at the annual Boston Club Corporate Salute breakfast, which promotes gender equality in board rooms and executive suites. I immediately knew this was a GEM in action. His body language indicated comfort in his own skin as he mingled with the audience beforehand. His ease offset his height (6 feet, 6 inches), which could be intimidating, and he remained an impressive, but affable presence.

At the podium, he spoke candidly and emotionally about learning from the failures of his first campaign. He stressed the importance of building new relationships — “making new friends’’ — and reaching beyond a comfortable and often closed circle as the key to enhancing diversity in top management and board positions.

He has done this early on, hiring women to lead three of the eight executive offices in the Cabinet: administration and finance, health and human services, and transportation.

Though it is still early, it seems that at this stage of his life, approaching 60 and tempered by a full resume of experience with many battles fought, Baker has fully embraced the role, both as governor and a GEM.

Aaron Nurick is a professor of Management and psychology at Bentley University in Waltham and author of the book “The Good Enough Manager: The Making of a GEM.’’