Joe and Wanda on Management

Rule #38 in Susan Stamm’s new book, 42 Rules of Employee Engagement, has the following quote:

Management itself is a profession. For some it is truly an art form. For others it is the part of the job that is most dreaded. If you find yourself in this second category, I encourage you to do your own soul-searching around this critical role you play in your organization. It is far too important to live in conflict with it. Your role is key to the engagement of your team. If you focus mostly on the task component of your job and pay attention to the team only in times of crisis, you are missing out on numerous opportunities to increase engagement just through your simple interest and involvement. The old expression “it’s not rocket science” holds true for engagement. It’s created with plain, simple interest in the team. An investment of you makes the difference. Try it and watch the result.

Thoughts Joe and Wanda?

Joe Kerr: The engagement stuff is a bit over-rated. Some people like their jobs. Some people don’t. As long as they do good work, it’s fine by me. As for me, my job is not peaches and cream. But, it’s a living and there are many that would kill to have it. That’s what keeps me going.

Wanda B. Goode: That’s great advice from Susan. Management is not for everyone. If you “love the job except for the people,” you probably shouldn’t be in the role. On the flip side, if you are engaged and committed, the potential upside is tremendous.

Here are a couple of related posts that assist with the decision to move from individual performer to manager.

So You Think You Want to be a Manager?

Do I Want to be a Manager?

In his book, Purpose: The Starting Point of Great Companies, Nikos Mourkogiannis indicates a critical component of leadership – to think. “Thinking is the starting point of change. Without it you can not possibly discover your purpose, choose your strategic position and align the two.” Of course the thinking activity takes time.

Mourkogiannis further points out an inherent flaw, “Give a leader a Blackberry, a dozen direct reports, some commitments to charity, and a seat on a few corporate boards - and then ask him to think? There isn’t time. He can’t possibly do it.”

Isn’t this a problem in many other areas as well? We don’t take the time to think or to plan. Why? We’re too busy tending to the day-do-day. We flow with the current, repeat the same mistakes over and over again, and then we ask, “How did we allow ourselves to get to this point?”

Thoughts Joe and Wanda?

Joe Kerr: Obviously Nikos doesn’t understand the fundamental concept of delegation. My admin handles my charitable responsibilities, and 90% of the board activities, and I lean on HR for help with my directs. I just need to show up. Great leaders know how to delegate. As for thinking, that’s what consultants are for.

Do you happen to have an aspirin? My head hurts.

Wanda B. Goode: This is indeed a huge problem. However, even if there were less to do, people would still struggle with the thinking and the planning. Why? It’s not a comfortable thing. It’s harder. Further, it does not generate immediate results. People will avoid things that make them uncomfortable, especially when they don’t get any immediate benefit. It is so much easier to just show up and jump from one crisis to the next.

The key to sustained success is doing the important things in the short term that will benefit in the long-term. It’s a fairly simple concept, but not an easy one to execute.

Here are a couple of related posts…

Carve Out Time to Think

Purposeful Leaders Take Time to Think

There is an article in the July, ’09 issue of Toastmasters Magazine that addresses the difficulties experienced by those that survive job layoffs. Apparently there is a name for it… Layoff Survivor Sickness.

Those that are left behind frequently experience guilt, insecurity, anger, and fear. Not all that surprising, the typical management approach is to ignore the situation resulting in “plummeting productivity, more concentration-related errors, and increasingly listless and risk-averse employees.”

What’s the solution? Again, somewhat obvious, is frequent and honest communication. Management should explain the reasons why decisions have been made and field employee questions. Layoff survivors (including managers) should be encouraged to vent their feelings both in one-on-one meetings with their managers as well as in group settings.

Thoughts Joe and Wanda?

Joe Kerr: Buck up and get back to work! You’re lucky to have a job, and if you don’t quit your whining, you may not have it for long… That’s the softer side of Joe Kerr.

Wanda B. Goode: While most companies struggle with communications during good times, they seem to clam up even more during bad times… not good for the many that are left holding the bag. In difficult times, those managers that are comfortable with the softer skills like listening and empathizing, are those that will be most successful.

Here are some related posts

Ombuds Can Help Minimize Effects of Layoffs

Overcoming Layoff Survivor Sickness

Chapter 3 of the book Leading IT Transformation is entitled, “Building a Client-Focused IT Culture.” Although it is written specifically for those in the information technology field, I believe the lessons can be universally applied to any group trying to improve service to its stakeholders.

The authors discuss two “service sins” that occur when we play the role of either “rule master” or “promiser.” When an internal customer asks the rule master to do something slightly outside of guidelines, the rule master says things like, “That’s not our standard… That’s not part of the project plan…We don’t do it that way.” On the flip side the promiser says, “We can to that. We can do that too. Is there anything else you want us to do?”

The correct approach for the Rule Master is to first discover the root cause or need (why the person is making the request), and then try to offer assistance. It may be time to break a rule, or it may be time to re-educate on the reasons for the rule.

As for the Promiser, instead of agreeing to everything and inevitably incurring the wrath of customers when promises are not delivered, it is again important to seek to understand the reason for the request, and then develop some appropriate responses – “I know you want this new change put in, and I’m now aware of its important to the business. We really need to examine it closely to see what it will take to include it. We may need to pull some other functionality to make it work. Can we get back to you at the end of the week?”

To create a client-focused culture, the authors recommend creating a service strategy. They also offer three skills required to evolve to a service oriented culture

1. A “We” Mindset – It’s not about you, it’s about the team. Further, it’s about the company.
2. Learning to Love Complaints – Complaints are feedback. Feedback is good. Feedback gives us the opportunity to improve.
3. Make Every Interaction Count – This is the Moments of Truth concept. Each interaction with a client is a moment of truth that can sweeten or sour a group’s reputation.

Joe Kerr: We need to get back to work, so we can fix our mistakes. We obviously already love them, because we get so many! How’s that for the “We mindset?

Wanda B. Goode: Makes sense. We don’t want to be perceived as rigid and inflexible as if we are hiding behind rules. I’ve always been a fan of exception processing as well. In addition, we can’t be everything to everyone. We need to focus on the most important things or we won’t be able to get those most important things done.

Here’s a related customer service post – The Seven Deadly Sins of Customer Service

Would you like to create more accountability within your organization? Listen to this “Management Tips” podcast with Patricia Wheeler to find out how.

 

 Patricia Wheeler's Management Tip [10:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In his book, What Were They Thinking? Jeffrey Pfeffer shares an interesting perspective on strategy. He says that corporations pay more attention to presentation than the quality of ideas. Executives gravitate toward strategic planning because it is intellectually challenging, and most CEOs rank it as the 2nd most important activity required for the success of their companies. According to Pfeffer, though, research indicates that there is little evidence that strategy has any effect on company performance.

Not surprisingly, it’s the execution that matters. Pfeffer advocates a trial and error approach – i.e. “developing strategy adaptively by using your company’s best thinking at the time, learning from experience, and then trying again using what you have learned.” It’s about “doing smart things” not “seeming smart.”

Joe Kerr: Let’s not beat up on strategy too much. I mean, where would we be without strategy? We wouldn’t have strategic sourcing, strategic partners, strategic purchasing, strategic marketing, strategic management, or strategic thinking? Really, where would we be? We’d be like a sail boat without a rudder, a soldier without a compass, a car without a GPS! I’m not sure I want any part of that.

Wanda B. Goode: We heard something similar from the Smuckers brothers from the JM Smuckers Company, didn’t we? They had a simple strategy for their company that they shared with everyone – even their competitors. They didn’t create the glitzy Powerpoint presentation and three inch binder that collected dust on the shelf. Instead they created a brief document outlining their strategy and more importantly went out and made it happen. The competition could not do the same.

Hey, I like talking strategy too. I agree with Jeffrey. It’s challenging and it’s fun. I also think it’s important. We just need to resist the urge to get all caught up in it and make it more complicated than it needs to be. We need to place more of the focus on getting it done.

Here is a post that refers to Pfeffer’s views on strategic planning and addresses other concepts from his book – 10 Questions with Jeffrey Pfeffer

Conflict at the office? Don’t fret. Denise O’Berry explains that it’s probably a good thing. Listen to this podcast to find out how to take advantage of conflict.

 

 Denise O'Berry's Management Tip [9:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In his book, What Were They Thinking? Jeffrey Pfeffer expresses frustration over why so many leaders know how to manage people more effectively to build competitive advantage and high-performance organizational cultures, but they choose not to do so. They have a variety of excuses.

• Too much day-to-day stuff takes precedence
• It takes too long to make the changes
• We don’t have the money to do that

“It’s as if a requirement for entering the ranks of senior management today is the ability to make excuses for why it’s impossible to do things that most people agree are important.”

His suggestion for fixing the situation… Refuse to accept any reasons for why things that need to be done can’t be. It’s OK to identify the problems. The important thing is to develop solutions to those problems. The leader needs to articulate a vision that can inspire the effort required to overcome the obstacles.

Joe Kerr: Spoken like a man that has spent his entire career behind a podium and not on the front lines.

Wanda B. Goode: We do make a lot of excuses don’t we? I know I just made one today. I will work on breaking the habit. If I can break free from the tendency to create excuses, there is so much to be gained.

Here is a related post – Excuses Prevent Success

I thought it would be appropriate as we ease our way into this Memorial Day weekend to quote some of our great soldiers.

Enjoy your weekend and please don’t forget to take a moment to give thanks to all those that have sacrificed so much to allow us to live in this wonderful country.

• No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair.
• Do more than is required of you.
• Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men.

– General George S. Patton Jr.

• Do what is right, not what you think the high headquarters wants or what you think will make you look good.
• It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle

– General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr.

• You don’t lead by hitting people over the head - that’s assault, not leadership.

– General Dwight D. Eisenhower

• In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, then he who continues the attack wins.
• Labor disgraces no man; unfortunately, you occasionally find men who disgrace labor.

– Ulysses S. Grant

• Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or to keep one.
• The education of a man is never completed until he dies.
• Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less.
• I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself.

– General Robert E. Lee

• A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.
• Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.
• The chief condition on which, life, health and vigor depend on, is action. It is by action that an organism develops its faculties, increases its energy, and attains the fulfillment of its destiny.
  The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proved otherwise.

– General Colin Powell

Joe Kerr: Sure wish you could have mixed in a Gladiator quote.

Wanda B. Goode: Great quotes. One of these days maybe we’ll see a lady in the mix.

Some people really enjoy the heck out of meetings. Recently, I had a conversation with a friend that works for a non profit organization. He was surprised that the monthly board meetings were so well attended. He said that the members really seemed to enjoy them. The only problem was that nothing really got done during or between the meetings.

I explained that I had similar experiences in the corporate world. Sure people complain about meetings, but they must like them because they always have time to squeeze in more. If they have 7 in a day they can go to 8. Unfortunately, they don’t have time to do any work. In fact, they think going to the meeting is work. You better believe those board members are convinced that they are providing immeasurable value at a considerable sacrifice, all for a good cause!

Joe and Wanda, what can we do to convince people that this is folly? How do we get them to nix the meetings and get something done, rather than just complain (aka brag) that they “have” to attend so many?

Joe Kerr: Off of the top of my head, I’m not sure, but I think we have the makings of a meeting here. I’ll get my admin to set it up. Do you like Danish?

Wanda B. Goode: The managers/leaders need to make the changes in their part of the organization. If they set the example by doing the work in between the meetings team members will do the same. There will be far fewer meetings scheduled and the ones that are necessary will be shorter.

Although more difficult, managers can also influence their peers and managers to do the same. It takes more time, but it can be done.

Here’s is a related post
The Case of Too Many Meetings
and a podcast
Why 09 Should See Less Meetings