What Great Managers What Great Managers DODO

Based on Marcus Buckingham’s article in Based on Marcus Buckingham’s article in Harvard Business ReviewHarvard Business Review, March , March 2005, p.702005, p.70--7979

Great Leaders tap into the fears and needs Great Leaders tap into the fears and needs we all sharewe all shareGreat managers discover, develop and Great managers discover, develop and celebrate what’s different about each celebrate what’s different about each person and what works for themperson and what works for themHere’s how they do it!Here’s how they do it!

Great ManagersGreat Managers

Discover what is unique about each person Discover what is unique about each person and capitalize on itand capitalize on itKnow and value the unique abilities and Know and value the unique abilities and even the eccentricities of their staff, and even the eccentricities of their staff, and learn how to best integrate them into learn how to best integrate them into coordinated actioncoordinated actionPlay chess while average managers play Play chess while average managers play checkerscheckers

CheckersCheckers

All the pieces are uniform and move in the All the pieces are uniform and move in the same waysame wayThey are interchangeableThey are interchangeableThey all move in the same pace, on parallel They all move in the same pace, on parallel pathspaths

ChessChessEach type move of piece move in a different wayEach type move of piece move in a different wayYou can’t play if you don’t know how each piece You can’t play if you don’t know how each piece movemoveYou won’t win if you don’t think carefully about You won’t win if you don’t think carefully about how move the pieceshow move the pieces

Great LeadersGreat Leaders

Discover what is universal and capitalize on Discover what is universal and capitalize on ititRally people toward a better futureRally people toward a better futureCut through the differences of race, sex, age, Cut through the differences of race, sex, age, nationality and personalitynationality and personalityUse stories and celebrate heroesUse stories and celebrate heroesTap into those very few needs we all shareTap into those very few needs we all share

Great ManagersGreat Managers

Turn one person’s particular talent into Turn one person’s particular talent into performanceperformanceIdentify and deploy the difference among peopleIdentify and deploy the difference among peopleChallenge each staff to excel in his or her wayChallenge each staff to excel in his or her wayGreat managers can be great leaders and vice Great managers can be great leaders and vice versa, but to excel at one or both, they need to be versa, but to excel at one or both, they need to be aware of the very different skills each role aware of the very different skills each role requiresrequires

A Game of ChessA Game of Chess

Great managers put people into roles that will Great managers put people into roles that will allow them to shine and avoid putting clashing allow them to shine and avoid putting clashing personalities togetherpersonalities togetherAbility to keep tweaking roles to capitalize on Ability to keep tweaking roles to capitalize on the uniqueness of each person is the essence of the uniqueness of each person is the essence of great managementgreat managementThey also find ways for individuals to growThey also find ways for individuals to grow

Great Managers Are Great Managers Are RomanticsRomantics

Capitalizing on each person’s uniqueness is a powerful Capitalizing on each person’s uniqueness is a powerful tool for the following reasons:tool for the following reasons:

1.1. It saves time It saves time –– taking advantage of natural abilities, taking advantage of natural abilities, rather than trying to remedy the weaknessesrather than trying to remedy the weaknesses

2.2. Makes individual more accountableMakes individual more accountable3.3. Build a stronger sense of team, because it creates Build a stronger sense of team, because it creates

interdependency, helps people appreciate one anothers’ interdependency, helps people appreciate one anothers’ particular skills particular skills –– makes people need one anothermakes people need one another

4.4. Introduce a healthy degree of disruption into the worldIntroduce a healthy degree of disruption into the world

Great ManagersGreat Managers

Focus on uniqueness not just because it makes Focus on uniqueness not just because it makes good business sense,good business sense,Because they can’t help itBecause they can’t help itFascinated with individuality for its own sakeFascinated with individuality for its own sakeFine shades of personality are crystal clear to Fine shades of personality are crystal clear to and highly valued and highly valued Do not ignore the subtleties Do not ignore the subtleties Figure out what makes people tickFigure out what makes people tick

““Controlling Insight”Controlling Insight”

The elusive The elusive “One Thing” “One Thing” which all great which all great managers havemanagers haveHelps identify which actions has the most far Helps identify which actions has the most far reaching influence in virtually every situationreaching influence in virtually every situationApplicable across a wide range of situationsApplicable across a wide range of situationsServe as a multiplier and achieve exponential Serve as a multiplier and achieve exponential improvementimprovementGuide action which creates better outcomes Guide action which creates better outcomes consistentlyconsistently

The Three LeversThe Three Levers

To be a great manager you must know about To be a great manager you must know about each of your direct reports:each of your direct reports:

1.1. What are his or her What are his or her strengthsstrengths?,?,2.2. What are the What are the triggerstriggers that activate those that activate those

strengths?, andstrengths?, and3.3. What is his or her What is his or her learning style?learning style?

Make most of strengthsMake most of strengths

Great managers take time and effort to fully Great managers take time and effort to fully appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of their appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of their staffstaffThey do this by spending a great deal of time They do this by spending a great deal of time outside the office walking around, watching each outside the office walking around, watching each staff’s reactions to events, listening and taking staff’s reactions to events, listening and taking mental notes about what each individual is drawn mental notes about what each individual is drawn to and what each person struggle withto and what each person struggle with

To identify strengthsTo identify strengths

Great managers ask, “Great managers ask, “What was the best day at work What was the best day at work you’ve had in the past three months?” you’ve had in the past three months?” –– prompt your staff prompt your staff to start thinking about their interests and abilitiesto start thinking about their interests and abilitiesFind out what the person was doing and why he/she Find out what the person was doing and why he/she enjoyed it so muchenjoyed it so muchA strength is not just something you are good at, it might A strength is not just something you are good at, it might be something you aren’t good at yetbe something you aren’t good at yetIt might be a predilection It might be a predilection –– something you find so something you find so intrinsically satisfying that you look forward to doing it intrinsically satisfying that you look forward to doing it again and again, getting better at it over timeagain and again, getting better at it over time

To identify weaknessesTo identify weaknesses

Great managers ask, “Great managers ask, “What was the worst day What was the worst day you’ve had in the past three months?” you’ve had in the past three months?” –– probe probe for details on what was being donefor details on what was being doneA weakness is not just something you are bad at, A weakness is not just something you are bad at, it might be something that drains you of energyit might be something that drains you of energySomething you never look forward to doing and Something you never look forward to doing and when you are doing it, you want stopwhen you are doing it, you want stop

Great ManagersGreat Managers

Look at both strengths and weaknesses but focus on Look at both strengths and weaknesses but focus on strengths of their staff to build selfstrengths of their staff to build self--assuranceassuranceSelfSelf--assurance, i.e., selfassurance, i.e., self--efficacy is the strongest efficacy is the strongest predictor of the ability to set high goals, to persist in the predictor of the ability to set high goals, to persist in the face of obstacles, to bounce back when reversals occur, face of obstacles, to bounce back when reversals occur, and achieve the goals setand achieve the goals setGreat managers understands this and reinforces selfGreat managers understands this and reinforces self--assurance of the staffassurance of the staffFocus on strengths might create a sense of Focus on strengths might create a sense of overconfidence among staff, but great managers mitigate overconfidence among staff, but great managers mitigate this by emphasizing the size and difficulty of the goalsthis by emphasizing the size and difficulty of the goals

Dealing with failuresDealing with failures

Four approaches great managers use:Four approaches great managers use:1.1. Offer relevant training if the problem is lack of Offer relevant training if the problem is lack of

skills or knowledge;skills or knowledge;2.2. Providing a “complementary partner” whose talents Providing a “complementary partner” whose talents

are strong in precisely the areas where the staff is are strong in precisely the areas where the staff is weak;weak;

3.3. Using a technique which helps the staff accomplish Using a technique which helps the staff accomplish through discipline what could not be achieved through discipline what could not be achieved through instinct,through instinct,

4.4. Rearrange the work more effectively to render the Rearrange the work more effectively to render the weakness irrelevantweakness irrelevant

Trigger Good Trigger Good PerformancePerformance

Strengths are not always on display and sometimes Strengths are not always on display and sometimes require precise triggers to turn them onrequire precise triggers to turn them onTriggers come in myriad and different forms and must Triggers come in myriad and different forms and must be used with care be used with care –– with the right trigger, staff will push with the right trigger, staff will push harder and persevere in the face of obstacles, with the harder and persevere in the face of obstacles, with the wrong one staff may shut downwrong one staff may shut downA trigger which works with one might not work with A trigger which works with one might not work with anotheranotherThe most powerful trigger is The most powerful trigger is recognitionrecognition not moneynot money

RecognitionRecognition

Great managers are aware that staff respond Great managers are aware that staff respond well to recognitionwell to recognitionThey realize that each staff plays to a They realize that each staff plays to a slightly different audience and match the slightly different audience and match the staff to the audience they treasure most, for staff to the audience they treasure most, for e.g. peers, managers, technical expertise, e.g. peers, managers, technical expertise, clients, etc.clients, etc.Tailoring praise to fit a person is what great Tailoring praise to fit a person is what great managers domanagers do

Tailor to learning stylesTailor to learning styles

Three styles predominate; but they are not Three styles predominate; but they are not mutually exclusivemutually exclusive

1.1. AnalyzingAnalyzing2.2. DoingDoing3.3. WatchingWatching

Attuning to each staff learning style or styles Attuning to each staff learning style or styles will help focus coachingwill help focus coaching

AnalyzersAnalyzers

Understands a task by taking it apart, examining its elements Understands a task by taking it apart, examining its elements and reconstructing it bit by bit, every single component of a taand reconstructing it bit by bit, every single component of a task sk is importantis importantCraves information; hates mistakesCraves information; hates mistakesNeeds to absorb all there is to know about a subject before Needs to absorb all there is to know about a subject before being comfortable with itbeing comfortable with itTeaching an analyzer require giving ample time in the Teaching an analyzer require giving ample time in the classroom, role playing and postclassroom, role playing and post--mortem exercisesmortem exercisesAllow ample time for preparation, break the performance down Allow ample time for preparation, break the performance down into its component parts so that it can be carefully built upinto its component parts so that it can be carefully built upThe most powerful learning moments occur The most powerful learning moments occur priorprior to the to the performanceperformance

DoersDoersThe doer’s most powerful learning moment occurs The doer’s most powerful learning moment occurs duringduring performanceperformanceTrail and error are integral to the doing learning styleTrail and error are integral to the doing learning styleLearns most by figuring out things themselves, see Learns most by figuring out things themselves, see preparation as dry and uninspiringpreparation as dry and uninspiringTo teach the doer, give a brief overview of the desired To teach the doer, give a brief overview of the desired expected outcomes and get out of the way, and then expected outcomes and get out of the way, and then gradually increase the degree of each task’s complexitygradually increase the degree of each task’s complexityMistakes are raw material for learningMistakes are raw material for learning

WatchersWatchers

Do not learn through role play nor learn by Do not learn through role play nor learn by doingdoingThe watchers are poor students but not The watchers are poor students but not necessarily poor learnersnecessarily poor learnersLearn when given a chance to see the total Learn when given a chance to see the total performance performance -- the complete picture, rather the complete picture, rather than examining the individual parts of a than examining the individual parts of a tasktaskGet the watcher out of the classroom, away Get the watcher out of the classroom, away from manuals and pair with the most from manuals and pair with the most experienced performersexperienced performers

Mediocre managers Mediocre managers

Assume staff are motivated by the same things Assume staff are motivated by the same things and by the same goalsand by the same goalsBelieve they will desire the same kind of Believe they will desire the same kind of relationshipsrelationshipsThink they learn in the same wayThink they learn in the same wayDefine the expected behaviours and tell staff on Define the expected behaviours and tell staff on work on behaviours that doesn’t come naturallywork on behaviours that doesn’t come naturallyPraise those who can overcome their natural styles Praise those who can overcome their natural styles to conform to preset ideasto conform to preset ideasBelieve the manager’s job is to mold, or Believe the manager’s job is to mold, or transform, each staff into the perfect version of the transform, each staff into the perfect version of the rolerole

Great ManagersGreat Managers

Their success lies in the appreciation of individualityTheir success lies in the appreciation of individualityThey play chess, they do not try to change a person’s They play chess, they do not try to change a person’s style style –– they do not push a knight to move like a bishopthey do not push a knight to move like a bishopThey are aware that staff differs in the way they think, They are aware that staff differs in the way they think, how they build relationships, how altruistic they are, how they build relationships, how altruistic they are, how patient they can be, how much of an expert they how patient they can be, how much of an expert they need to be, how prepared they need to feel, what drives need to be, how prepared they need to feel, what drives them, what challenges them, and what their goals arethem, what challenges them, and what their goals are

Individual DifferencesIndividual Differences

Like blood types, cutting across variations of Like blood types, cutting across variations of race, sex, and agerace, sex, and ageEnduring and resistance to changeEnduring and resistance to change

Great ManagersGreat Managers

Invest their time (the most precious resource) to Invest their time (the most precious resource) to identify exactly how each staff is different and identify exactly how each staff is different and then determine how best to incorporate those then determine how best to incorporate those enduring idiosyncrasies into the overall planenduring idiosyncrasies into the overall planBring this insight into their actions and Bring this insight into their actions and interactionsinteractions

Remember!Remember!

Great management is about release, not Great management is about release, not transformationtransformationIt’s about constantly managing your It’s about constantly managing your environment so that the unique contribution, environment so that the unique contribution, the unique needs and the unique style of each the unique needs and the unique style of each individual is given free reinindividual is given free reinYour success as a manager depends on your Your success as a manager depends on your ability to do thisability to do this