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Changing Habits

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The biggest challenge to developing as a manager is not so much learning new techniques and approaches.  That part can be quite straightforward.

The real challenge comes in letting go of existing habits and routines, making ourselves say and do something that we wouldn’t normally do.  Avoiding the knee jerk habitual responses that have worked for us in the past and replacing them with responses that will better for us in the future..

Literally making the effort to be someone who we are not.

Managing through the Crunch

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It can be a tough time to try to get an organisation to focus on anything that is not, in the short term, going to increase profits or reduce costs.  People are really beginning to understand what is meant by an ‘uncertain future’.

And this makes it just the right time to re-double your investment in engaging your employees in shaping the ‘uncertain future’ of your organisation. 

It takes time, commimtment and courage to really engage people in the process – but, as the economist Paul Romer said “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste”.

The Time To Manage

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Still the biggest barrier I find to helping clients to implement best practice approaches to people management is that ‘we do not have the time’.

‘But Mike I have 4 people in my team – are you really saying that I need to find 2 hours a week to invest in their 121s?  Don’t you understand how busy I am?’

It is a bit like a motorist saying ‘I haven’t got time to check the oil and the water and to fill up the petrol tank – because my car keeps breaking down’.

Except that the latter is statement is clearly ridiculous – while the former often passes for management wisdom!

When we choose not to invest time in managing staff what are we really saying?

‘I can create more value by spending my time elsewhere’ – this may be true but managers are paid to create a return on investment by managing people;

‘If I invest time in my people I may not get a good enough return on that investment’– this may be true but then you are not a competent manager;

‘if I spend time on managing people I will be operating outside the cultural norms of my organisation’ – this may be true but then I question the long term future of your organisation.  Unless we can harness the intelligence, passion, creativity, drive and energy of all our employees then we are, AT BEST, likely to achieve mediocrity.

Often what managers are really saying is that they actually quite like the adrenaline, energy and status that they get as a mole whacker, a problem solver, a crisis crusader.

It is not about the business, or you…

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The key to understanding someones actions, and therefore being in a position to influence them and their behaviour in the future, is understanding their agenda.

  • That salesperson who does everything by the book is not interested in the thrill of discovery.
  • That wannabe’ high flyer pursuing their own promotion is not interested in the development of other people’s potential.
  • That account manager who does the 9-5 but seems to have lost their passion for the work – is passionate about something – just not working for you.

The key to outstanding management is to recognise that it is not about your organisation, or you – it is about them and their agenda. The sooner you invest time an understanding this the sooner you will start to get a significant return on your investment in relationships.