Ideally, you’re in a role that allows you to grow. Sometimes that growth takes place because your job itself evolves. New technology or business innovations require us to change the way we accomplish our functions and add value to the organization. Other times, the function we’ve been performing stays the same, but we move on to a bigger or different challenge. The most significant step we take in our growth is when we move from managing ourselves to managing others.
When we manage ourselves, we deal with many outside factors that influence our work product, including how other people meet their deadlines, time pressures to meet our deadlines, competing demands from different sources, and changes to company policies that impact our motivation. Each of us has our own way of dealing with these variables that allows us to function effectively.
As soon as we start to manage others, we deal with all of these same issues multiplied by the number of people we manage. In addition, we have to figure out how each of the people we manage handles this balance. That’s a huge change to our role. The moment we step into a management function, we realize that dealing with the “people stuff” takes the majority of our energy. That’s not good or bad. It’s just our new reality. When offering a management role, no one ever says, “Congratulations on your promotion. By the way, all the stuff you have been doing so far will now become secondary to everyone else’s personal issues that you will have to deal with. Welcome to management.”
Years ago, I was asked to coach a senior manager at a global publishing company. “Jack” had risen to a significant rank in the company. With each promotion, Jack was asked to work on his management style, which many thought was too abrupt. At each step, he had managed to convince those above him that he had adjusted his style, but with his latest promotion, his old behaviors resurfaced. As is our custom at Exec|Comm when we coach people, I had spoken with a few of Jack’s colleagues to understand his approach and demeanor, all at his direction. Coaching only works well if the person being coached has a say in all elements of the coaching and knows that nothing is being done behind his or her back. Coaching is professional development, not a setup or an intervention.
When I first met with Jack, face-to-face, we had the usual social chitchat, and then got down to business.
I started with a simple “Tell me about how you manage your team.”
Jack’s response was true to form and met the description of his colleagues. He said emphatically and proudly, “I tell all of my people the same thing. You’re either on my train, or you’re in front of it.”
His approach was essentially “Get on board with my ideas or I will run you down.” From having spoken with his colleagues, I had already learned that, in fact, he didn’t stop there. He backed up and ran over you again.
I replied, “So how’s that working for you?”
“It’s working just fine for me,” he said, crossing his arms.
“Then why am I here?” I asked.
He shrugged, softened his tone, and said begrudgingly, “Because the board says if I don’t change my behavior, I’m fired.” At least he was as direct about his situation as he was with his staff.
The days of Jack’s preferred shut-up-and-row management style are long gone. Most people no longer tolerate bullies and dictators at work. Different industries have different tolerance levels for managers with a mean streak. But every industry has its limits. In fact, Jack’s intent wasn’t to be mean. He truly thought that if everyone just did what he said, the organization would function more efficiently. It’s a feeling most of us can admit to having had many times at work (and at home). We just don’t all behave that way. Given that you have a tremendous amount of interaction with those you manage, your management style and approach are huge elements of your personal message to the world.
The following information on management and leadership is not about how to be a nicer boss. Your goal at work isn’t to be nice; it’s to be effective. While some managers do need to bring out their softer sides at work, others need to be more assertive. Still others need to be more sequential and structured, while some need to be less neurotic about the details. We’ll discuss how each of these approaches plays out while going through the key functions of managing others.
Communicating effectively as a manager requires the same overall approach as all communication: you need to focus more on the other person and less on yourself. In the case of delegating an assignment, it’s not about what you need. It’s about what the other person needs in order to give you what you want.
Two of the most basic functions of managing other people are delegating assignments and giving feedback on those assignments. We’ll examine delegating here and giving feedback in the next chapter.
How do you delegate assignments effectively so that you (1) get what you want from colleagues? and (2) build your credibility as both a manager and as someone who is truly interested in developing other professionals’ skills?
There are six key steps to delegating an assignment effectively. However, before you delegate the content, you have to select the correct person for the role. If you work at an accounting, law, or consulting firm that has an assignment system in place, this step is already decided for you. At most organizations, however, you have some say as to whom you direct work. If you have any discretion over delegating an assignment, first weigh the time constraints. If the project needs to be done quickly, give it to someone with experience. If not, do you have someone who has not had a chance to work on the skills needed to complete this project? If so, this is the perfect learning opportunity. Once you’ve decided who is right for the project, try the following approach.
Let the person know how what he or she will be working on fits into the grand scheme of things for your organization or the client.
First, how does his or her role fit in with the client’s situation?
“Our client, Acme, is being investigated by the state board of insurance. They have hired us to compile records to respond to a request for information.”
Second, how does the assignment fit into the firm’s relationships with the client?
“This is our first opportunity to work with Acme. They are considering us for a large transaction they anticipate down the road.”
Third, how does the project fit into the client’s overall business objective?
“Acme is aiming to become the key insurance provider in the state and needs a smooth working relationship with regulators in order to make that happen.”
We all want our work to matter. Particularly in high-end consulting roles such as law, accounting, and consulting, much of the substantive work we do is isolating—working by ourselves at our desks. Helping a junior professional understand how he is part of a greater firm effort is important for helping that person contribute his best. The same is true of the administrative staff members who are indispensable to our work.
First, clearly state for the person exactly what you want her to do.
“I need you to review three years’ worth of records looking for X.”
Second, find out how you can help the associate do her job well. This will require suspending assumptions and asking good probing questions, such as we discussed in Chapter 5.
“Have you done this type of project before?”
If the answer is “Yes,” ask, “What was the context?” or “How did you go about doing the project,” so that you fully understand what the associate thinks the job entails. If the answer is “No. I have never worked on something like this,” you will know that you will have to explain not only what to do, but how to do it. You will also have to manage the person’s work more closely.
Help the person know who else is working on different elements of the project. This will not only give her a sense that her work impacts others, but will help her understand her resources.
“Carmen is the relationship manager for this client. Tom is pulling everything together. I am overseeing all of the due diligence, and Jennifer is coordinating the logistics. I am getting on a plane tomorrow and will be in Memphis for the next two weeks. I will respond to any emails quickly, but go to Tom or Jennifer if you need to a quick response to something.”
“This will be a great opportunity for you to interact with Tom. You’ll learn a lot” or “This will be an opportunity to develop a new skill set.”
Obviously, don’t lie or overpromise. Many assignments you delegate do not involve a huge learning curve for the other person or an opportunity to work on an exciting initiative. In that situation, don’t be afraid to acknowledge that fact and express to the person that you appreciate her part in this larger project.
“I know you just returned from four weeks doing similar work in Outer Mongolia. This is an important part of this initiative, and I need someone with experience who appreciates how important it is that this be done correctly.”
Be clear as to how you want the person to begin work on the assignment and what work product you expect to see at the end.
“You need to begin by contacting Jennifer. She knows where all of the documents are and can explain how they are organized.”
Make sure your deadlines are clear.
“Email me the finished spreadsheet by next Tuesday. What else is on your plate? Anything that would keep you from meeting this deadline?”
Based on your experience with the junior colleague, you also need to know how often you will need to check in with her. If you delegate the assignment on Wednesday and it is due the following Tuesday, don’t wait until Tuesday morning to call the associate. Call on Friday to check on the progress. When you say, “How’s the assignment coming?” I guarantee the answer will be “Great,” which usually means “Gee, I’d better get started on that assignment.” If the assignment is due Tuesday, the next steps should include: “Send me an email on Friday morning letting me know your progress, whether you have uncovered anything yet, and what questions you have about the process.”
If it isn’t a significant assignment, have her summarize it so you both know you are clear as to what needs to happen. You can avoid sounding patronizing if you phrase the request appropriately.
“Just so we are both clear as to what you will be doing, please repeat back to me the scope of the project and your next steps.”
In short, you have a better chance of receiving work product that meets your needs if you delegate the work appropriately at the start.
This process may sound cumbersome and lengthy, but it doesn’t need to be. In fact, depending on the scope of the task or assignment, the entire conversation doesn’t need to take more than two or three minutes, all with a better outcome. The result is that you are more likely to get what you want and need the first time you ask.
If your tendency is to be abrupt and you’re known for having a demanding tone of voice, focus on where in the process you need to ask more questions.
If you’re known for sounding hesitant and less assertive, get comfortable with giving clear directions and don’t apologize when you check in to see how the person is coming along. Checking in doesn’t suggest a lack of trust. It promotes accountability and will help the person feel supported.
If you know you have a looser, sometimes scattered, more creative style of communicating, use notes to stay on track and hit on all of these points. Otherwise, you’ll be halfway out the door and have to turn back as you remember to tell people what resources they have to help with the assignment, when it’s due, or exactly what you expect to see at the end. They will take the assignment in the light in which you deliver it. They will think it’s not that important, not that specific, or that the timetable is fluid. Then, when you get back a work product that isn’t what you wanted, your deliverable will be late to your manager and you’ll confirm your reputation as someone loose with deadlines or haphazard in his management style.
If you know you micromanage or provide too much detail, keep each step short and provide only what information is necessary for the person to accomplish his or her role. People don’t need to know everything you know. You’re providing enough background to give them context, not because the background itself is interesting. Remember, “What additional information would be helpful to you?” It’s a great question in lots of settings.
Your work product is a reflection of your professionalism. It’s part of your message about yourself to your business community. As a manager, the way to delegate assignments is, in part, your work product. Your message to the people under you is that you care about their development and you care that they do a good job. That’s a strong message to convey.