Awe or "Ow"?
Saw a good cartoon by
Scott Adams (creator of the “Dilbert” character”) in which Leadership styles
are discussed. His leader, of course,
chooses to create a sense of “ow” in his direct reports - i.e. to show them
he’s boss by using (or abusing) his authority to make sure they always know
who’s in charge.
Many readers will be able to identify with this - the boss
who is constantly reminding his reports that he/she has the power. Usually, this will be from working for such a
person, but it’s always worth asking whether you may have turned into the very
being you try to avoid.
Most organisations these days hire “knowledge workers” who have
the transferable skills to move between a number of employers. In a market where movement is difficult (and
they exist almost everywhere) this can mean that certain categories of employee
may not find it easy to leave an abusive boss.
That doesn't mean, though, that their reputation will be unknown.
Such behaviour is usually a sign of chronic insecurity as
leader, whether because the individual perceives that they don’t have the
technical skills or for other reasons.
It’s not always easy to discover what they are, but here’s how you might
be able to mitigate the more toxic effects of an “Ow” leader.
Check: Have They Been Promoted Recently?
Newly-promoted leaders often feel insecure, especially if they've been made the head of a team of which previously they were a part. They may feel that they have to assert their authority but don't realise that "Ow" tactics will only make people rebel. Show them you accept their authority without them having to assert it.
Be Courteous:
Difficult, if you think the person’s no use, but if they
don't perceive you as a threat, that may help.
More to the point, you don’t want to give them an excuse to come down
hard on you because they perceive you as arrogant/disrespectful/overconfident
(and therefore a threat).
Deliver What You're
Asked To:
… and more. If they
feel that you make them look good, they may ease off.
Find Areas Where You
Can Ask For Advice:
Usually they've been put in charge for a reason, so see if
you can find what that is and ask for advice/opinions. If they feel that they have something to
offer, that may ease any feelings of insecurity.
Minimise
Confrontation:
Arguing may reinforce any feelings of insecurity and make
you a target. Pick your battles and your
arguments. Once the boss feels
comfortable, they may allow you more “slack”.
Support Them In
Public:
And argue one on one in private if you have a major
concern. They should appreciate the
public support and know that they can trust you.
Be Professional:
Don't talk about them behind their back - to anyone. You never know if or when it will get back to
them.
In the end, if the boss is providing too much of the “Ow”
factor, you have the ultimate recourse of either asking for a transfer or
dusting off your CV and getting it out into the market.
I have spent more than half my life
delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to
“emerging” economies. With more than 20 years in international financial
services around the world running
different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to
offer solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk
management. I work with individuals,
small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across
the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be
contacted by email . My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of
services. For strategic questions that
you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.Labels: Career, Leadership, Teamwork
Time To Say Goodbye
Something that most
managers should hate (I do) is telling someone that their services are no
longer required. Some people do this so
often that they even earn themselves nicknames that usually end in “the axe” or
“the knife”. Equally, employees may not
want to leave an organisation, but they must be able to recognise the signs of
when it might be time to start dusting off their CV.
“Letting people go” or employees resigning arise from a
number of causes:
- The business is downsizing/closing;
- The person concerned is “underperforming” (for a variety of
reasons);
- The person concerned doesn’t “get on” with the boss;
- Unacceptable/illegal behaviour.
The first cause may be beyond anyone’s control.
The second, third and fourth are usually within
the control of the individual and the organisation (I say “usually” because there
are exceptions, such as when you hire by mistake someone who turns out not to
be up to the task).
When it comes to downsizing, it’s a “numbers game”. Organisations look to cull what they perceive
as the weaker performers or the more “expensive” staff. Nothing personal; a decision has to be made,
and you’re the one in the firing line.
The trick for employees here is to be honest and self-aware enough to
recognise that they may be amongst those selected.
If the business is closing, the sooner you take action, the
better. You need to get your CV out
there as soon as possible before the “competition” do. Understand why the business is closing and work out how you will address this in interviews.
Both individuals and hirers can take action to ensure that
causes 2 and 3 arise as rarely as possible.
This begins with honesty and awareness on both sides as to one’s own
capabilities as well as what the job really
requires and involves. As an example, my
strengths lie in relationship management and problem-solving, yet I was once
hired as a salesman - a role which I had never done before and for which I was
temperamentally unsuited. My boss and I understood this once I had been in the role
for a few months.
If you are letting
someone go for reason 2, they will probably already be aware that something is
wrong (even if they can't quite put their finger on it). If you manage things properly, you will
already have pointed out the problem to them and given them a chance to take
corrective action. The reason is simple
- you’ve already invested time and money in hiring them and you owe it to the
individual, the organisation and yourself to improve their performance. If you do, everyone wins. Sacking people without trying this is the
resort of the weak manager.
On another occasion, it turned out that a boss had a
reputation for either liking or disliking people. If he disliked you, you were finished… A manager who is known to hold personal
dislikes will be spotted very quickly.
Within one week of arriving in the department, I was warned about this
one - without even asking about him!
People tend to blow the whistle very quickly on these individuals, and
their teams are often characterised by high turnover and low morale. If you find yourself faced with a “love/hate”
boss, aim to transfer out as quickly and as diplomatically as you can.
Unacceptable behaviour is within the individual’s
control. The rules of the organisation must
be made clear up front along with the penalties for not observing them.
Knowing when to say goodbye is the individual’s as well as
the employer’s responsibility. Resigning
because you are not a “good fit” is a sign of a self-aware and mature
employee. Organisations need to watch
out for disproportionate numbers of staff, or of higher numbers of staff on one
team compared with others voluntarily saying goodbye. It could mean you have a problems that is
within the organisation’s control…
I have spent more than half my life
delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to
“emerging” economies. After more than 20 years in the global financial services
industry running different service, operations and lending businesses, I
started my own Performance Management Consultancy to offer solutions for
improving performance, productivity and risk management. I work with individuals, small businesses,
charities, quoted companies and academic institutions. An international
speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email . My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of
services. For strategic questions that
you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.Labels: Career, Strategy
Motivation Tools That Cost Nothing
When managers think of “motivation”, they often think of it in terms of incentives or rewards. This betrays a lack of understanding of how people work, and yet, managers are people themselves!
The larger the business, the easier it is to “throw money” at motivation in the form of, for example:
- Performance bonuses
- Merit increments
- Cash vouchers
- Staff trips
Not all businesses have the cash to distribute indiscriminately, particularly start-ups, so how do you motivate without money?
Here are several ways that I’ve experienced over the years (in no particular order):
Celebrate small victories as well, not just the big ones:
Make a fuss about the achievement or of the person who did it - give them or the team a “shout out”. If you do this often, people feel good about themselves, they feel valued and want to contribute and perform.
Find something to praise people for:
… big or small. Similar to celebrating victories, but more personal. I don't mean make a huge fuss, but catching them “doing right” reinforces the positive behaviour you want to see. Catching them only doing wrong only tells them what not to do (not necessarily what to do).
Thank people:
Yes, people like feeling appreciated and acknowledged. You don't need to overdo it, just show that you appreciate the gesture. Forget this stuff about “it’s what they're paid to do”. You’re “paid to” get the best out of them.
Greet people in the morning:
Nothing complicated. A smile and a “Good morning” along with their name. It makes people feel valued.
Walk the talk:
How many times have I seen or heard this? It’s amazing how many of us say one thing but do another. What does that tell our people? Would you act that way with your children? Be the example of what you want them to be. If they don’t or won’t after that, you can ask them to look for employment elsewhere.
Be Honest:
People appreciate you calling things as they are. Although it may be painful at times, they’ll trust you much more if they know the true situation.
Leave on time (or early):
I’ve seen and worked for bosses who followed the FILO (First In, Last Out) rule in the belief that it made them look motivated and tough, resulting in an undignified scramble amongst their team to see who can get in earlier or stay the longest. In the end, it does neither you nor the team any good and simply makes you look more interested in office time. Remember, you pay for results and your people have lives outside work.
Focus on results, not on face time/chair time/office time:
I pay people to get things done, not to warm their office chair. I expect them to be in the office as long as they need to get the job done. If they can leave early from time to time, great.
Talk to them:
Show your face & shoot the breeze (as long as it doesn’t disturb or freak them out). Go to them, rather than always making them come to you. Find out their likes and dislikes. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn. Our quarterly “Team Drinks” session was an occasion where everyone relaxed and I really heard things that surprised me.
Be available:
(Unless it’s a real crisis). They’re the ones who make you look good. Give them time when they need it (as long as they don't use it as an excuse to put every proverbial monkey on your back”.
Let them know your movements:
They’re not a state secret, and you expect them to let you know theirs! It means they’ll always be able to plan. Forget this “I’m the boss” attitude - that’s SO last century…
Let them wear what they like:
… within reason, or unless there’s a specific uniform. By all means, set limits for what isn’t acceptable (e.g. clothes that are too revealing or in poor condition). Studies have shown that wearing a suit stifles creativity. Be smart if you meet customers, and always adopt the customer’s dress code if visiting customers at their premises.
Notice anything all these have in common? They’re all about treating people as people and as individuals, not as “Human Resources”.
I have spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With more than 20 years in the world financial services industry running different service, operations and lending businesses, I started my own Performance Management Consultancy to offer solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management. I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email . My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of services. For strategic questions that you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.
Labels: Career, Leadership, Teamwork
Why Projects Go Wrong
Projects can fail for
any number of reasons, but communication should not be one of them. This is within the control of the
organisatons and there is no excuse for not making sure that everyone knows
what’s happening and why. Get this wrong
and you get resistance, delays, cost and delivery overruns and processes or
equipment that end up not being up to the job.
I was asked to be the lead on a project which had already
been started by the client. One of the
first questions that I asked was, “Have you explained the project to those
involved?” The answer, of course, was
“Yes”. The reality was somewhat
different…
When I started talking to people, they none of them really
had a full picture of what was going on, and those who did all had different
ideas about what it was all about and what they were trying to achieve. More importantly, I found that IT had been
left out of the loop altogether, and yet their input was critical for success.
So who are the people you need to speak to? I see a number of levels:
The Sponsor:
The person who wants the project implemented. This is likely to be a senior manager or director
who may also hold one or more of the roles below.
The “End Users”:
The people who end up with the new processes or equipment
and who have to use it or implement it.
If you don't get their input, you risk alienating them and providing
wrong equipment or processes, making their life more difficult, potentially
losing customers and invalidating the project.
The Stakeholders:
The people who have an interest in terms of impact of the
project on themselves, their functions, their processes, their authority, their
resources. Forget these (as my client
did with IT) and you find the project derailed until ruffled feathers are smoothed
over or until the practical issues involved are addressed.
The Decision-Makers:
You could also call these the “Movers and Shakers”. They’re the ones who can get things done by
authorising expenditure, resource allocation.
They can make things happen (or not).
The “Money People”:
Whatever people say, Finance still has to sign off, so get
their input and advice up front.
The Law:
By this I don’t mean the police
(although they may be involved), but rather your legal advisers, compliance
department, auditors, tax advisers, HR department - anyone who may have input
on a legal, regulatory or compliance aspect of what you’re planning to do.
You could probably think of any
number of additional groups based on your organisation, business sector, country
or government. The point is, if you
don't get people “on side”, your project will run into difficulty (as this
client’s did, hence my being called in).
I started by addressing the
various groups, making sure that everybody understood:
- Why we were doing what we were
doing;
- How it was going to be done
- Who was going to do what
- By when it would be done
- Why it would be a good thing for
all concerned.
I then invited questions. To support me, I had all the decision-makers
who could answer the more intricate ones, or the ones that called for
allocation of people, money or equipment.
Not only did this mean quality answers, but unforeseen issues were
raised, and people were confident that the “right” managers with the “right”
authority were on board and that things could and would happen when they said
they would.
We still had some changes to make
and it took time, but by the time I left, the project was running smoothly
enough to be handed back to the client.
And all because we communicated.
I have spent more than half my life
delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to
“emerging” economies. With more than 20 years in the world financial services
industry running different service, operations and lending businesses, I
started my own Performance Management Consultancy to offer solutions for
improving performance, productivity and risk management. I work with individuals, small businesses,
charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An
international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email . My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of
services. For strategic questions that
you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.Labels: Leadership, Productivity, Strategy, Teamwork
