Throughout my professional career, I have had the opportunity to supervise and mange people in a variety of projects and circumstances. The experience of working with, and leading groups of talented, dedicated people has taught me some important lessons regarding effective management technique. Below are a few of the most important principles I’ve discovered.
Lesson 1: Two Types of Respect
There are two types of respect managers can receive from the people they lead: respect of title and respect of person. The first is a respect born from fear; subordinates fear the manager’s ability to fire them or take other punitive measures. The second type of respect is far more difficult to achieve; it is a respect of person and is born from the confidence that subordinates have in a manager’s abilities. They follow the leader because they believe he/she will lead them to better circumstances.
Lesson 2: The Round Table Principle
Good managers endeavor to follow King Arthur’s example. When Arthur counseled with his knights, they sat at a round table - a table with no “head”. Arthur was king and clearly wielded supreme authority, yet the round table was a forum where everyone could speak their mind as equals. When effective managers ask for the opinions of their subordinates they strive to create this same environment. While insisting that participants in such group conversations be respectful, good managers allow subordinates to freely express their opinions.
Another rule adhered to by effective managers is the equality of obligation they share with their subordinates; just as the subordinate is bound to fulfill the reasonable requests of a manager, a manager is likewise bound to fulfill the reasonable requests of the subordinate.
Lesson 3: Look for Problems in Systems, Not People
Perhaps one of the greatest mistakes I’ve seen otherwise good managers make is how they deal with widespread problems - such as the consistent failure of a particular group of people to meet required performance expectations. Experience has taught me that if a large group is underperforming it probably isn’t a problem with the people, but rather a problem with the system. Instead of “cracking the whip” a wise manager will look for problems in the underlying structure within which his/her people operate.
Lesson 4: Ask Questions Sincerely, Not Rhetorically
This brings us to one of the most important lesson I’ve discovered regarding effective management - learning to ask sincere questions. It isn’t uncommon for a manager to throw up his/her hands in frustration and exclaim, “Why can’t this group seem to get the job done!” Such questions are generally asked rhetorically - the manager assumes that the answer is laziness, disloyalty, or any other number of criticisms of his/her subordinates. Yet, when asked sincerely, this same question can lead to productive conversations that yield real results. Seeking to understand a problem, rather than leaping to emotion-based conclusions, is paramount for true leadership.
Lesson 5: Confront Mistakes Honestly
Leaders are looked to for answers and direction. Typically, a manager is assigned to his/her role after demonstrating a high level competence. As such, mistakes can tarnish the pristine image a manager attempts to display; nevertheless, far more damaging are a manager’s attempts to conceal the mistakes that he/she makes. When a manager attempts to hide the obvious, his/her people will quickly lose faith and worry that the mistake will be repeated in the future. Even worse, some managers will attempt to avoid responsibility for their mistakes by passing the blame on to their subordinates. Confronting mistakes honestly will allow the damage sustained by the leader’s reputation to heal as quickly as possible, and allow him/her to maintain a strong relationship of mutual respect with his/her subordinates.
Lesson 6: Know When to Push for Change, and When to Respect the Status Quo
Finally, wise leaders are constantly pushing their people to rise to new heights and tackle new challenges; nevertheless, they do not celebrate change merely for change’s sake. They approach new opportunities with a sense of optimism and pragmatism, and thus maintain morale by ensuring their people are engaged in productive endeavors with a high probability of success.
The interesting thing about these lessons - on the surface they appear to serve the interests of one’s subordinates at the expense of the company; however, the opposite is actually true. The loyalty produced by this type of leadership will compel a company’s employees to work for more than just a paycheck - they will become emotionally invested in the overall success of the business. This loyalty is a precursor of grand achievement - both for the manager and his/her team.
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May 3rd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
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May 28th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Lesson Three is something that I should have read a long time ago as I have had such problems obtaining a administrative assistant. There is really no way to change the format in which I practice as the format of items to be done are required to stay in compliance with my firm. Good points though!