IT'S OKAY TO BE THE BOSS: Be a great one!
By Bruce Tulgan
Since 1993, I have studied the experience of thousands of managers at all levels in a wide range of industries through workplace interviews, focus groups, polls, questionnaires, and intensive seminars. This ongoing research has been the basis of numerous articles, books, and management training programs in hundreds of companies.
Our research confirms that, all across today's workplace, there is a shocking and profound lack of daily guidance, direction, feedback, and support for employees from those who are their immediate supervisors. They do not spend enough time spelling out expectations, tracking performance, correcting failure, and rewarding success. This is what I call "undermanagement"—the opposite of micromanagement. Undermanagement is so widespread, it is an epidemic.
Undermanagement is not a household word like micro-management, but it should be because its impact makes micro-management look like a molehill.
Unfortunately, most managers have bought the number one myth in the workplace, what I call the "Myth of Empowerment." It goes like this: The way to empower people is to leave them alone and let them manage themselves.
For too long now, the pendulum of management thinking, books, and training has swung so far in exactly the wrong direction, toward "false empowerment." In this approach, managers should not keep close track of employees and they definitely should not zero in on employee failures. Employees should be made to feel they "own" their work and should be set free to make their own decisions. Managers are merely facilitators, there to align the natural talents and desires of employees with fitting roles in the workplace. Managers should not tell people how to do their jobs, but rather let employees come up with their own methods. The idea is, make employees feel good inside and results will take care of themselves.
Stop falling for the myth of empowerment. Leaving people alone to manage themselves is a set up for failure. Almost everybody performs better with more guidance, direction, and support from a more experienced person.
The "Myth of Empowerment" is number 1. But there are seven big management myths behind the undermanagement epidemic. Let me give an executive summary of the six other giant management myths in today's workplace:
#2. The Myth of Fairness: The way to be fair is to treat everybody the same.
What is the reality? What's truly fair is doing more for some people and less for others, based on what they deserve—based on their performance.
#3. The Myth of the Nice Guy: The only way to be strong is to act like a jerk, but I want to be a "nice guy." What is the reality? Real "nice guy" managers do what it takes to help employees succeed so those employees can deliver great service for customers and earn more rewards for themselves.
#4. The Myth of the Difficult Conversation: Being hands-off is the way to avoid confrontations with employees. What is the reality? Being a weak manager makes these confrontations inevitable, whereas being a strong manager means these confrontations rarely occur, and when they do happen they are not so painful after all.
#5. The Myth of Red Tape: Managers are prevented from being strong because there are so many factors beyond their control—red tape, corporate culture, senior management, limited resources. What is the reality? Focusing on the many factors THAT ARE within your control is the way to make yourself stronger. Meanwhile, learn the rules and red tape so you learn how to work within and around them (another way to increase your strength).
#6. The Myth of the Natural Leader: I am not "good at" managing. What is the reality? The best managers are people—natural or not—who learn proven techniques, practice those techniques diligently until they become skills, and continue practicing them until they become habits.
#7. The Myth of Time: There's isn't enough time to manage people. What is the reality? Since your time is so limited, you definitely don't have time to deal with all the things that go wrong when you do not spend enough time up-front managing people.
On this there is widespread consensus: The number one factor in productivity, morale, and retention is the relationship between employees and their immediate boss. So, what kind of boss are you going to be?
In today's high pressure workplace, employees need a boss who sets them up for success every step of the way and helps them earn what they need. Practice the art of real empowerment---guidance, direction and support. Start here with these eight back-to basics techniques:
#8. Do more for some people and less for others (based on what they earn).
It's time to pull the pendulum of management back in the right direction toward strong hands-on management.
Be the boss who says, "Great news, I'm the boss! I consider that a sacred responsibility. I'm going to make sure that everything goes well around here. I'm going to help you get a bunch of work done very well, very fast, all day long. I'm going to set you up for success every step of the way. I'm going to spell out expectations for you every step of the way. I'm going to help you plan. I'm going to work with you to clarify goals, guidelines, and specifications. I'm going to help you break big deadlines into smaller time frames with concrete performance benchmarks. I'm going to go over standard operating procedures. I'm going to offer reminders. I'm going to provide checklists and other tools. I'm going to help you keep track of what you are doing and how you are doing it every step of the way. I'm going to help you monitor and measure and document your success every step of the way. I'm going to help you solve problems as soon as they occur, so they don't fester and grow into bigger problems. I'm going to help you find the shortcuts, avoid the pitfalls, and follow the best practices. Count on me. When you need something, I'm going to help you find it. When you want something, I'm going to help you earn it."
