HBR - What_great_managers_do

8/7/2019 HBR - What_great_managers_do

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What Great ManagersWhat Great Managers

DODO

Based on Marcus Buckinghams article inBased on Marcus Buckinghams article in Harvard Business ReviewHarvard Business Review, March, March

2005, p.702005, p.70--7979


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Great Leaders tap into the fears and needsGreat Leaders tap into the fears and needswe all sharewe all share

Great managers discover, develop andGreat managers discover, develop and

celebrate whats different about eachcelebrate whats different about each

person and what works for themperson and what works for them

Heres how they do it!Heres how they do it!


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Great ManagersGreat Managers

Discover what is unique about each personDiscover what is unique about each personand capitalize on itand capitalize on it

Know and value the unique abilities andKnow and value the unique abilities andeven the eccentricities of their staff, andeven the eccentricities of their staff, andlearn how to best integrate them intolearn how to best integrate them into

coordinated actioncoordinated action Play chess while average managers playPlay chess while average managers play

checkerscheckers


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CheckersCheckers

All the pieces are uniform and move in theAll the pieces are uniform and move in the

same waysame way

They are interchangeableThey are interchangeable

They all move in the same pace, on parallelThey all move in the same pace, on parallelpathspaths


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ChessChess Each type move of piece move in a different wayEach type move of piece move in a different way

You cant play if you dont know how each pieceYou cant play if you dont know how each piecemovemove

You wont win if you dont think carefully aboutYou wont win if you dont think carefully about

how move the pieceshow move the pieces


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Great LeadersGreat Leaders

Discover what is universal and capitalize onDiscover what is universal and capitalize on

itit

Rally people toward a better futureRally people toward a better future Cut through the differences of race, sex, age,Cut through the differences of race, sex, age,

nationality and personalitynationality and personality

Use stories and celebrate heroesUse stories and celebrate heroes

Tap into those very few needs we all shareTap into those very few needs we all share


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Turn one persons particular talent intoTurn one persons particular talent into

performanceperformance

Identify and deploy the difference among peopleIdentify and deploy the difference among people

Challenge each staff to excel in his or her wayChallenge each staff to excel in his or her way

Great managers can be great leaders and viceGreat managers can be great leaders and vice

versa, but to excel at one or both, they need to beversa, but to excel at one or both, they need to be

aware of the very different skills each roleaware of the very different skills each role

requiresrequires


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A Game of ChessA Game of Chess

Great managers put people into roles that willGreat managers put people into roles that willallow them to shine and avoid putting clashingallow them to shine and avoid putting clashingpersonalities togetherpersonalities together

Ability to keep tweaking roles to capitalize onAbility to keep tweaking roles to capitalize onthe uniqueness of each person is the essence ofthe uniqueness of each person is the essence ofgreat managementgreat management

They also find ways for individuals to growThey also find ways for individuals to grow


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Great Managers AreGreat Managers AreRomanticsRomantics

Capitalizing on each persons uniqueness is a powerfulCapitalizing on each persons uniqueness is a powerful

tool for the following reasons:tool for the following reasons:

1.1. It saves timeIt saves time taking advantage of natural abilities,taking advantage of natural abilities,

rather than trying to remedy the weaknessesrather than trying to remedy the weaknesses2.2. Makes individual more accountableMakes individual more accountable

3.3. Build a stronger sense of team, because it createsBuild a stronger sense of team, because it creates

interdependency, helps people appreciate one anothersinterdependency, helps people appreciate one anothers

particular skillsparticular 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


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Focus on uniqueness not just because it makesFocus on uniqueness not just because it makes

good business sense,good business sense,

Because they cant help itBecause they cant help it Fascinated with individuality for its own sakeFascinated with individuality for its own sake

Fine shades of personality are crystal clear toFine shades of personality are crystal clear to

and highly valuedand highly valued Do not ignore the subtletiesDo not ignore the subtleties

Figure out what makes people tickFigure out what makes people tick


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Controlling InsightControlling Insight

The elusiveThe elusive One ThingOne Thing which all greatwhich all great

managers havemanagers have

Helps identify which actions has the most farHelps identify which actions has the most far

reaching influence in virtually every situationreaching influence in virtually every situation

Applicable across a wide range of situationsApplicable across a wide range of situations

Serve as a multiplier and achieve exponentialServe as a multiplier and achieve exponential

improvementimprovement

Guide action which creates better outcomesGuide action which creates better outcomes

consistentlyconsistently


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The Three LeversThe Three Levers

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

1.1. What are his or herWhat are his or herstrengthsstrengths?,?,

2.2. What are theWhat are the triggerstriggers that activate thosethat activate thosestrengths?, andstrengths?, and

3.3. What is his or herWhat is his or herlearning style?learning style?


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Make most of strengthsMake most of strengths

Great managers take time and effort to fullyGreat managers take time and effort to fully

appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of theirappreciate the strengths and weaknesses of theirstaffstaff

They do this by spending a great deal of timeThey do this by spending a great deal of timeoutside the office walking around, watching eachoutside the office walking around, watching each

staffs reactions to events, listening and takingstaffs reactions to events, listening and takingmental notes about what each individual is drawnmental notes about what each individual is drawnto and what each person struggle withto and what each person struggle with


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To identify strengthsTo identify strengths

Great managers ask, Great managers ask, What was the best day at workWhat was the best day at workyouve had in the past three months?youve had in the past three months? prompt your staffprompt your staffto start thinking about their interests and abilitiesto start thinking about their interests and abilities

Find out what the person was doing and why he/sheFind out what the person was doing and why he/sheenjoyed it so muchenjoyed it so much

A strength is not just something you are good at, it mightA strength is not just something you are good at, it mightbe something you arent good at yetbe something you arent good at yet

It might be a predilectionIt might be a predilection something you find sosomething you find sointrinsically satisfying that you look forward to doing itintrinsically satisfying that you look forward to doing itagain and again, getting better at it over timeagain and again, getting better at it over time


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To identify weaknessesTo identify weaknesses

Great managers ask, Great managers ask, What was the worst dayWhat was the worst day

youve had in the past three months?youve had in the past three months? probeprobe

for details on what was being donefor details on what was being done

A 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 energy

Something you never look forward to doing andSomething you never look forward to doing andwhen you are doing it, you want stopwhen you are doing it, you want stop


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Look at both strengths and weaknesses but focus onLook at both strengths and weaknesses but focus onstrengths of their staff to build selfstrengths of their staff to build self--assuranceassurance

SelfSelf--assurance, i.e., selfassurance, i.e., self--efficacy is the strongestefficacy is the strongestpredictor of the ability to set high goals, to persist in thepredictor of the ability to set high goals, to persist in theface 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 set

Great managers understands this and reinforces selfGreat managers understands this and reinforces self--assurance of the staffassurance of the staff

Focus on strengths might create a sense ofFocus on strengths might create a sense ofoverconfidence among staff, but great managers mitigateoverconfidence among staff, but great managers mitigatethis by emphasizing the size and difficulty of the goalsthis by emphasizing the size and difficulty of the goals


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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 ofOffer relevant training if the problem is lack ofskills or knowledge;skills or knowledge;

2.2. Providing a complementary partner whose talentsProviding a complementary partner whose talentsare strong in precisely the areas where the staff isare strong in precisely the areas where the staff isweak;weak;

3.3. Using a technique which helps the staff accomplishUsing a technique which helps the staff accomplishthrough discipline what could not be achievedthrough discipline what could not be achievedthrough instinct,through instinct,

4.4. Rearrange the work more effectively to render theRearrange the work more effectively to render theweakness irrelevantweakness irrelevant


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Trigger GoodTrigger Good

PerformancePerformance

Strengths are not always on display and sometimesStrengths are not always on display and sometimes

require precise triggers to turn them onrequire precise triggers to turn them on

Triggers come in myriad and different forms and mustTriggers come in myriad and different forms and mustbe used with carebe used with care with the right trigger, staff will pushwith the right trigger, staff will push

harder and persevere in the face of obstacles, with theharder and persevere in the face of obstacles, with the

wrong one staff may shut downwrong one staff may shut down

A trigger which works with one might not work withA trigger which works with one might not work with

anotheranother

The most powerful trigger isThe most powerful trigger is recognitionrecognition not moneynot money


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RecognitionRecognition

Great managers are aware that staff respondGreat managers are aware that staff respond

well to recognitionwell to recognition

They realize that each staff plays to aThey realize that each staff plays to aslightly different audience and match theslightly different audience and match the

staff to the audience they treasure most, forstaff 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 greatTailoring praise to fit a person is what great

managers domanagers do


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Tailor to learning stylesTailor to learning styles

Three styles predominate; but they are notThree styles predominate; but they are not

mutually exclusivemutually exclusive1.1. AnalyzingAnalyzing

2.2. DoingDoing

3.3. WatchingWatching

Attuning to each staff learning style or stylesAttuning to each staff learning style or styles

will help focus coachingwill help focus coaching


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AnalyzersAnalyzers

Understands a task by taking it apart, examining its elementsUnderstands a task by taking it apart, examining its elementsand reconstructing it bit by bit, every single component of a taand reconstructing it bit by bit, every single component of a taskskis importantis important

Craves information; hates mistakesCraves information; hates mistakes

Needs to absorb all there is to know about a subject beforeNeeds to absorb all there is to know about a subject beforebeing comfortable with itbeing comfortable with it

Teaching an analyzer require giving ample time in theTeaching an analyzer require giving ample time in theclassroom, role playing and postclassroom, role playing and post--mortem exercisesmortem exercises

Allow ample time for preparation, break the performance downAllow 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 up The most powerful learning moments occurThe most powerful learning moments occurpriorpriorto theto the

performanceperformance


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DoersDoers The doers most powerful learning moment occursThe doers most powerful learning moment occurs

duringduring performanceperformance

Trail and error are integral to the doing learning styleTrail and error are integral to the doing learning style

Learns most by figuring out things themselves, seeLearns most by figuring out things themselves, see

preparation as dry and uninspiringpreparation as dry and uninspiring

To teach the doer, give a brief overview of the desiredTo teach the doer, give a brief overview of the desiredexpected outcomes and get out of the way, and thenexpected outcomes and get out of the way, and then

gradually increase the degree of each tasks complexitygradually increase the degree of each tasks complexity

Mistakes are raw material for learningMistakes are raw material for learning


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WatchersWatchers

Do not learn through role play nor learn byDo not learn through role play nor learn by

doingdoing The watchers are poor students but notThe watchers are poor students but not

necessarily poor learnersnecessarily poor learners

Learn when given a chance to see the totalLearn when given a chance to see the totalperformanceperformance -- the complete picture, ratherthe complete picture, ratherthan examining the individual parts of athan examining the individual parts of atasktask

Get the watcher out of the classroom, awayGet the watcher out of the classroom, awayfrom manuals and pair with the mostfrom manuals and pair with the mostexperienced performersexperienced performers


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Mediocre managersMediocre managers

Assume staff are motivated by the same thingsAssume staff are motivated by the same thingsand by the same goalsand by the same goals

Believe they will desire the same kind ofBelieve they will desire the same kind ofrelationshipsrelationships

Think they learn in the same wayThink they learn in the same way Define the expected behaviours and tell staff onDefine the expected behaviours and tell staff on

work on behaviours that doesnt come naturallywork on behaviours that doesnt come naturally

Praise those who can overcome their natural stylesPraise those who can overcome their natural styles

to conform to preset ideasto conform to preset ideas Believe the managers job is to mold, orBelieve the managers job is to mold, or

transform, each staff into the perfect version of thetransform, each staff into the perfect version of therolerole


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Great ManagersGreat Managers Their success lies in the appreciation of individualityTheir success lies in the appreciation of individuality

They play chess, they do not try to change a personsThey play chess, they do not try to change a personsstylestyle they do not push a knight to move like a bishopthey do not push a knight to move like a bishop

They 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 theyhow patient they can be, how much of an expert they

need to be, how prepared they need to feel, what drivesneed 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


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Individual DifferencesIndividual Differences

Like blood types, cutting across variations ofLike blood types, cutting across variations of

race, sex, and agerace, sex, and age Enduring and resistance to changeEnduring and resistance to change


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Invest their time (the most precious resource) toInvest their time (the most precious resource) to

identify exactly how each staff is different andidentify exactly how each staff is different andthen determine how best to incorporate thosethen determine how best to incorporate those

enduring idiosyncrasies into the overall planenduring idiosyncrasies into the overall plan

Bring this insight into their actions andBring this insight into their actions andinteractionsinteractions


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Remember!Remember!

Great management is about release, notGreat management is about release, nottransformationtransformation

Its about constantly managing yourIts about constantly managing your

environment so that the unique contribution,environment so that the unique contribution,the unique needs and the unique style of eachthe unique needs and the unique style of each

individual is given free reinindividual is given free rein

Your success as a manager depends on yourYour success as a manager depends on yourability to do thisability to do this

HBR - What_great_managers_do

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