Q: So you always manage to divert from my question to make your own point, or to ask me a question in reply.
A: And what's wrong with that? :)
Q: Stop kidding around! The question on the table is “How does a Manager get to know about all the management stuff we have talked about”?
By the way – where have you been?
A: Now who's digressing? But thanks for asking. I've been taking a little R&R with my sweetie and recovering from a strained back – this property management stuff is hard on a desk jockey.
Back to your question:
The fact that you have to ask is an example of an issue we see regularly. Management Training just doesn't seem to be a standard item in organizations any more.
Q: For sure! I think our budget for all training has been cut back considerably over the years.
A: I'm afraid so. Things like training, coaching, consulting regularly get cut back in, or out of, budgets whenever spending is constrained. Unfortunately, there is always someone with a sharp pencil, or spreadsheet, that can make a name for themselves by finding short term savings.
Q: Yeah; but the argument always is that we need to focus on our core business, our “core competencies”, and these extras get cut.
A: Well; that's just one more aspect of short term thinking. Training, coaching, and consulting build core competencies and provide efficiencies and effectiveness to make the business more profitable. Cutting these things out once saves money – once, in this budget. That's just poor planning, staffing, and controlling.
Q: Hey! I remember those items – they're part of the management activities list. So you are saying those cuts are poor management?
A: They are unless all other options for immediate cost savings have been exhausted, like capturing the salary of the one-time-savings hero.
It really comes down to how do Managers make these decisions. And typically cutting training, coaching, consulting look like good decisions because the longer term isn't considered, or the return on investing in these items isn't known or seems to be too hard to figure out.
Q: Are you on your soapbox again?
A: Probably; but it is relevant. How does an organization prepare and develop for the future without training, coaching, and consulting? If the machinery isn't oiled today, it won't run tomorrow.
Managers get to know the fundamentals of their jobs through being taught, and then doing. The path to lots of good decisions is littered with lots of bad. Remember that the goal to start with is simply make more good ones than the others.
Q: I'm hearing that training is the start, and the doing part – including making mistakes – is next.
A: Right, just like most things. Management can be taught; good management takes practice; really good management requires great people skills that not everyone has.
So once the initial training is done, and mistakes are being made, then coaching can make a huge difference in tuning skills and adapting from lessons learned.
Q: OK; training is clear, but I'm not familiar with this “coaching” idea. You mean like a sports team coach?
A: Perhaps a better analogy is a personal fitness trainer. Only a business coach is your personal business skills trainer. And, of course, one of the business skills is management.
Q: Neat; so a coach works with you on a regular basis?
A: As often as you wish, usually on a weekly or bi-monthly basis. That way issues that the coach can help with are current, the mistakes made and lessons learned are fresh, and an effective flow is maintained for progress. The best are certified as coaches, have solid personal experience and background in the area, and so can be extremely valuable and focused on their client – you! :)
Q: And what do I get out of this?
A: Well, anything you wish. Imagine that any time you had a question about your management role, situations with employees, tough decisions, the “office politics” stuff, etc. you could reach an expert with suggestions, approaches, reminders, etc.
Q: Sounds like a real time management support life line!
A: Yeah! Cool, eh?
Why don't you, for next time, do a little research on Business Coaching. A great place to start is adaptivecoach.wordpress.com
Q: Jeez; homework again?
A: Yup. :)
Showing posts with label help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label help. Show all posts
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Management 8
Q: So how are we going to ask my manager what he means when he asks me to “lead the group”?
A: Why don't we do a little role play?
Q: Jeez, here you go again with the roles thing. Is this going to hurt?
A: Only if you don't want to play your Manager.
Q: Do I get his salary too?
But really, how do I know what he's thinking? Not knowing that is what got us here.
A: Sure; but we can try some different possibilities and see how things work out. You be him, and I'll be you. Here we go:
Hey, thanks for asking me to “lead the group”! I'm always up for a new challenge and appreciate your faith in me.
Q: Whoa! That's already too much sucking up – let's get serious. I would never say that!
A: Hmmm; too bad. If you don't show some sort of appreciation then you shouldn't expect to be asked again. And if you really don't want the challenge then you should say so right away.
Anyway, my next question (as you) to you (as your manager) is:
What exactly would you like me to do to lead the group?
Q: But this is the problem with this playing roles thing: I don't know what he – er, me – wants.
A: You are having a bad day, aren't you. Will you imagine what he might say? There's lots of choices – just start with one.
Q: OK.
I want you to take charge of the group to get this project completed on time. And under budget. And make me look good, too.
A: Good one! Now you're in the spirit of this. And then I say:
Completed on time, under budget – anything else?
Q: Er... not right now. I'll probably dream up some other stuff in a while.
A: OK. Is this a formal appointment, that is a change in job?
Q: Uh... No, I'd like you to try it out, see how you do, see if you've got the right stuff, show us what you've got, carry the ball down the field and make the big slapshot, go for gold!
A: (Easy tiger, don't get crazy on me.)
Alright. What are my boundaries? For example, am I supervising the work, or managing the group?
Q: How about you manage the group?
A: Got it; that means to me that I will be doing your functions of
Q: (Ooooh. You just pulled the Manager's essentials out – cute. Now I see why those are good to know. So how do I play that shot?)
A: (Great observation – that is why they are good to know! And for your reply, imagine what your manager would say)
Q: Ah, well... er... not staffing. You can't hire or fire people because we're just trying this out.
A: OK. So if the project needs more people to be done on time, I need to come to you for your help on that?
Q: Uh... sure (I think) (This making manager's decisions is getting tricky – what if I mess up?)
A: (Yeah, interesting isn't it? If it makes you feel better it's OK to be wrong. Your boss will usually be happy if you at least get things right more often than you are wrong. Actually, the most important question is what you do when you are wrong.
For our role play you can be as right or as wrong as you like. We can always rewind and try again.)
Q: (Good! This is kinda neat being able to see things from the other side. I guess all that management office politics I complained about before was out of line.
Let's keep going.)
A: So far I understand you want me to manage the group but without authority for staffing. That means I am accountable for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling – right?
Q: Sounds fine.
A: OK. Then I can re-plan the project? Re-organize people's assignments? Direct their daily work tasks? Measure their results to control their productivity and quality?
Q: Uncle! Stop. Can I be someone else now? I don't know how to answer all those questions. How does my manager know?
A: Fine – we can stop. I think you got a sense of how this might play out.
The key is knowing the definitions – the essential elements – of the manager's job and recognizing that words like “leading”, “supervising”, “directing” need explanation.
The best thing one can do is ask: “What exactly do you mean when you say...”, and to not make assumptions. That's why we have spent so much time on the words and the details – there's just too much at stake for confusion.
Q: Yeah, and you really nailed me with your questions. I was feeling really pinned down.
A: Exactly. When you have thought about the essentials, and you have a list handy, then you are better able to ask the strong questions that clarify the requirements and the boundaries.
It's often most helpful to ask what is not included – what are the exceptions. For example, the staffing element in our role play.
Q: OK. I know you are a big fan of Ask for Help, and I can see why. And why you like to be clear on the words used.
But you didn't answer the question about how does a manager get to know this stuff?
A: Right. :)
A: Why don't we do a little role play?
Q: Jeez, here you go again with the roles thing. Is this going to hurt?
A: Only if you don't want to play your Manager.
Q: Do I get his salary too?
But really, how do I know what he's thinking? Not knowing that is what got us here.
A: Sure; but we can try some different possibilities and see how things work out. You be him, and I'll be you. Here we go:
Hey, thanks for asking me to “lead the group”! I'm always up for a new challenge and appreciate your faith in me.
Q: Whoa! That's already too much sucking up – let's get serious. I would never say that!
A: Hmmm; too bad. If you don't show some sort of appreciation then you shouldn't expect to be asked again. And if you really don't want the challenge then you should say so right away.
Anyway, my next question (as you) to you (as your manager) is:
What exactly would you like me to do to lead the group?
Q: But this is the problem with this playing roles thing: I don't know what he – er, me – wants.
A: You are having a bad day, aren't you. Will you imagine what he might say? There's lots of choices – just start with one.
Q: OK.
I want you to take charge of the group to get this project completed on time. And under budget. And make me look good, too.
A: Good one! Now you're in the spirit of this. And then I say:
Completed on time, under budget – anything else?
Q: Er... not right now. I'll probably dream up some other stuff in a while.
A: OK. Is this a formal appointment, that is a change in job?
Q: Uh... No, I'd like you to try it out, see how you do, see if you've got the right stuff, show us what you've got, carry the ball down the field and make the big slapshot, go for gold!
A: (Easy tiger, don't get crazy on me.)
Alright. What are my boundaries? For example, am I supervising the work, or managing the group?
Q: How about you manage the group?
A: Got it; that means to me that I will be doing your functions of
- planning
- organizing
- staffing
- directing, and
- controlling
Q: (Ooooh. You just pulled the Manager's essentials out – cute. Now I see why those are good to know. So how do I play that shot?)
A: (Great observation – that is why they are good to know! And for your reply, imagine what your manager would say)
Q: Ah, well... er... not staffing. You can't hire or fire people because we're just trying this out.
A: OK. So if the project needs more people to be done on time, I need to come to you for your help on that?
Q: Uh... sure (I think) (This making manager's decisions is getting tricky – what if I mess up?)
A: (Yeah, interesting isn't it? If it makes you feel better it's OK to be wrong. Your boss will usually be happy if you at least get things right more often than you are wrong. Actually, the most important question is what you do when you are wrong.
For our role play you can be as right or as wrong as you like. We can always rewind and try again.)
Q: (Good! This is kinda neat being able to see things from the other side. I guess all that management office politics I complained about before was out of line.
Let's keep going.)
A: So far I understand you want me to manage the group but without authority for staffing. That means I am accountable for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling – right?
Q: Sounds fine.
A: OK. Then I can re-plan the project? Re-organize people's assignments? Direct their daily work tasks? Measure their results to control their productivity and quality?
Q: Uncle! Stop. Can I be someone else now? I don't know how to answer all those questions. How does my manager know?
A: Fine – we can stop. I think you got a sense of how this might play out.
The key is knowing the definitions – the essential elements – of the manager's job and recognizing that words like “leading”, “supervising”, “directing” need explanation.
The best thing one can do is ask: “What exactly do you mean when you say...”, and to not make assumptions. That's why we have spent so much time on the words and the details – there's just too much at stake for confusion.
Q: Yeah, and you really nailed me with your questions. I was feeling really pinned down.
A: Exactly. When you have thought about the essentials, and you have a list handy, then you are better able to ask the strong questions that clarify the requirements and the boundaries.
It's often most helpful to ask what is not included – what are the exceptions. For example, the staffing element in our role play.
Q: OK. I know you are a big fan of Ask for Help, and I can see why. And why you like to be clear on the words used.
But you didn't answer the question about how does a manager get to know this stuff?
A: Right. :)
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