A Post for A Winter Monday Morning

To help get your week off to a wonderful start...

One Buttock Leadership

A different approach to leadership from Ben Zander...what's it got to do with leadership? What's one-buttock leadership? Where do you put emphasis? What must a leader believe?

What should a leader think about while implementing the plan?

Watch and learn, wonder and enjoy....

Not Everyone Who Has A Problem, Wants a Solution

This is one of the hardest things for us to understand.  But, in reality, we've all been there. 

So why do they tell us if they don't want to find a solution? 

Well, because sometimes...

1. We want to tell you... and her... and him... and them.... and to milk it for every bit of attention possible... and if YOU solve it.... you spoil our fun.

2. We don't want to solve it - we want YOU to adopt our problem, take it off our hands!  

3. We want you to join us in the blame game. Some of us find fault like there's a reward for it... or so it seems, but maybe we just want to divert attention from our faults by telling true, but slightly twisted (in-our-favour) tales, that show up other people's faults and failings.

4. We are caught up in the drama and trying to convince you (and ourselves, and anyone else who will listen) that, in this part of our lives at least, we are helpless victims, incapable of solving our problems, persecuted by baddies and in need of rescue by goodies (and we're just giving you an audition for the role of goody in our little drama - if you fail, you're obviously another baddie!)

5. We're just passing time talking ABOUT our problems... we're not interested in action! I mean, gosh... that takes effort and energy, and talking about it is far more rewarding!

So what to do?

Well you might: 

• Listen for a short while... and let us know that you'll be really interested to hear back from us when we've sorted it out... or that when we've got a plan on how to solve it, to let us know if we can help....  set limits to how long or how many times you will  listen... move on... look for opportunities to give us your full and positive attention when we are solving problems, when we're actively engaged in productive or healthy activities. 
• Give us some feedback to the effect that although we you're sure we are unhappy about the situation, we don't sound like we we're taking responsibility for solving it.
• Offer 3 suggestions, and if they all get knocked back, say something like, 'Well, that's strike 3 for me. I'm out. Let me know when you get it sorted.'
• Offer us a deal: If we agree to give you our best 3 suggestions for a problem you're facing, you promise that you will say, 'Thankyou, I'll give that some honest thought and use or adapt it to get this sorted. No buts, No argument' ... then, as long as we agree to say only 'Thankyou, I'll give that some honest thought and use or adapt it to get this sorted. No buts, No argument'.... you will give us your best 3 suggestions for our problem.

Pyramid Model: Manage the Work Processes

When supervisors and managers ignore their responsibility for managing AND developing the way work is done, waste increases, competitiveness decreases and knowledge workers - who can see better ways of doing things and opportunities to do things better, faster, easier - lose motivation and commitment.

So the challenge here is to make time to map, improve and radically change processes, in order to maintain alignment with the demands of the business, and the business environment. 

Given that most managers are Digital Immigrants and most technical professionals are Net Gen-ers and Digital Natives, the manager has to learn to let go and share leadership in this area of the pyramid, probably more than any other. 

  

How DO You Manage AND Develop Individuals?

Here's the Deal... Are you up for it?

1. Set clear, mutual, expectations

• on roles, goals and standards of and attendance, behaviour & performance 
  
• on what they can – and should - expect from you
  
• make it clear that, while you can and will help, they are responsible for meeting expectations fully and consistently 

2. Check that they're willing to deliver on expectations

• Make it clear they are in the driver’s seat – it’s their choice

3. RESOURCE the expectations

• If you're not willing or able to provide the resources necessary for success, your expectations are unrealistic and you're setting them up to fail
  

HOW CAN I HELP?

3. Create an environment for success: 

• Build transparency, trust, action, accountability & appreciation
• Talk straight, walk your talk & keep your commitments
• Listen, show respect & loyalty - to their faces & behind their backs
• Make decisions based on evidence, ethics & empathy
• Make assessments based on explicit, valid & fair measures
• Tackle unethical, unfair behaviour & poor performance
• Don’t harass, discriminate, bully or victimise

GREAT JOB! THANKS!

4. Work your guts out to make sure they can and want to perform:

• CAN PERFORM 
• Make sure they get what they need, when they need it, so they can do the job right, first time, every time

 instruction, training and coaching
 equipment & materials
 real-time factual feedback/metrics on how they’re doing
 practical help to solve problems, deal with obstacles & interference

• WANT TO PERFORM 
  

 Select carefully & fairly, discipline carefully & fairly 

 Deliver on your end of the deal: keep a public scorecard on YOUR attendance, behaviour & performance as well as theirs

 Get to you know your people: find out 

*what they’re trying to achieve

*what interests & excites them – help them get that

  *what they’re thinking and feeling about work   

 Make sure they get a fair deal & act on the things that drain,  

    frustrate & demotivate them
 Show that you notice, consider & appreciate them & their performance 
• say thanks, nice job, well done, great effort!
• let your bosses know who’s doing a great job
 Find ways to make work & performance rewarding & worth their while

 Make sure rewards & promotions go to real leaders & performers

I'VE GOT A PROBLEM & I NEED YOUR HELP TO SOLVE IT

5. Turn Problems into Action

Coach when people do badly

Hold people to account: by using

• fair, valid and explicit measures
• reminders rather than reprimands
• decision-making leave rather than leave without pay
• courageous action to do right and right wrongs rather than covering your own behind! 

Why don't they do what they're s'posed to do...?

Individuals!

We come in every shape and size; we have our own histories, our own unique mix of family, cultural and generational influences; we like and dislike different things; we have our little quirks and foibles; we're motivated by different things; we each respond to a unique mix of managing & developing.... and your job is to manage AND develop us - whether we like it or not!

That's a tough gig! 

Somehow, though you're no doubt busy and juggling multiple demands from various sources, you need to make time for us. 

We ARE your job - we're not an interruption! We need you to make time for us... talk to us... set clear expectations about our attendance, behaviour and performance - and equally, be clear with us about what we can - and should - expect of you.  Get organised to ensure that we have what we need, when we need it, to do the job right, first time... we'd like you to get to know us...how we tick, what we enjoy and what drains, frustrates, bores, blocks and demotivates us - we'd like you act on that information, and enable us do work we're proud of, work that's appreciated, work that makes a difference, work that's no more difficult or tedious or dangerous than it has to be... that's what will motivate us.

We'd like you, every now and then, to ask us, how you can be a better manager - listen, take some notes, say 'thanks' when we answer (don't argue!!) ...just think about what we say and try to do something - just ONE thing - about it. Then follow up to let us know what you've been doing about it, to find out if you've made a difference.... and to ask if there's anything else you can help with. 

Occasionally, you may need to remind us about what we're expected to do, what we're paid to do, where the boundaries are...  if you've done all the stuff above, we'll take it... just as long as you do it without getting all parental, preachy or teachy.... please! 

If you don't do all this strategically, consistently and well... we lose focus, motivation and commitment, or we start to pick & choose what we do to suit ourselves instead of the business, we feel neglected, or resentful or confused, we develop bad habits, we start to think we're better - or worse - than we are, or we lose trust in you, we... well you know what we do! 

Check out the post on Managing AND Developing Individuals for one model on how to do all this... it's coming in the next few days

(I'd like to acknowledge the influence on my thinking of Eric Berne, Thomas Gordon, Linda Adams, John Powell, Jean Illsley-Clarke & Marshall Goldsmith)