Moving forward with confidence
"Thank you for your direction and approach towards my new career launch."
Michal Fijalkowski, Recently appointed Business Development Manager, Print and Display - Poland
In conversations with Managers over the past two years, key needs can be summarized as -- achievable responsibilities, correct tools and systems and direction and help when needed.
Sadly, there is a feeling of disappointment in a number of organizations as one, two or sometimes all of these needs are not met, leading to not just de-motivated Managers but ineffective ones as well.
From experience, we suggest six steps, if properly taken up will go a long way to answer any Managers needs and help keep them motivated.
Role Fit
There is a lot of covert bullying about right now – particularly for Managers who are taking on role change demands. “think how lucky you are to be here” or in response to worry about capability “ give it your best shot, if it doesn’t work out we’ll think of something else.!” Poor effect on motivating or inspiring Managers to give of their best.
Some Suggestions on Role Fit practices
A well structured Business Plan, fairly discussed and agreed is challenging, motivating as well as the best way for Managers to succeed with key responsibilities.
Information Exchange
Accurate and regular feedback creates inclusivity and in the case of performance tracking ensures corrective action can be taken before it is too late.
Some insight into best practices now being carried out by succeeding organizations.
Organisations all have a recognizable culture and attitude when it comes to interaction both with customers and their own employees.
If the behaviour is effective then Managers will in the main feel motivated while the opposite will definitely result in quite serious demotivation and effectiveness.
I have singled out 3 styles of behaviour for particular note.
Meetings
Regular group meetings, well planned and facilitated bring good results but at a price in terms of cost and tying up resources. For regular updates and reviews, tele conference meetings are becoming more and more effective, but facilitation skills are required.
For group face to face meetings structure is critical.
Attitude and Behaviour
Organisations usually have a recognizable culture in terms of behaviour and approach. Can be positive or quite negative in terms of effect on employees particularly the Managers.
Some Key Styles
Most decisions are moved out and delays and inefficiencies pile up.
Managers, particularly middle or junior Managers are in a constant state of frustration.
If too low (too little avoidance) this has the opposite effect, decisions, high risk or low ris, are taken on the spot without any real thought to the consequences, people run around like headless chickens, confusion reigns and mistakes occur. Too much questioning is regarded as dangerous.
If too low, as you have guessed – too little attention to order or structure leading to slopping practices, cutting corners, poor service and inevitably loss of customers and business.
And finally, we come to Low Controlling – this is the behavioural style where for a visiting consultant black humour is evident. Where the culture is very low in controlling, effectively nobody is in charge. Meetings disintegrate into side meetings, agendas go out the window and the Manager who should be in charge sits back.
If the style is prevalent in the organization it is coming from the top. While roles may be clear and plans are put in place, performance tracking, direction and support are lacking. Everyone is left to manage themselves. Days of reckoning come out of the blue often times with devastating results for the employee.
Obviously the key to motivational success is to be effective in each of these behavioural styles. Happily there are tools available where the organization culture can be accurately profiled and adjustment steps successfully implemented.
Sadly, there is a feeling of disappointment in a number of organizations as one, two or sometimes all of these needs are not met, leading to not just de-motivated Managers but ineffective ones as well.
From experience, we suggest six steps, if properly taken up will go a long way to answer any Managers needs and help keep them motivated.
Role Fit
There is a lot of covert bullying about right now – particularly for Managers who are taking on role change demands. “think how lucky you are to be here” or in response to worry about capability “ give it your best shot, if it doesn’t work out we’ll think of something else.!” Poor effect on motivating or inspiring Managers to give of their best.
Some Suggestions on Role Fit practices
- Have them structured but simple and straightforward . We have written over a thousand job roles to date from the most senior to the most, what can sometimes erroneously be described as most junior, contributors in organizations and we have managed without exception to condense each role description to one landscape A4 page.
- Key responsibilities, usually numbering between seven and nine, should have a correspondent K.P.I. capable of ensuring success in each area.
- Empowerment areas need to be well thought out and given a space of their own – a growing emphasis on not just Managers but all job holders increasing their levels of self managing.
- Also a facility to discuss, agree and sign off on role acceptance with reviews built in – MOST IMPORTANT.
A well structured Business Plan, fairly discussed and agreed is challenging, motivating as well as the best way for Managers to succeed with key responsibilities.
- Some suggestions on shape and structure.
- Get out essential measurable objectives centered around the job holders key job role responsibilities.
- Agreed required inputs or activities which give the best chance of achieving each objective.
- Set out reasonable deadlines for completion.
- Think through and commit to support areas to help the job holder succeed.
- Agree and adhere to structured reviews
- Include a ‘well done’ reward piece for successes in the plan.
Information Exchange
Accurate and regular feedback creates inclusivity and in the case of performance tracking ensures corrective action can be taken before it is too late.
Some insight into best practices now being carried out by succeeding organizations.
- Enable everyone in the organization to highlight their good achievements and suggestions for improvement, progress.
- Re-structure available templates to cut down on repetitive routine type of reporting.
- Move as much as possible to numerative rather than narrative for reporting on success of required activities.
- For sales people always include a section on what the competitors are doing.
Organisations all have a recognizable culture and attitude when it comes to interaction both with customers and their own employees.
If the behaviour is effective then Managers will in the main feel motivated while the opposite will definitely result in quite serious demotivation and effectiveness.
I have singled out 3 styles of behaviour for particular note.
Meetings
Regular group meetings, well planned and facilitated bring good results but at a price in terms of cost and tying up resources. For regular updates and reviews, tele conference meetings are becoming more and more effective, but facilitation skills are required.
For group face to face meetings structure is critical.
- Avoid over time on reviewing results – keeping the score
- Focus on activities and inputs – playing the game
- Use group interaction to build skills or solving problem, impediments to progress
Attitude and Behaviour
Organisations usually have a recognizable culture in terms of behaviour and approach. Can be positive or quite negative in terms of effect on employees particularly the Managers.
Some Key Styles
- Avoidance
Most decisions are moved out and delays and inefficiencies pile up.
Managers, particularly middle or junior Managers are in a constant state of frustration.
If too low (too little avoidance) this has the opposite effect, decisions, high risk or low ris, are taken on the spot without any real thought to the consequences, people run around like headless chickens, confusion reigns and mistakes occur. Too much questioning is regarded as dangerous.
- Perfectionistic
If too low, as you have guessed – too little attention to order or structure leading to slopping practices, cutting corners, poor service and inevitably loss of customers and business.
- Controlling
And finally, we come to Low Controlling – this is the behavioural style where for a visiting consultant black humour is evident. Where the culture is very low in controlling, effectively nobody is in charge. Meetings disintegrate into side meetings, agendas go out the window and the Manager who should be in charge sits back.
If the style is prevalent in the organization it is coming from the top. While roles may be clear and plans are put in place, performance tracking, direction and support are lacking. Everyone is left to manage themselves. Days of reckoning come out of the blue often times with devastating results for the employee.
Obviously the key to motivational success is to be effective in each of these behavioural styles. Happily there are tools available where the organization culture can be accurately profiled and adjustment steps successfully implemented.
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