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We help maximize the effectiveness of individuals and organizations by helping them improve their ability to lead, work together, select and develop their people. Some of our related business services include: executive coaching, executive team coaching and executive assessments for development and selection.
Carl Robinson, Ph.D., Managing Principal
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Seattle, Washington
206-545-1990
carl@leadershipconsulting.com |
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| Book Recommendation |
The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself
The Referral Engine (Portfolio, 2010) by John Jantsch, of Duct Tape Marketing fame, provides a step-by-step referral-generating process. John Jantsch would like all of us to be able to say that we have not made a cold call in years. He gives readers the techniques to implement a self-generating referral system that can apply to any product or service located anywhere, and he supports them with actual scenarios of success. John Jantsch's writing style is warm and straight-talking. This title gets two thumbs up!
>Buy from Amazon.com
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Mindful Management Required!
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In your position, you may be responsible for one or even a team of mediocre middle managers. After reading this article, you may even classify yourself as one of them - hopefully not.
So, what defines the mediocre middle manager? They are the managers who get the work done but don't think beyond what has to be completed in the short term. They rush from one task to another, always working hard and with good intentions, but in the long run, they fail to consider what’s most important to their company’s larger objectives. Although they may be dependable when it comes to short deadlines and heavy workloads, they add little value to their organization or the functions and people they manage.
Then there are mindful middle managers. They see the big picture. They know how to manage operational practices with an eye toward organizational initiatives, elevating their position from middleman to key player.
Here are some examples of what you can expect from the mindful middle manager:
- Ownership – They assume direct responsibility for outcomes, taking the initiative to make things better; versus simply acting as a custodian to a project or process.
- Being active – They take the initiative to get things done and aren't deterred by setbacks.
- Generating – They are able to generate new and better versus getting stuck on how things are done now.
- Influencing through enrollment – They are able to demonstrate and convey a plan in such a way that others see and take on the vision for themselves.
- Practicing quality dialogue – They communicate with the intent of making a difference or moving a topic forward.
Mindful middle managers are driven to make things better. They're proactive and alert to the obstacle course they face as they help everyone move ahead.
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Accountability and Response-Ability
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Are you fostering an accountability-based team, department, or organization? Accountability takes a step beyond responsibility. Responsibility is a felt obligation to act within an organization's values, whereas accountability adds that you can be called to answer for your own actions.
In an accountability-based organization, the onus is not only on direct reports (and their reports) to be accountable, but also on managers and executives to produce a culture that fosters accountability in its employees. This can be scary at first, but will pay off in the long run. So, how do you get started? By taking the time and effort to provide a combination of clear, specific, measurable goals for your direct reports and the tools, time, support and training to go along with those goals.
Here are some specific attributes of an accountability-based culture:
- People understand what they and others are accountable for and are called to account if they don't meet expectations– there are consequences. Therefore, managers work with their direct reports to define clearly what the direct reports can and cannot do.
- People understand their own and others' boundaries and decision-making authority; at the same time, managers encourage their direct reports to exercise discretion and creativity within the defined boundaries.
- Managers are aware of the current and future potential capability of employees and provide appropriate career development and mentoring to help them reach their potential.
- People are given enough decision-making authority to carry out their work.
- All employees understand how their own goals help the company achieve its strategy.
Essentially, in an accountability-based company, everyone knows what's expected of them and by when; regardless of whether they are sitting in the staff or management section of the stadium. Clear expectations and accountable results give us all a better sense of direction. In the words of Stephen Covey: "Accountability breeds response-ability."
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Situation Room: Feedback in a Defensive Setting
Janis is a network engineer who joined the organization a few months ago. She has missed the mark in numerous technical aspects, which indicates that she doesn't understand her work and the system she is (supposedly) responsible for.
You are her manager, and you have been fielding complaint calls from your client and from Janis's colleagues. Yesterday you tried to give her constructive feedback, but she reacted defensively. The two of you exchanged words, and you ended up criticizing her work more broadly than you had intended to. Now Janis is upset and angry. She may even quit.
What would you do?
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