Manager-chair philosopher
Over at Random Thoughts from a CTO, Skip notes that leaders and managers ought to have a conscious philosophy of leadership and/or management. He’s right, of course, and he goes on to recount an answer he once gave when asked about his own philosophy.
My management philosophy doesn’t have as many words, but I think we’re pointing to the same place. I say that, as managers and leaders (yeah, I know they can be different things, but it’s my philosophy, so roll with it), we’ve accepted a responsibility to be role models. If you don’t want to be a role model, don’t accept management jobs.
Skip’s narrative kinda talks around the issue until the next to last paragraph. This is where we line up. He says we should "…remove roadblocks." Now we’re talkin’! Learn what folks need and give it to them. Learn what’s blocking their success and remove it. And talk about it the whole time. Tell ‘em what you’re gonna do, tell ‘em when you’re doing it and tell ‘em when you’re done. Demonstrate how you’d like them to treat one another by treating them the same way. You help remove enough roadblocks, and pretty soon folks will be removing roadblocks for each other. I’m serious, this really happens. Doesn’t that just give you full-on goosebumps? Imagine your life as a manager, managing people who take care of each other’s problems. Doesn’t mean you’ll no longer be called upon for help, but this’ll free up a nice chunk of time.
If you aren’t already a paranoid manager, this might help: people are watching you. They watch how you respond to emails. They watch how you negotiate sticky customer service problems. They watch you and learn your hotbuttons. They know when you close the door to your office and they know when you open it up again. You are totally on display. You are the role model.
So if you don’t like how folks in your office are treating one another, take a closer look at how you’re treating them. If you think your folks suck at customer service, start by taking an honest assessment of how you treat your customers. Model the behavior you’re looking for and you’ll start to see it.
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POSTED IN: management
3 opinions for Manager-chair philosopher
Richard Armytage
Mar 30, 2005 at 2:02 pm
It’s a really nice concept, the removal of roadblocks to create more autonymous teams, but I’m a little sceptical that this could only work if the WHOLE organsiation made it their priority to remove roadblocks and free up processes.
One of the most frustrating things for me is to see someone trying to embrace change and make things better for EVERYONE, only to be slapped down by change resistant ‘colleagues’ (with no roadblocks would would they have to bitch about!).
I know this is an age old argument, but if there’s one thing that businesses lack, and I can only speak of my experiences in the UK, it’s a pragmatic approach to change. With that, maybe those roadblocks would be more like speedbumps.
Elana Centor
Mar 30, 2005 at 3:54 pm
For one of my clientsI faciliate an online course of management/leadership and the issue of removing barriers is very much part of the message. This particular client refers to it as “creating a culture of openness” and emphasizes if managers/leadership “demand” that the team tells it like it is, then someday the entire culture of the organization will change.It won’t change overnight, but it will change.
The key is a real manager/leader has to create that culture within their team even if all the other teams in the organization have not gotten on the openness train.
Rosa Say
Mar 30, 2005 at 4:49 pm
Good post Bren, I really don’t see how anyone could argue the point you make here. We’ve just all got to get past the head nodding, be more self-aware of our own behavior, and do it - consistently.
Aloha kaua e, Rosa