Need help on being a more effective manager

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I have a major managerial problem: I am the anti-micro manager. What that means is I give what I consider complete but summary information to someone in working on a task, specifically not saying, "be sure to call this person," or "here's exactly how to do 'it'." This is especially true if we've discuss this other person or went over procedure, timeframe, etc.

I've had some great success in working with Pelicans on art for our clothing, but virtually everyone else I work with, time and time again I am disappointed with initiative, results, etc.

Looking for advice on project management without micro-managing, but effectively communicating the results I'm looking for without spelling everything out to the last detail and therefore (what I consider) insulting the other person/company.

[Rikao4]

you set goals,benchmarks,have a chat,
if all goes as planned..if not.. chat one time..
if you need to go back again..
there should be an empty chair at the next chat.
they will figure it out quickly.
quit being a buddy and friend, they work for YOU.
Rika

[gr8fl4porsche]

It's hard to find good help. Very rarely in business am I impressed with any person or organization.

Unfortunately I treat everyone as if they are stupid - I try to be nice about it. I explain in great detail what I expect. I usually say it more than once if it is not written down. I will usually call the person in the middle of the task to see how it is going and ask if there are any further questions.

When I let my projects be handled completely by others, I am usually disappointed in the results.

Sorry, I'm sure this doesn't help.

If you want something done right, ...

[baldman]

You do exactly what you are doing... plus a little.
Give the summary information. Then stop by after a few days and say "can you give me a quick update?" The person will tell you where they are and if you think there are things they have forgotten simply say "Do you think it would be a good idea to XYZ?"

[alf]

It is your job to define what success looks like and to coach the employee on how to get there.

Some people require micro-management, others do not. Hiring the right person is critical.

Do not blame the report for not getting the desired results if you did not initially set her up for success properly. If you do that, you will just fail all the time till you find an employee smarter than you. Which by the way is a smart thing to do.

[Chuck Moreland]

one size does not fit all.

Some people are task-oriented and require micro-management. Some can manage a small group of tasks before getting more direction. Some can work towards goals, figure out tasks themselves, requiring only occasional direction. Some are goal-oriented and can work nearly autonomously.

While you want everyone to be a goal-oriented self-starter, that just isn't reality. You have to adjust your management style to the individual. In all cases you need to clearly communicate your expectations.

And you have to fire non-performers. Too many companies keep dead-wood around too long.

[djmcmath]

This is the hardest possible part of any management position: getting what you want from the people that you delegate stuff to. A lot of it comes from experience with a particular person or organization -- you know that Joe is a "fire and forget" kind of guy, while Bill needs more detail. At one job, I knew that a particular employee would blow me off every single time, so I'd just keep checking up on him until he got it done. Another employee was very responsible, but would get very annoyed if I checked on him before the project was complete.

One technique I've used to get a better idea for who's who early in the game is to inquire about their plan. "Jim, I'd like you to take charge of project Umpty-Scratch; discuss with your people, then bring me a plan for how you'd like to get it done." That way, you're giving "Jim" the free rein to build a good plan (assuming he has the initiative). If he isn't smart enough to build a good plan, you can assist when he brings you his plan. If it isn't terrible, maybe he can be trained to do these things. If it is terrible, maybe you should consider hiring someone else.

Alf's comment about hiring employees that are smarter than you is spot-on. Holy cow, if only all of my employees were smarter than me, life would be easy. I've had a couple of jobs where my staff was brilliant and high-initiative, and they were fantastic. All you have to do is give a little guidance, and they just go. It's beautiful. Other jobs, I get a stack of guys who struggle to show up to work on time, and can't be trusted to tie their own shoes, let alone rig the bridge of a nuclear submarine for dive without adult supervision.

Good luck.

Dan

[WI wide body]

Well, I worked in manufacturing so it might have been a little different but this is how I handled the guys. I would lay out the repair or the project or whatever was going on that day and asked if they understood and if they had any questions. Then I would tell them that I really didn't give a damn how they got it done or what procedure they followed.

However, once they came to me with what we called "the ole Pollack salute" with their palms up and a dumb look on their face...I would tell them that they had surrendered their freedom and from then until the project was done it was going to be done my way only and that I didn't want any flak about it.

I'm sure that some of them though that I was an azzhole but it seemed reasonable to me........and it worked once they realized I was serious.

[Superman]

This topic has been important to me for thirty years. It's a big part of the reason I am a labor relations guy. I see advice above that makes certain folks feel like Clint Eastwood or Charlie Bronson, but which works like a turd in the punch bowl in real life. Give 'em both barrels Rikao, and feel like a tough guy while several people outperform you because they understand humans better and don't need to fire people to feel good about their performance.

Overall, the input I would offer at this point is twofold: First, the approach you are taking Shawn, is a very good one but requires almost superhuman patience and restraint. You need to be VERY careful about reaching around, grabbing the wheel from folks and leaving footprints all over their sand box. Empowerment and independence are great things, but workers don't trust it. It takes a long time before they really start believing they are free to act. You can spoil all your hard work in a few minutes by reneging on your commitment to give them freedom to act.....by showing them that all managers are control freaks and cannot be trusted to truly delegate.

The other thing is like Chuck said, it all depends. Baldman offers VERY good advice as well. Rikao, not so much. He's the manager the rest of us like to steal workers from.

[Rikao4]

Supe,
I'm probably more hands of than Shawn,
very low staff turnover , half the crew has been with me 10+ yrs.
Try too hire right the first time, if it doesn't work out, so be it.
I need to take care of the ones that do.
Rika

[dhoward]

Taser.

[p911dad]

Shawn, I have been doing this for a long time, and like you, I am an anti-micro manager. My direct reports, and their direct reports, write, co-review, and sign their own letters, generate their own reports, attend meetings for me, etc. I am fairly successful(meaning I am still standing after all these years) at avoiding meetings with my peers, which staff does for me. Those meetings are huge timewasters. I like to meet with my boss only.

I must say the biggest thing in being successful is great communication, which I did not pick up on in your email. You must be in contact with your folks on all levels, and keep them informed, constantly, of what is going on. They need direction, some more than others. That is called human variability, not everyone will contribute in the same way, nor at the same time. I use very informal techniques, like calling them into my office on short(5 min) notice, to see what is going on, and letting them know what the current challenges are. I have a liaison that keeps the big spreadsheet with comments showing due dates and last action dates, and update it as needed, at least every month. She works other functional areas too, making sure we know what they are doing and if our output is correct. Every once in a while I have a general staff meeting, again called with minutes notice, and done with most standing in an open space in the back office, in a question and answer format.

I know, you will say this is micromanaging. It is not, I know micromanagers. I am making sure that communication is taking place, I think that is my job. The subordinates are in charge of their own offices and functions and are accountable for performance. Someone needs to keep them playing together for the mutual goal, and that person is you, the chief communicator.

[cab83_750]

Originally Posted by dhoward

Taser.

Funny!



I will ditto one of the prior responses. Different people require different mgmt styles: some requie micro-mgmt, some do not; others require threat-mgmt, some do not.

Sometimes, the fault lies in the manager. Do you take credit belong to someone else? Do you show appreciation? Are you a leader or a manager? Are you a dictator?

There are many sides to management and its related issues.



One thing you may to investigate is using Microsoft Project: At the beginning of a project feasibility study and project planning, the 'team' will identify the goals, the tasks, the person assigned to the tasks, deliverables, deadline dates, etc. Request for a written weekly status report or a team meeting once a week.

Good luck! In mgmt, been there, done that, for over many many years, now I am back as staff. Happy happy joy joy for me!!!!!

Just my opinion.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

WOW!!!

Thank you everyone for all the great advice. I don't think I communicate enough, I'm pretty sure of that. I often think I'll come off as intrusive or untrusting that they can get the job done. Clearly, since the job isn't getting done to my satisfaction, I need to communicate a lot more than I am.

My management style has changed a lot over the years, but it has always been based on empowerment. This is a direct result of coaching Brandeis Crew after college, specifically women's rowing and then head coaching the team. After a few years I felt I had struck the perfect balance of leader, teacher and coach and brought this with me into business.

if I were on a couch, I'd say this non-communication is a result of my last corporate job with: female CEO, female VP print sales, female VP events sales, female VP online sales and me, Sr. Director Custom sales. It was a nightmare of competing hormones and all they did was talk talk talk but never got anything done. When you tried to help (my department that I created worked with all 3 media sales groups), two of them complained bitterly to the CEO. The other one I was dating.

Anyway, I think my path to salvation is more communication, and getting back to coaching rowing. Best days of my life!

But I'll be pulling from this thread and putting together a little action doc. Thank you all!

[Sapporo Guy]

Killer advice here.

I run a small shop and barely am there outside of going in when everyone has gone home.

* I just kept repeating, "I trust you", "Try it! If your idea doesn't work, we'll fix the problem later!" and "What do you think?" This took time with my staff that wanted a micromanager because that is how you live life here.
* I do cove my employees mistakes and go to my customers and apologize. I make sure the customer knows that I am the one who is at the top thereby the most responsible. This goes along with the idea of not stealing their work and accomplishments as your own.
* I like to spot check too. I never announce when I'm going to show up at the office. This keeps them on their toes.
* It also helps if the staff has an understanding that: good work = the company survives = they have a salary

project management systems like M$'s system help when you have a larger enviornment. Like I said I have a small shop so that would mean such a system would just tiff off my staff

Good luck with finding the path that best fits your personality and situation!

[Dennis Kalma]

Go look up a course on situational management techniques....the degree of managment depends on the relative skill level of the individual at that task...the better they are at what they do, the more you can let go. The newer or less skilled they are at their task, the more you need to provide detailed task management....

You get to learn all about S1 versus S4 techniques....very interesting. The old war movie "12 O'Clock High" is pretty well a case study in situational management...

Dennis

[HardDrive]

I have a masters degree in managment. Let me save you the 3 years and $30,000 it cost me.

You: "On February 10th I need the new artwork for project X. If you have any questions, or simply want to run something by me, please feel free to ask me. I want you to take a good look at where you are at 10 days out, and if you are concerned about a making the deadline, please let me know. That being said, I expect you met this goal, and our client expects you to met this goal. In closing, keep in mind that I have a .38 in my pocket at this very moment, and I'm not above going down to HR and finding out where you live motherf**ker."

Employee: "*gulp*, ok."

[HardDrive]

On a more serious note, I would recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Please-Understand-Me-Character-Temperament/dp/0960695400

It is based on Myers-Briggs, but it looks more at team building based on Myers-Briggs. Its been at least 10 years since I have read it, but I found it useful.

Taking a Myers-Briggs yourself can't hurt.

[einreb]

[KFC911]

I just have one question: Einreb, are you hiring, I want to work there?