CHAPTER 6 DISCUSSED A MANAGER’S ATTITUDE toward employees. It is also important for managers to pay attention to their attitude toward superiors. Their future success depends on both their subordinates and their superiors.
If you’ve just had a big promotion, you may be feeling grateful toward your boss. You may also be pleased that senior executives were perceptive enough to recognize your talent. But your new responsibilities demand a new level of loyalty from you. After all, you are now a part of the management team. You can’t be an effective team member unless you identify with the team.
LOYALTY TO THEM
Loyalty to employers has become less common. Blind loyalty has never been a good idea, but being loyal doesn’t mean selling your soul. Presumably, your company and your boss are not out to rip off society. If they are, they’re not worth your loyalty. More important, you shouldn’t be working for them.
So let’s assume you’re convinced that your company’s purpose is honorable and you’re pleased to be associated with its goals. The kind of loyalty we’re talking about has to do with carrying out policies or decisions that are morally valid. Let’s assume your position with the company allows for some input into decisions having to do with your area of responsibility. You must make every effort to see that such input is as thoughtful and broadly based as possible. Don’t be the kind of narrow-sighted manager whose recommendations are designed to benefit only your own area of responsibility. When this happens, your advice will be discredited and eventually will no longer be sought because it does not reflect a broad perspective.
If you make recommendations that are broadly based and consistent with the greater good of the company, your advice will be seen as more valuable and be sought more often. The important thing here is that your contribution to the decisionmaking process can go beyond your own managerial level.
On occasion, a decision or policy will be made that is directly contrary to the opinions you’ve expressed; you’ll be expected to support that decision or policy, and you may even have to implement it. If you don’t already know, ask your boss why the decision was made. Explain to her that you would like to understand the reasoning behind the decision so you can better implement it. Find out what important considerations went into formulating the policy and the processes that led to the decision.
The philosophy of following the leader blindly no longer holds in today’s world. Nonetheless, many managers and senior executives may wish blind loyalty still existed.
If you are going to do an outstanding job of managing, you have a right to understand the reasons behind major company decisions and company policies. Perhaps your managers follow higher authority blindly and guard information about top management as if all of it is top secret—and you’re the enemy.
If this is their approach, they are making the mistake mentioned in Chapter 6 of not providing the information you need to be effective. Again, the information void will be filled, but this time by you. Unfortunately, you are going to have to adapt to their preference for withholding information. If it is a policy that affects other departments you need information about, you may be able to find out from people at your own organizational level in those departments. If a friend in Department X has a boss who shares information freely with employees, it may be relatively simple to find out what you want to know from your friend.
YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
When working and communicating with your manager, you have many responsibilities in building a good relationship with this person. You need to do the following:
• Keep your manager informed of your plans, actions, and projects.
• Be considerate of your manager’s time and try to schedule appointments or meetings at your manager’s convenience.
• Be well-prepared. Present your arguments and concerns logically and objectively and have examples and facts to back up what you’re saying.
• Be willing to listen to your manager’s point of view. Your manager may have experience or information you are lacking that led you to a different conclusion.
DEALING WITH AN UNREASONABLE MANAGER
We do not live in a perfect world. As a result, at some time in your career, you may be in the uncomfortable position of reporting to a difficult manager—someone who is not doing a good job of managing or may be unpleasant to be around. Unfortunately, you cannot fire an incompetent or unreasonable boss, as much as you might like to.
Let’s be candid. If a long-term manager is difficult, you have to wonder why the situation is allowed to exist. If everyone in the organization knows this person is miserable to work for, why does senior management allow the situation to continue?
On the other hand, if everyone else in the department thinks the manager is doing a great job and you’re the only one having a problem, that’s a far different situation. If you are new to the department, you might give it some time by not reacting too quickly. The problem may resolve itself if you do excellent work and are not highly sensitive. You may find it is style and not substance.
If your manager is really causing problems for you or your direct reports, however, you definitely need to do something about it, and you do have some viable choices. Depending on the political environment and culture of your organization, different strategies may work better than others. Right off the bat, you should try to communicate directly with your boss. Tell her what’s up. Explain in a professional and diplomatic manner how her behaviors, policies, or actions are having a bottom-line business impact. Make it about the organization, not the person. Start the discussion with a constructive, nonjudgmental statement such as, “We may be missing some opportunities to be more effective.”
For example, suppose your manager is giving different instructions to your staff than you are. This is causing shipping delays and customer complaints—bottom-line concerns. Even if he doesn’t like hearing it, your boss should appreciate your directness in pointing out this problem.
Supervisors often don’t realize that they may be doing something unhelpful. They need feedback. You should always try to meet with your boss on a regular basis to discuss any issues that need addressing. If your manager doesn’t think these meetings are necessary, you should insist. Try to explain how regular communication can prevent problems from springing up and help make you both more effective.
On another note, if you have not been assigned a mentor, you owe it to yourself to find one. You need someone within the organization who is well-respected and aware of the organization’s political dynamic. You need someone who can guide you and share insights gained over time.
Let’s say you have the type of boss who does not like to get feedback from employees. What do you do now? Here is where understanding the politics and culture of your organization comes in and where your mentor can be of great assistance. You may need to get someone else to speak to your boss. It could be someone on the same level, a mutual friend you have in the organization, human resources—if their reputation is good and they play fair—or you may have to take the biggest risk of all and jump levels to have that person’s boss handle the situation. Keep in mind that when you do this, you will probably sever your relationship with your boss forever, but you may have no other choice. You are undertaking this action for your team or the overall benefit to the organization.
You do have one final option. You may have to say to yourself, “The boss is difficult. She has been difficult for many years; no one seems to care or is willing to change her behavior. This may not be the best place for me since my boss has a great influence on my success. Perhaps I need to find a position in another department or in another organization.”
DRIVING GOOD PEOPLE AWAY
It is true that many companies take advantage of a downturn in the economy to drive their people harder, recognizing that it’s more difficult for people to leave. There are reasons why such an attitude is shortsighted. First, top-flight people can always find other jobs, no matter how tough the economy. The lesser-talented people are the ones who cannot. So, this maladjusted company attitude drives away the more talented and retains the less talented. That is a recipe for mediocrity. Second, in a tough economy, appreciating all of your staff, including the very talented managers, places the organization in a stronger position to compete effectively. A company with a capable and valued staff will prevail every time over a company that treats its employees merely as units of production. The long-range prospects for the latter style are not good.
One of the surest ways to eventually drive good people from your company is to perpetuate bad management. This may sound obvious, but many new managers can’t wait to start treating their people the way they’ve been treated. They may be taught the more humane management approach, but they go with what they know. They are anxious to take their turn “dishing it out” after all these years of “taking it.”
The lesson of the unreasonable boss is to be the kind of leader you wish you had, not to carry on the tradition. Do not adopt the management style you hate and get even with people who had nothing to do with the unprofessional management under which you have suffered. If you’re working for an unreasonable boss, do society a favor and say, “Let it end with me.”
KNOWING YOUR MANAGER’S PERSONALITY STYLE
There have been countless books and articles written on the topic of managing your boss. The main premise of all these writings is the same: If you know the personality style of your manager, you will be able to manage this person by knowing what your manager needs and wants and how he likes to work and communicate. If you can be responsive to their style, you will have fewer problems at work.
There are four basic manager personality types. Some have a distinct personality style while others are combinations of two or three styles. Read the descriptions that follow and see if you can identify your manager’s style. If you can, you will be more successful working with your manager.
• The Monopolizers. These managers like to be in charge of everything and are fast decisionmakers who stick to their decisions, are very organized, and are bottom line oriented. They are “my way or the highway” types. If they were doing target practice, their saying would be “ready, fire, aim” (as opposed to the usual saying of “ready, aim, fire”). If you work for monopolizers, make sure you are clear and direct with your communication, have all your facts ready, and are prepared to do what they say. Sometimes monopolizers project an image of being inclusive and empowering managers who want to incorporate all the team members’ opinions into their decisions. With managers who project this style, watch the outcome more than the process—they may indeed be committed monopolizers once you get past the participative outer layer.
• The Methodicals. These managers are analytic types who like to take their time gathering information and data before making a decision. They are very steady and predictable and overly concerned with accuracy. If they were doing target practice, their saying would be “aim, aim, aim.” They hate to make decisions and are always looking for more or different information. If you work for methodicals, be patient! Realize that they are trying to make the best decision based on all data. When you give your opinion or your suggestion, make sure that you have analyzed it carefully and can explain your reasoning and logic to them.
• The Motivators. These are the bosses who are fun to be around. They are charismatic and seem to have good relationships with everyone in the organization. They have high energy, creativity, and a competitive spirit. However, they often talk more than necessary. They like to get things started, but completing them is another story. If they were doing target practice, their saying would be “talk, talk, talk.” They just love to talk and have fun and sometimes work gets the backseat. When communicating with motivators, make sure to do a lot of chitchatting. Ask them how their weekend was, how the kids are, and so forth. Before they can get down to business, they need to socialize.
• The Mixers. You probably have a relaxed and laid-back work environment if your supervisor is a mixer. Mixers have a strong sense of dedication, are loyal team members, patient, sympathetic, understanding, dependable, and great at keeping the peace. Their Achilles’ heel is that they shy away from conflict and do not like change. They favor the status quo. They may also be more concerned with how people are doing than with getting the work out. If they were doing target practice, their saying would be “ready, ready, ready.” They are always there for you. The needs of others come before their own. When working with Mixers, put on your feelings and teamwork hat. You will need it!
Figure 7-1 summarizes the four personality styles described above.
FIGURE 7-1. YOUR SUPERVISOR’S STYLE |
|
MONOPOLIZER |
METHODICAL |
• in charge • direct • quick decisions • organized • be ready with the facts |
• analytical • wants lots of information • prizes accuracy • slow decisions • be ready to support your position |
MOTIVATOR |
MIXER |
• A fun to be around • charismatic & social • high energy • may not follow-through • be ready for small talk |
• A dedicated & loyal • patient & understanding • conflict-adverse • dislikes change • needs you to be a team player |
Be attentive to the last bullet in each category. It gives you insights as to how you will need to be ready to respond to a person with that style.
YOUR SUPERVISOR’S PREFERENCES
Your work life will be easier and more enjoyable if you are attentive to your supervisor’s preferences. As an example, if your supervisor tends to focus on the big picture and has little tolerance for details you will just frustrate yourself and her if you insist on discussing small details. Similarly, if your supervisor is detail-oriented you will need to be prepared to provide detailed information when you are working with him. Otherwise you will likely be asked to come back with more information and run the risk of being seen as poorly prepared.
Here are the four important aspects of your supervisor’s preferences to which you need to be attentive:
1. How she processes information.
2. The level of detail your supervisor prefers.
3. His level of immediacy, meaning how concerned he is about having all the latest information right away or if he prefers that new information be presented after it has been contemplated.
4. The topic that interests her and the topics for which she has little interest.
Figure 7-2 will help you with this process.
FIGURE 7-2. YOUR SUPERVISOR’S PREFERENCES |
|
HOW DOES HE OR SHE PREFER TO PROCESS INFORMATION? |
WHAT LEVEL OF DETAIL DOES HE OR SHE PREFER? |
• verbally • in writing • graphically • in presentations |
• extensive detail • overviews and summaries • big concepts |
WHAT IS HIS OR HER INNATE LEVEL OF IMMEDIACY? |
WHAT DOES AND DOES NOT INTEREST HIM OR HER? |
• wants new information right away • prefers you to process and consider information before you share it with them • would rather receive information at a regular time in the day or week |
• what fascinates him or her • what does not interest him or her • what causes him or her to “check-out” |
First go through the graphic with your supervisor in mind. You may even want to openly discuss the topics with your supervisor. Doing so will send a clear message that you are serious about being responsive to his preferences to facilitate successful interactions. Having thought through your supervisor’s preferences it is now in your best interest to keep them in mind when you are interacting with him.
Do not limit this process to your direct supervisor. There are likely other people in your organization with whom you need to work successfully. Ask yourself the same questions about them then adapt your methods accordingly. By doing so you will be seen as responsive, efficient, and effective.