Rising To Incompetence, Part I: Promote or Demote?

"Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."
~ Napoleon

"I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary."
~ Billy Joel

"In a hierachy, every employee rises to their level of incompetence"

~ Laurence J. Peters

Canadian business author Laurence Peters proposed in his 1969 book "The Peter Principle : Why Things Always Go Wrong" that employees in hierarchical organizations are promoted to their level of incompetence.

There is such pressure in business to move "upward" that employees continue to win promotions until they reach a level where they simply cannot do the work required of that position.

These employees end up desperately unhappy, struggling to survive and at the same time costing the company money in lost productivity, lowered morale, and less innovation.

Alternatives to Upward
Many people are beginning to question the relentless pressure to move "upward". They want more out of a job than just a paycheck. They are looking for personal satisfaction. This desire for self-fulfillment may provide a means of reducing the tremendous cost to businesses of the Peter Principle, of promoting managers beyond the level where they can succeed. 

There are only two alternatives to upward. They are downward and sideways.

Lateral transfers are becoming more common, and more acceptable. Employees are allowed, and in some cases encouraged, to move from one department or division to a related position in another. This can be a good move for the employee who gains a broader base of knowledge and becomes more valuable. They also have an opportunity to explore new areas of the company in search of work that they would enjoy more and, consequently, be better at.

Lateral transfers are also good for the company. They are one way to retain valued employees. They bring fresh, innovative, and potentially cost-saving ideas into a division, without the full cost associated with a new hire from outside. They also help to more widely disperse the institutional knowledge base.

The concept of downward movement, demotion, is less well accepted and less often used. That is unfortunate, because it holds the promise of even greater benefit for both the company and its employees.

Demotion By Any Other Name
The word "demotion" has a very negative connotation in any hierarchical organization. The unrelenting pressure to move upward forces people into positions that they don't want and can't handle. A few employees are smart enough to see that they don't want the position they are being offered a promotion into, but most end up accepting the promotion and then finding they don't enjoy it or can't handle it.

For the few who were smart enough to decline an inappropriate promotion, there are constant questions from co-workers: "why didn't you get the promotion?", "why didn't you want the promotion?" and "look what happened when you didn't accept that promotion and they gave it to so-and-so instead." There also are often repeated attempts to promote the person, despite their declining the previous offer, as the person remains apparently qualified.

The real problem lies, however, with those who should have declined the promotion and didn't, either because they didn't realize it was beyond their capabilities or because they wanted the position for another reason, the prestige, for example.

Unhappy Employees Are Not Top Producers
Someone who has been very successful in their job probably enjoys the work. However, their success in the position makes them a candidate for promotion to a new, "higher" position, the duties of which they may not completely understand. Many times, when they accept the promotion, they struggle a little at first as they learn new things, but then they begin to master the new job. Soon they are ready to be promoted again.

Other times, when they accept the position they discover that they are not capable of doing what needs to be done in the new job. They get negative performance feedback for the first time in their career. Their supervisor offers them coaching or additional training. These help some, but ultimately are not enough. The employee begins doing some parts of the job, but not necessarily the most important ones. They make incorrect decisions, because they just don't know any better. They stifle the people in their group so that none of them can become a threat. They temporize and procrastinate because they lack confidence. They are unhappy in the job. The company is unhappy with their performance. Yet neither knows what to do to fix the situation.

Inverse Promotion
The solution is easy to see, but difficult to do. An individual who has been promoted beyond their level of competence is unhappy, is doing a poor job, is costing the company money, and is hindering the development of others. The employee needs to be returned to the level at which they were a great employee. Usually, that is the position, or at least the level, from which they were promoted.

Companies are reluctant to demote people because of the potential liability in doing so. Most managers, who would have to do the demotions, lack the skill and training to do it well. Certainly they lack the desire to do it.

The employee doesn't want to seek out the demotion, for a variety of reasons. And if the employee is demoted, their ego is bruised and they probably will quit and walk out.

The fact remains that moving the employee downward is the appropriate thing to do. The company gains through increased production and innovation. The employee gains from an increased job satisfaction. So the management challenge is to make the change is such a way that they employee can accept the change.

Employee Resistance Points
Typical employees will resist the inverse promotion for two reasons, ego and money. The successful manager will help them deal with both issues.

The ego issues can be addressed by discussing with the employee the success he or she had in the previous position and how much they enjoyed it. The manager should stress how valuable the employee was in that position and how valuable the company expects they will be again. The employee should be transferred to a different unit, not just back into the one from which they came, whenever this is possible. They should be given time to think about the change, not just have it sprung on them as it is about to happen. This will allow them to consider the potential value in the new position and to develop coping strategies.

The money issues should be a non-issue.

Usually there is enough overlap between the pay scales of the two positions that the employee returned to the lower position would still be within the upper end of the pay scale for that position. However, even if they are outside the pay scale, they should be left at their current higher salary. This will also help somewhat with the ego issues.

Rather than cutting the employee's pay, leave them at that pay level until the pay scale for the lower level increases over time and reaches where they are. Be sure to tell them that that will happen. Inform them that their pay won't be cut, but that they won't get any raises until they are back in line with others in that function.

While this may seem like an extra cost for the company, consider the alternative. The employees resentment over a pay cut, coupled with the ego damage of the demotion, may cause the employee to resign. The cost of finding, hiring and training a replacement will seriously exceed the cost of leaving them at their present salary.

It Won't Work For Everyone
The larger a company is, the more likely it will be able to find a suitable position into which to move someone being inversely promoted. They will have more divisions and a larger number of positions at the level to which the individual is being moved. A large multi-national conglomerate is more likely to be able to find a suitable supervisor position for a former manager than is an eight person manufacturing company.

In addition, people are not equally likely to accept the change. Some will have more emotional and ego issues than others and be unable to accept the change, even if it is handled considerately and with no change in pay. 

Some companies will have union agreements or employment contracts that will prohibit or restrict these kinds of changes.

It Is The Smart Thing to Do
Smart companies, and smart employees, will take advantage of the potential benefits of an inverse promotion rather than a termination or a resignation. It saves the company money. It increases the productivity of the entire workforce. It removes barriers to promotion for qualified individuals. And it removes incompetence from the structure. Smart people will recognize the cost savings of not having to look for another job. They will seize the new opportunities to learn. They will enjoy their work again.

Manage This Issue
You have to find and remove those things that hamper your business as it competes. Incompetence is a major handicap. When found, it needs to be removed. However, like all these things, it needs to be done in the most cost-effective manner. In this case the most cost-effective first step is to plan and then offer an inverse promotion.

For those who don't believe our society will ever accept the concept of demotions by another name, or who are unwilling to wait for this kind of business practice to become more widely accepted, there are other alternatives. Next we will look at performance management approaches. The article after next, we will look at how to shift the entire hierarchical paradigm.
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Part II continues here.
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If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Can I Be A Good Manager?

"I sit here all day trying to persuade people to do the things they ought to have enough common sense to do without me having to persuade them"

~Harry S. Truman

A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The woman below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."
"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.
"I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is, technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip."
The woman below then responded, "You must be in Senior Management."
"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
"Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."

~ As related by Yatin Buch, MBA

Recently, I was asked by an ex direct report whether or not they are suited for a position in a more senior management role. What do they need to know? What skills do they need to have? Where can they improve?


Let's start with a David Letterman-like top ten list.
 
Top 10 Clues That You Are Management Material

• 10. You like not doing anything
• 9. You understand that emails are sent not to inform others, but to protect the writer.
• 8. Work fascinates you - you can sit and watch it for hours
• 7. You like sweating the small stuff
• 6. You have always enjoyed low hanging fruit
• 5. You know you should communicate better, but you don't want to discuss that with the employees 
• 4. You didn't know factual data can actually be real
• 3. You experience "Reverse Amnesia For Managers", which is when you take credit for the iniatives you tried to stop and refuse blame for the initiatives you forced through.
• 2. Doing things right is no excuse for not meeting the schedule.

And the number one clue you are management material -

• 1. Teamwork to you is alot of people doing what you say 

All joking aside, here are some really basic key skills and abilities that help anyone be a better manager.

Need For Good Managers Increasing

The need for good managers is not going away. It is intensifying. With flatter organizations and self-directed teams becoming common; with personal computers and networks making information available to more people more quickly; the raw number of managers needed is decreasing.

However, the need for good managers, people who can manage themselves and others in a high stress environment, is increasing.

I believe anyone can be a good manager. It is as much trainable skill as it is inherent ability; as much science as art. Here are some things that make you a better manager:
 
As a person:
 

• You have confidence in yourself and your abilities. You are happy with who you are, but you are still learning and getting better.
• You are something of an extrovert. You don’t have to be the life of the party, but you can’t be a wallflower. Management is a people skill - it’s not the job for someone who doesn’t enjoy people.
• You are honest and straight forward. Your success depends heavily on the trust of others.
• You are an includer not an excluder. You bring others into what you do. You don’t exclude other because they lack certain attributes.
• You have a presence. Managers must lead. Effective leaders have a quality about them that makes people notice when they enter a room.

On the job:

• You are consistent, but not rigid; dependable, but can change your mind. You make decisions, but easily accept input from others.
• You are a little bit crazy. You think out-of-the box. You try new things and if they fail, you admit the mistake, but don’t apologize for having tried.
• You are not afraid to “do the math”. You make plans and schedules and work toward them.
• You are nimble and can change plans quickly, but you are not flighty.
• You see information as a tool to be used, not as power to be hoarded.

Take a look at yourself against this list. Find the places where you can improve and then get going. And , if you need help, remember that's what this site is all about - Helping new managers get started and experienced managers get better.


If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Dealing With Difficult Employees Part II: Types And How To Deal With Them

"You must look into other people as well as at them."

~ Lord Chesterfield

"We are far more liable to catch the vices than the virtues of our associates"
~ Denis Diderot
       

“The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four people are suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of three of your associates . If they’re okay, then it’s you.” 

~  Rita Mae Brown

"I don’t like that man.  I must get to know him better'

~ Abraham Lincoln

In this second part, I will try and list the 6 most common "difficult" personality traits I have encountered in both my professional and private life, and what strategies and tactics I have found are effective in either dealing with them or in getting them to positively contribute, for I believe that everyone, no matter how "difficult" they can be, has something to offer.

1. The Aggressor

Dealing with hostile people requires both tact and strength. Since persons who feel they have been wronged are more likely to be belligerent and aggressive/violent, you should first try to be sure they have been dealt with fairly.

In addition, it would be wise to help them meet as many of their needs as possible without reinforcing their aggressiveness or discriminating in their favor. Likewise, avoid interactions with them that encourage intense emotions or threats of violence. Certainly do not interact with these angry people when they are drinking or carrying weapons.

Say or do nothing that would incite more anger or, on the other hand, cause you to appear to be scared, weak, and a “pushover.”

In most cases, strong retaliation against an aggressive person is the worst thing you can do. Nastiness begets nastiness. Hostility escalates. Threats of punishment may also work. Remember punishment is only effective while the punished is observing — watch out for subtle rebellion.

If you can divert the angry person’s attention to some meaningful task or a calm discussion of the situation, the anger should subside. Also, offer him/her any information that would explain the situation that upsets him/her. Point out similarities or common interests between him/her and the person they are mad at (you). Let him/her see or hear about calm, rational ways of resolving differences. Almost anything that gets him/her thinking about something else will help.

I have dealt with many such personality types, and have compiled this brief list which outlines some basic ways in which I have calmed an angry person.  Since some of these people were, in the end, some of the most loyal and reliable members of my team, I can vouch for the effectiveness of the following:

• reduce the noise level
• keep calm yourself
• acknowledge that the irate person has been wronged (if true) or, at least, acknowledge their feelings without any judgment
• ask them to explain their situation (so you can tactfully correct errors)
• listen to their complaints without counter-attacking
• explain your feelings with non-blaming “I” statements
• show that you care but set limits on their aggressiveness (“I’d like to work it out with you but I’ll have to call security if you can’t control yourself”).

I have found that this personality type can be an asset to a group, because if properly handled and motivated, they will be the ones who will keep the group persevering if the goals seems hopeless or an extreme stretch.  Their aggressiveness requires focus, so give them a mountain to move.  They might just surprise you and ask you where you want it put.

2. The Chronic Complainer

What about the chronic complainers? They can bring the morale of any group down due to their fault-finding, blaming, and certainty about what should be done, but they never seem able to correct the situation by themselves. Often they have a point — there are real problems — but their complaining is not effective (except it is designed to prove someone else is responsible).

Coping with complainers involves, first, listening and asking clarifying questions, even if you feel guilty or falsely accused.

There are several don’ts:

• don’t agree with the complaints,
• don’t apologize (not immediately),
• don’t become overly defensive or counter-attack because this only causes them to restate their complaints more heatedly.

Secondly, as you gather facts, create a problem-solving attitude. Be serious and supportive. Acknowledge the facts. Get the complaints in writing and in precise detail; get others, including the complainer, involved in collecting more data that might lead to a solution.

In addition to what is wrong, ask “What should happen?” If the complainer is unhappy with someone else, not you, you may want to ask, “Have you told (the complainee) yet?” or “Can I tell __________?” or “Can I set up a meeting with them?”

Thirdly, plan a specific time to make decisions cooperatively that will help the situation…and do it.

The complainer's eye for pointing out the issues that need looking after comes naturally for him.  You can and should use them to the advantage of the group in order to identify any issues you may have missed.

3. The Super-Agreeable

What about the persons who are super nice and smilingly agrees with your ideas until some action is required, then they back down or disappear?

Such people seek approval. They have learned, probably as children, that one method for getting liked is by telling people (or pretending) you really care for and/or admire them.

Similarly, the super-agreeables will often promise more than they deliver: “I’ll get the report done today” or “I’d love to help you clean up.” They are experts in phoniness, so don’t try to “butter them up.”

Instead, reassure the super-agreeable that you will still like them even if they tell you the truth. Ask them to be candid and make it easy for them to be frank: “What part of my plan is okay but not as good as it could be?” Help them avoid making promises they can’t keep: “Are you sure you can have the money by then? How about two weeks later?”

Tell and show them you value their friendship. Let them know you are ready to compromise because you know they will be more than fair.

And their fairness in the end will be a sounding board for the group to come to and use whenever needed.

4. The Know-It-All Expert

Know-it-all experts are of two types: the truly competent, productive, self-assured, genuine expert and the partially informed person pretending to be an expert. Both can be a pain, but for different reasons.

The true expert may act superior and make others feel stupid; they may be bull headed and impatient with differing opinions; they are often self-reliant, don’t need or want any help, and don’t want to change.

If you are going to deal with the true expert as an equal, you must do your homework thoroughly; otherwise, they will dismiss you. First of all, listen to them and accurately paraphrase their points. Don’t attack their ideas but rather raise questions that suggest alternatives: “Would you tell me more?” or “What do you think the results will be in five years?” “It probably isn’t a viable choice but could we consider…?”

Secondly, show your respect for his/her competence but don’t put yourself down.

Lastly, if the expert can not learn to consider others’ ideas, you may be wise to graciously accept a subordinate role as his/her “helper.” Too many times, I have observed the egos of upper management render companies oblivious to what needs to be done because the decision makers would like to believe themselves to be the only ones who are truly gifted with insight, knowledge, or deductive reasoning. 

They are wrong, and the corporate world is full of failed companies who's leaders didn't want to consider the advice of people smarter than them.

True experts deserve respect.  They can give your team an enormous advantage.

The pretentious-but-not-real expert is relatively easy to deal with because he/she (unlike liars or cons) is often unaware of how little he/she knows. Such a person can be gently confronted with the facts. Do it when alone with them. Help them save face. They simply want to be admired.

5. The Pessimist

Another “burden” to any group is the pessimist –the person who always says, “It won’t work” or “We tried that.” These angry, bitter people have the power to drag us down because they stir up the old pool of doubt and disappointment within us.

So, first of all, avoid being sucked into his/her death-spiral of hopelessness. Don’t argue with the pessimist; don’t immediately offer solutions to the difficulties predicted by the pessimist.

Instead, make optimistic statements — showing that change is possible — and encourage the group to brainstorm leading to several possible alternatives. Then ask what are the worst possible consequences of each alternative (this gives the negativist a chance to do his/her thing but you can use the gloomy predictions in a constructive, problem-solving way).

Also ask, “What will happen if we do nothing?” Finally, welcome everyone’s help but be willing to do it alone because the pessimist won’t volunteer.

The pessimist can however serve a productive role, once you can navigate across the negativity, in that they can inform you if your ideas have been tried before and what were the causes of their failure.  After all, there is no use in repeating the same mistakes of the past. 

6. The Staller

Every group has a “staller,” a person who puts off decisions for fear their career or job will be put in jeopardy if their decision isn't "the right one".

Unlike the super-agreeable, I have found that the staller is truly interested in being helpful. So, make it easier for him/her to discuss and make decisions. Try to find out what the staller’s real concerns are (he/she won’t easily reveal negative opinions of you, however).

Don’t make demands for quick action. Instead, help the staller examine the facts and make compromises or develop alternative plans (and decide which ones take priority). Give the staller reassurance about his/her decision and support the effective carrying out of the decision.



 It is our job as managers to manage the varying personality types occurring in our teams in order to effectively maximize their performance while developing them further along into something greater.  In order to do that, it is not enough to simply give instructions, monitor their actions, and dole out compliments or corrective measures;  we must learn that managing any group is more like conducting a symphony orchestra, with our people representing the instruments:  every instrument sounds different, is heard at different parts during the performance, and is necessary to the overall performance. 

Only when we recognize the uniqueness of every personality and accept the positive part everyone can have to play can we hope to overcome some of the more challenging aspects of our personalities.

Together.

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If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Dealing with Difficult Employees, Part I

"When dealing with people, remember, you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion"

~ Dale Carnegie

"A simple rule in dealing with those who are hard to get along with is to remember that this person is striving to assert his superiority; and you must deal with him from that point of view"

~Alfred Adler

"Business, more than any other occupation, is a continual dealing with the future behaviour of people;  it is a continual calculation, an instictive exercise in foresight."

~Henry R. Luce

"If you want to learn how to deal with difficult people, have a few kids"

~ Overheard in a Chicago bar

All managers will have to deal with difficult employees during their careers. It is a chore all managers endure, all managers despise, and few, if any, ever learn to do effectively.  I will offer some clarification on the most common "difficult" character traits present in any group, and tips on how to effectively deal with them, in Part II.

First, there will always be difficult employees. Infact, I have observed that what we often deem to be "difficult" or "odd" behaviour in a person is really present in order to help this person maintain their psychological balance.  "Difficult" people in this context are the people we don’t know how to deal with us or those who are difficult for us to deal with due to (perceived or otherwise) them being stubborn, arrogant, oversensitive, or any trait that needs a special type of treatment  Second, it's your job as the manager to deal with them. If you don't deal the problem, it will only get worse and impact the lives of those around you (and the subject employee) who would be looking to you for leadership.

Why Are Difficult Employees Like That?

Difficult employees are that way simply because it is a behavior that has worked for them in the past. They may not know any other behavior, or, they may choose this behavior when they think it will be most effective. You will be successful in dealing with difficult employees only to the extent that you can make these undesirable behaviors no longer effective for them.

In many ways, it's like dealing with children. If every times a child screams, its parents give it candy, what will the child do the next time it wants candy? 

The same is true for the employee who "blows up" whenever anyone disagrees with him. When he does that, people stop disagreeing with him and he thinks he has won.

How Can A Manager Deal With Difficult Employees

• Evaluate

It is important when dealing with difficult employees to act quickly. Often you will need to act almost immediately to neutralize a dangerous situation. However, it is always appropriate to think before you act.

Clearly if an employee comes to work with a gun, you will need to act more quickly than when someone complains that another employee is always taking credit for her work. In either case, take the appropriate amount of time to evaluate the situation before you act. You don't want to make it worse.

Recognize that most employees can be "difficult" from time to time. This can be caused by stress on the job or away from it. Some employees are difficult more often than others. It is not always your least-productive employees who are difficult. So take a moment to evaluate each situation for the unique situation it is.

• Do your homework

 Always act on facts. Don't base your actions on gossip or rumor, or even your own preconceptions and/or opinions.  You can't allow yourself to be anything but impartial.   The person(s) spreading the gossip is a difficult employee in their own way and must be dealt with when the immediate need has passed. 

If you have not seen the inappropriate behavior yourself, look into it. Ask the people reportedly involved. Collect all the facts you can before you act. Don't use the fact that you haven't seen the inappropriate behavior as an excuse to delay doing something. It is important to act promptly.

Make sure you aren't part of the problem. It will be much more difficult to remain calm and impartial in confronting the difficult behavior if you are partly responsible. If that's the case, be sure you acknowledge your role in it, at least to yourself.

• Develop a plan

 You're a manager. You know the value of planning. This situation is no different.

You need to plan the timing of the confrontation. You need to select a quiet, private place where you won't be interrupted. You need to decide whether you need to have others, like an HR representative, present in the meeting. Plan the confrontation and then make it happen.

When you have prepared, it is time to act. You do not need to act impulsively, but you must act quickly. The longer an inappropriate behavior is allowed to continue, the harder it will be to change it or stop it.

• Confront the problem

Don't put it off. It may not be pleasant, but it's an important part of your job. It will not "fix itself". It can only get worse. You have planned this confrontation. Now you need to execute.

• Deal with the behavior, not the person

Your goal is to develop a solution, not to "win". Focus on the inappropriate behavior; don't attack the person. Use "I" statements like "I need everybody on the team here on time so we can meet our goals" rather than "you" statements like "you are always late".

Don't assume the inappropriate behavior is caused by negative intent. It may be from fear, confusion, lack of motivation, personal problems, etc.

This is the important part; the part most managers never get right:  Give the other person a chance to develop a solution to the problem. They are more likely to "own" the solution if they are at least partially responsible for developing it.

• Try to draw out the reasons behind the behavior

As you talk with the difficult employee, actively listen to what they say. Stay calm and stay positive, but remain impartial and non-judgmental. Ask leading questions that can't be answered in one or two words.

Don't interrupt. When you do respond to the difficult employee, remain calm. Summarize back to them what they just said, "so what I understand you are saying is.....", so they know you are actually listening to them.
If you can find out from the difficult employee what the real source of the inappropriate behavior is, you have a much better chance of finding a solution.

Sometimes these confrontations will go smoothly, or at least rapidly, to a conclusion. Other times it will require several sessions to resolve the problem.

• Repeat as necessary

Minor problems, like being late for work, you may be able to resolve with a simple chat in your office with the employee. An office bully, who has used that behavior successfully since elementary school, may need more than one confrontation before a solution can be reached. Be patient. Don't always expect instant results. Aim for continuous improvement rather than trying to achieve instant success.

• Know when you are in over your head

Sometimes the underlying issue with a difficult employee will be beyond your capabilities. The employee may have psychological problems that require professional help, for example. Learn when to keep trying and when to refer the employee to others for more specialized help. Your company may have an EAP (employee assistance plan) or you may need to use resources from the community.

• Know when you are at the end

While the goals is always to reach a mutually acceptable solution that resolves the difficult employees inappropriate behavior and keeps your team at full strength, sometimes that is not possible. When you reach an impasse and the employee is not willing to change his or her behavior then you need to begin terminations procedures in accordance with your company's policies.

Coming to a Solution

The desired result from confronting a difficult employee's inappropriate behavior is an agreed upon solution, and the inappropriate behavior will continue unless you and the employee agree upon said solution. You will get more buy in and greater results if the employee plays a role in crafting the strategy on how to get there.

Your employees will always needs to know what is inappropriate about their behavior just as much as they also need to know what is appropriate behavior. The need for a manager to communicate clearly is always high, but it is especially important in these situations. Make very sure the employee understands the requirements, what is expected of him, and, if necessary, the consequences.

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Part II continues here

If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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From Manager to Leader

"Leadership:  The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it"
~Dwight D. Eisenhower

"I think leadership comes from integrity - that you do and act as you would have other do and act.  I think there are non-obvious ways to lead.  Just by providing a good example makes it possible for other people to see better ways to do things.  Leadership does not need to be a dramatic, fist in the air and trumpets blaring activity"

~ Scott Berkun

"There go my people.
I must follow them for I am their leader."
~Alexandre Ledru-Rollin

Ask anyone and they'll tell you. There's a difference between managers and leaders.

Ask them what that difference is and they may have a bit more difficulty. Suddenly the words become amorphous and undefined. Somehow leadership is either what you "do" i.e., you're put in charge of a group, a department, or a territory, and suddenly you are referred to as "a leader"; or, it's an intangible - a charismatic component that some people have and others simply don't. That's why, according to the ubiquitous "they", it is such a rarity.

Both instances are wrong.

The difference between being a manager and being a leader is simple. Management is a career. Leadership is a calling.

Or, in the business context, the Management title is bestowed upon you by your superiors whereas the Leadership mantle is given to you by your character and the loyalty of those who work for you.  Your people must listen to their Manager; but they want to follow their leader.

You don't have to be tall, well-spoken and good looking to be a successful leader. You don't have to have that "special something" to fulfill the leadership role.

What you have to have is clearly defined convictions - and, more importantly, the courage of your convictions to see them manifest into reality. Only when you understand your role as guide and steward based on your own most deeply held truths can you move from manager to leader.

Whether the group you oversee is called employees, associates, co-workers, teammates or anything else, what they are looking for is someone in whom they can place their trust. Someone they know is working for the greater good - for them and for the organization. They're looking for someone not only that they can - but that they want to - follow.

Because it is only when you have followers -people who have placed their trust in you - that you know you have moved into that leadership role. And the way you see it is that your organization is transcending all previous quality, productivity, innovation and revenue achievements. You're operating at such a high level of efficiency that you're giving budget back to the corporation - and you're still beating your goals.

You're achieving what you always dreamed could be achieved. And not only that, but it's actually easier than you thought.

Because you're a leader. Because the classic command and control management model - which, contrary to popular belief still applies even in our most progressive 21st century companies - is no longer in play. Sure, controls are in place. Sure, you're solving problems that arise.

But it's not just you alone. You have the people in whom you've put your trust - and who have happily and safely reciprocated - to help you create organizational success.

Where to start? Begin by discovering exactly what your convictions are. Clarify and codify for yourself what you believe in. Then, take a nice step back and see how those beliefs are playing out in the organization as it stands today.

Don't start with an organizational assessment based on the numbers or your opinions about others. This is not about "them." This is all about you.

Ask yourself:

• What is important to me? What are my values, beliefs, ethics?
• How am I demonstrating those values, beliefs and ethics every day?
• Is the larger organization designed to support my values, beliefs and ethics?
• Where are the disconnects within my immediate organization and for myself with the larger enterprise?
• What can I do to change how I behave with my immediate organization to demonstrate my belief in them?
• What additional assistance do my employees need to succeed and how can I ensure that they get everything they need and more to create personal and organizational success?

Realistically, you'll go through this process not once, but many, many times. This is a periodic reality and cross-check to see how you're doing in your own context and, as you begin making changes, in the larger context.

Because, while you can and should expect yourself and your immediate organization to make changes, you cannot - and should not - expect the larger organization to immediately respond or follow suit. This is a personal journey designed to assist you in being more - and helping those whose lives you touch to be more. Give the organization time. It'll get there. It's just a little bit slow.

What's Next?

As you identify your convictions and begin aligning your behaviors with those convictions, you are going to need to take steps to build a collaborative culture based on where you're going.

To do that, seek input from your employees about what they need and what their dreams are for their jobs and the larger organization. (They have them, you know). Talk to internal and external customers and suppliers about their needs. Find out what more and what else you can be and do to create success.

Enroll and engage in conversation and communication. Sit back. Listen. Take in as much as you can. Look for trends and themes. Find out where the possibilities are - the connects and disconnects that you can effect.

Be more. Be all those things you always believed about yourself - and usually bring to the rest of your life.

Leaders aren't made or born. Leadership is a choice - a belief in and commitment to, everything that is good and noble within you.

If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Project Management For Dummies, Part II: Being an Extremist

"If it takes one woman nine months to have a baby, it does not follow that it can also be done in one month by impregnating nine women."

~ Dr. J. Ornstein on the fallacies sometimes committed in strategy planning.


 "I know that you believe that you understand what you think George said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what he meant."
~ My colleague's email to our Training Manager concerning my instructions during a new store opening

 "A little risk management saves a lot of fan cleaning"

~ Anonymous

"Fast, cheap or good.  Pick any two"~ Advise to a franchisee while overseeing the construction of his new unit.

In my last posting, I outlined the general steps one needs to take in planning out a project and in managing it.  This traditional project management style was the go-to approach when creating and managing a project. But technology advancements now (should) get ideas to market faster than ever. Because of this, newly created project management approaches take more risk, quicker changes, and a lightening speed timeline into consideration.  I consider this to be something I call Extreme Project Management.

In his book Effective Project Management Robert K. Wysocki defines this as “projects that include characteristics of high speed, high change and high uncertainty.” Consider the differences between the traditional and extreme styles prior to creating your project plan. You should commit to the extreme approach if your project fits the bill.

Traditional vs. Extreme

Traditional project management follows a straightforward approach to planning and managing a project along the lines I outlined in my last posting. It utilizes what’s called the waterfall method. This method basically plans project activities one after the other, in a direct line. When change happens, the project resets itself at a previous point in the project timeline and starts over again with the same waterfall method.

The waterfall approach is very linear. Once a schedule is reset because of a change, the entire schedule and final deadline shifts accordingly. If you are working in a fast paced environment with let's say strict market launch deadlines, this approach most likely won’t work. You’d likely be knocked off schedule and miss your deadline. The traditional approach is most successful when a project does not include a lot of change and most details of the project are realized at the beginning.

The extreme approach differs from the traditional project management style because it actually allows you to plan for change and uncertainties. Timing is also a big difference between the traditional and extreme approach. Whereas traditional projects tend to take months and in some cases even years by their very nature, the extreme approach breaks activities down into a smaller timeline like weeks or days (or even hours, if necessary).

Analogously, the traditional style of managing a project is the running of a marathon whereas the extreme style is the 100m dash.

Extreme project management is dominated by a constant cycle of change and resetting. It allows for teams to work in a shorter timeline with more regular and consistent cycles of reviews, approvals and agreement on the path forward.

Should Your Project Take the Extreme Approach?

Whether you are looking to assign a new project or you’re the project manager yourself, you’ll want to consider a few factors when deciding if the extreme approach is right for a specific project. If timing is fast and uncertainties remain or are likely to remain, taking the extreme approach might be best for you due to the ability to rapidly and nimbly change vectors.

Consider what you currently know about the project. Ask yourself: Do I know what the exact outcome of this project will be? Do I have all the answers to create a successful project plan? Can I expect there will not be (many or sudden) changes during the process?

If you answered no to any of these questions, the extreme approach might be the right choice for your project.

You’ll also want to consider stakeholder expectations. Are they realistic if the traditional approach is taken? Many times a senior leader will be excited about a project and will then throw it into the lap of their most successful project manager. The leader won’t provide a lot of direction but will expect the project to happen very quickly. Suggesting an extreme approach to the project will show you are nimble and willing to work on a project that might not be clearly defined.

Setting Up Your Extreme Project

Now that you’ve decided to take the extreme approach, you’ll want to consider the project team. The extreme project management approach is fast paced so the project team must be nimble and energetic.

Request or select a group that will be welcoming of change and can adjust quickly.  Request input from each team member as you build your plan. This last part should not be optional.  Confirm that all aspects of the project can happen as quickly as is necessary, and have them outline what obstacles (if any) they foresee arising during the course of their assigned tasks and what their plan of action is should that happen.  This allows for everyone to know what the next steps to take are should something arise that threatens the timeline, and, at the very least, forces your group to begin to adopt an agile mindset.

Lay out your project plan with the extreme approach in mind. Begin with a kick-off, and schedule multiple rounds of quick work time followed by team reviews, check-ins and alignment on how to move forward. I would suggest at least three round tables for a medium sized project with a short timeline, but there can be as many rounds as you like, so long as these don't impact the time the team must devote to the project.

Discovery and research will be needed during the entire process so as to constantly feed the projects outstanding questions.  You should have the resources for this made available to you, a "go to" person or department.  If not, assign two members of your group the responsibility of getting the team the answers or the information they require and support them should they run into any obstacles or delays. 

You can manage your project accordingly now that the project plan is in place. There will be a lot of change to track and manage so communication is critical. Project managers taking this extreme approach should plan to be in constant contact with all key team members. The probability of change will cause questions to arise constantly, so being available for answers is imperative.

Once you become comfortable with the idea of taking the extreme approach, you’ll probably find it suites you well and applies to many projects. The great thing about extreme project management is that its flexibility allows you to create the plan that best meets your goals and objectives.

If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Project Management for Dummies, Part I

"Project managers function as bandleaders who pull together their players each a specialist with individual score and internal rhythm. Under the leader's direction, they all respond to the same beat."

~L.R. Sayles

   
"Plans A through Q have this deal going through"

~Michael Sabia, CEO of BCE., when questioned if there was a plan B should his proposal not go through.  It didn't and there wasn't.

"Plans are nothing; planning is everything"
~  Dwight D. Eisenhower

Congratulations! You've just been appointed to manage a project.  Now what? How do you get started? What steps do you do next? How do you maximize your chances for success?

Whenever we examine any project before us, we usually identify what the obstacles are exactly, and identify that they need to be overcome.  But that's only the most basic step.  What is missing is a detailed analysis of not only what needs to be done, but how, why and when. 

In this first part, I have written down these basic project management steps below as a guide through the process of managing any project that should help you set up the markers you will need to start.

Here's How:
 

     1. Define the Scope
The first, and most important, step in any project is defining the scope of the project. What is it you are supposed to accomplish by managing this project? What is the project objective?

Equally important is defining what is not included in the scope of your project. This is an often overlooked definition.  If you don't get enough definition from your boss, clarify the scope yourself and send it back upstairs for confirmation.

     2.  Determine Available Resources
What people, equipment, and funds will you have available to you to achieve the project objectives? As a project manager, you usually will not have direct control of these resources, but will have to manage them through matrix managing (where there are 2 different superiors you report to; one is operational in nature and the other is functional). Find out how easy or difficult that will be to do.

     3. Check the Timeline
When does the project have to be completed? As you develop your project plan you may have some flexibility in how you use time during the project, but deadlines usually are fixed. If you decide to use overtime hours to meet the schedule, you must weigh that against the limitations of your budget.

     4. Assemble Your Project Team
Get the people on your team together and start a dialog. They are the experts. That's why their functional supervisor assigned them to the project. If you don't have any experts you can rely on, request the right people be assigned to you, or request permission to go and get them.  Your job isn't to be the expert.  Your job is to manage the experts.

     5. List the Big Steps
What are the major pieces of the project? If you don't know, start by asking your team. It is a good idea to list the steps in chronological order but don't obsess about it; you can always change the order later.

     6. List the Smaller Steps
List the smaller steps in each of the larger steps. Again, it usually helps you remember all the steps if you list them in chronological order. How many levels deep you go of more and more detailed steps depends on the size and complexity of your project.

     7. Develop a Preliminary Plan
Assemble all your steps into a plan. What happens first? What is the next step? Which steps can go on at the same time with different resources? Who is going to do each step? How long will it take? There are many excellent software packages available that can automate a lot of this detail for you. Ask others in similar positions what they use.

     8. Create Your Baseline Plan
Get feedback on your preliminary plan from your team and from any other stakeholders. Adjust your timeline and work schedules to fit the project into the available time. Make any necessary adjustments to the preliminary plan to produce a baseline plan.

     9.   Hope is not a Plan.  Hope is not a Strategy
I have often asked my direct reports to memorize this mantra and to teach their teams the same.  I can't tell you how many times I have heard the most detailed and exhaustive plans rely on uncontrollable variables that are assumed to be, wondrously enough, all in their favor.  Analyze your plan impartially.  Are there any variables that are beyond your direct control or influence?  And if so, have you accounted for all the possible outcomes?  If not, you need to keep these back up plans as viable alternatives to your primary plans, and allocate for the possibility that you may have to bring them from the background to the foreground at any time as the project progresses.

     9. Request Project Adjustments
There is almost never enough time, money or talent assigned to a project. Your job is to do more with the limited resources than people expect. However, there are sometimes limits placed on a project that are simply unrealistic. You need to make your case and present it to your boss and request these unrealistic limits be changed. Ask for the changes at the beginning of the project. Don't wait until it's in trouble to ask for the changes you need.

     10. Work Your Plan, But Don't Die For It
Robert Burns wrote about "The best laid schemes of mice and men....", but whereas he was apologizing to the mouse who's nest he upturned, the meaning of his poem was poignant to Project Managers: The most carefully prepared plans may (some say will) go wrong.

Making the plan is important, but the plan can be changed. You have a plan for driving to work every morning. If one intersection is blocked by an accident, you change your plan and go a different way. Do the same with your project plans. Change them as needed, but always keep the scope and resources in mind

     11. Monitor Your Team's Progress
Never confuse effort with results.  You will make little progress at the beginning of the project, but you should have started by then to monitor what everyone is doing anyway. That will make it easier to catch issues or failures before they become problems and threaten to derail the results.

     12. Document Everything
Keep records. Every time you change from your baseline plan, write down what the change was and why it was necessary. Every time a new requirement is added to the project write down where the requirement came from and how the timeline or budget was adjusted because of it. You can't remember everything, so write them down so you'll be able to look them up at the end-of-project review and learn from them.

     13. Keep Everyone Informed
Keep all the project stakeholders informed of progress all along. Let them know of your success as you complete each milestone, but also inform them of problems as soon as they come up. Also keep you team informed. If changes are being considered, tell the team about them as far ahead as you can. Make sure everyone on the team is aware of what everyone else is doing.

In part 2, we will examine different Project Management styles, and what situations are appropriate for them.  You can link directly to it  here.
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If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Retailing Commandments

  
"Customers don’t expect you to be perfect George.
They do expect you however to fix things when they are not perfect."

~Ralf Strub, President of Bellstar Hotel & Resorts

"You’ll never have a product or price advantage again.
They can be easily duplicated, but a strong customer service culture can’t be copied."

~Jerry Fritz, Director of Management Institute

University of Wisconsin

"Although your customers won’t love you if you give bad service, your competitors will."

~Kate Zabriskie, founder of Business Training Works, Inc

com·mand·ment

kəˈmændmənt, [kuh-mand-muhnt]

–noun

1. a command

Retailing, like Hospitality, is all about the customer.  Like the real estate mantra about "location, location, location" or the allegory about how to get to Carnegie Hall ("practice, practice, practice"), the first, last and only concern is the customer.  All other considerations are secondary.

This is nothing new.  This is not an epiphany, I realize.  I have heard it often said.  I have seen it often written down on a company mission statement.  I have had people more focused on managing their careers than in doing the right thing by their clients engage in one long monologue about it, knowing full well no one in the room believed for one minute that they were sincere. Still, it needed to be said.

And yet all of these well meaning people were missing the point.  You cannot give real service to a customer, the kind that makes them remember you and want to come back with their friends or family, if you don't add something that cannot be measured with money, or with reports or with numbers.

Sincerity and Integrity.

It is the most basic and fundamental element in Service, whether that be in Retail or in Hospitality.  It is the basis of the public trust and loyalty retailers fight viciously over.  It is the end result of all the marketing dollars, focus groups, training seminars and incentive programs we put into place both for and because of our customers.  The sincerity of our staff in wanting to serve their clients as opposed to simply taking an order, and the integrity of our staff in being both honest and open, even if that means owning up to things when they are not going perfectly well.

Perhaps it is a social trend, this tendency for self gratification, that is diametrically opposed to the act of serving someone else's needs, wants or desires, before our own.  Perhaps the difficulty lies in intuitively grasping the basic tenets of what it takes to do a good job in the Service sectors, due to this penchant of the needs of the self being greater than the needs of the others. The older generations seem to be more able to do this than some members of the younger generations.

So in the interest of making it simple, what follows are the "18 commandments" of providing excellent Service, both for the employee and for those of us who lead our respective teams.  Some of them may be variations on previous item, but only because it is worth repeating.

 

 1.     It's the Customer, Stupid.  To paraphrase that popular, and successful, quote from Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign: The single most important aspect of your business is your customers. Make sure your entire team understands that - and acts like they understand it. Monitor this closely and reinforce it constantly.

2.     Spoil your Customers.  Everyone wants to think they are special. You can make your customers feel special if you treat them like they are special (they in fact are.  See #1 above.) For the time you are with them, concentrate on them and what they are telling you. Exclude everything else for that period of time.

3.     Delight the Customer.  It is heard a lot, but seldom practiced. Today I saw a Manager straighten out a mess and, in the process, calm an irate customer. When I heard her tell her team to put two mugs with the company's logo into the customer's bag, I knew she understood what "Delight the Customer" means.

4.     You never have to make up for a good start.  If a project or a job gets off to a bad start it can be difficult to catch up. Do your planning up front so you get a good start and you won't regret it.

5.     Train Your Supervisors.  The key to your business success is the productivity of your employees. The key to employee productivity is their perception of their immediate supervisor. Invest in training your supervisors and managers. It will pay off.

6.     Under-promise and over-deliver.  This goes beyond the old adage 'don't promise what you can't deliver'. Instead, deliver more than what you promised. It's a good way to build customer rapport - both outside and inside the company.

7.     Your first obligation is to the customer.  More like #1 above, but it must be repeated. Without customers you don't have a business. Treat them with the same respect you expect when you are a customer. Make sure everyone in your organization understands the importance of customer service, and again, acts accordingly.

8.     YOU have to make a difference.  The group you manage has to be more effective and more productive with you there than they would be if you were not. If they are as productive without you, then I am sorry to say that there is no business sense in keeping you on the payroll. As callous as this sounds, you and/or your Managers need to understand this truth about the business world.

9.     Your biggest business challenge is your competition.  They have to take away your customers in order to survive or grow. There is no other way. How are they going to do that? How can you stop them? How can you steal their customers? How do they steal yours?  Don't wait for it to happen. Constantly anticipate and prepare.  They may have a different product, or a lower price point, but if you can "out service" them, you cannot be competed against.

10.    Follow Through on Sales Promises.  Don't let your sales people make promises the company can't meet. If they tell a customer they can have eleventy-billion (sic) widgets "tomorrow before 10", they better be sure that many are already in the warehouse and the transportation has already been arranged. Nothing loses customers faster than broken promises.

11.    Doing it right costs less than doing it over.  I have often noticed that people will tell me why there was never enough time to do it right, but that there always seems to be enough time to do it over.  Save the costs, including customer dissatisfaction and lower worker morale, by concentrating on doing the job right the first time.

12.    Don't Be A De-Motivator.  Your job as a leader is to get and keep your people motivated and working toward the common goal. Demeaning them, to their face or to others, erodes their motivation. So does dismissively telling them that their ideas are dumb or stupid, or simply laughing when one is put forth. Watch your own actions to be sure you aren't defeating your own efforts by demotivating your people.

13.    Keep the flame alive.  When people join your organization they are all fired up and ready to do great things. Over time we all too often wear down that enthusiasm. Instead, do what you can to fan the flames of their enthusiasm and you will be amazed at their output. 

14.    You Can't Listen With Your Mouth Open.  Your associates, your employees, your suppliers, your customers all have something of value in what they have to say. Listen to the people around you. You will never learn what it is if you drown them out by talking all the time. Remember, the only thing that can come out of your mouth is something you already know. Be quiet and learn.

15.    Appearance Does Matter.  It may be a sad commentary on our superficial society, but appearance does matter. Whether it's the packaging on your product, the first impression you make when calling on a new client, or your company's web site people notice how things look. They care about how things look and make judgments about you and/or your product based on appearance.

16.    Get your people involved.  It's a lot easier to get employees to stand behind a company decision if they have the opportunity to participate in the discussion. Management still has to make the decision, but if they have had the opportunity to make their point of view known employees are more apt to stand behind the ultimate decision, even if they don't agree with it. Open town halls are a great way to elicit opinions and thoughts, even if (or especially if) your employees notice something you are doing to demotivate them or damage the business.  Most people want to do a good job and see their place of employment succeed, and if given an honest chance, they will work very hard to make it so.

17.    Fix the problem, not the blame. It is far more productive, and less expensive, to figure out what to do to fix a problem for the customer that has come up than it is to waste time trying to decide who's fault it was.

18.    Actively listen. Listen to your customers, your employees, your suppliers, and anyone else who comes in contact with your business. Honestly evaluate what they have to say, without letting your ego get in the way, and you will probably learn something that benefits your business.

If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Office Politics: The Best Way To Ruin Your Performance

"I don't at all like knowing what people are saying of me behind my back.  It makes me far too conceited."

~Oscar Wilde

"The person who says 'I'm not political' is in great danger.....only the fittest will survive, and the fittest will be the ones who understan their office's politics"

~Jean Hollands

"In politics, stupidity is not a handicap"

~Napoleon Bonaparte

No matter how focused you might want the workplace to be on job skills and performance, many aspects of going to work have more to do with personalities rather than abilities.

Relationships form the foundation for effective teams — people working with other people. The resulting relationships bond people by commonalities. When positive, this establishes a unique and dynamic blending of individuals and personalities that makes the team as a whole more than just the sum of its parts. The negative flip side is competitive divisions, and sometimes “enemy camps,” that polarize and often immobilize the work group.

A sort of “relationship language” evolves after a time. People learn to get what they want from each other through indirect methods. These tactics have a give-and-take nature that causes us who are in Management to view them as “playing games.” In the workplace, we call them office politics. The motivations they reflect are personal — a desire for individual gain, a need for individual attention, a longing for recognition and reward. Because satisfying the motivation often comes at the expense of someone else, we tend to perceive these behaviors as manipulative and self-serving.

Office politics — those intersections between whom you know, how much you support the ideas and pet projects of others, what relationships you cultivate and which ones you discourage — often play into promotion decisions, at least minimally. A leadership personality is important for a manager, and that encompasses the ability to schmooze. Job skills matter too, of course. But it's important to make sure the right people know your thoughts and see you shine. Although we all profess to abhor office politics, everyone who works with other people becomes engaged in them to some extent.

At work, everybody wants something — money, status, power. Most people want to come to work and do a good job. They expect recognition, reward, and responsibility. Seems straightforward enough — so why is this such a problem? 

Because people are human. They are naturally competitive. They may do a good job, but they worry that someone else is doing better or receiving misplaced credit. This gives rise to that little bit of manipulation that will maybe assure that others notice their contributions.

The various faces of such manipulation are familiar to all managers. An employee might drop in on the manager, alone, and casually mention a specific achievement or ask for advice on some work in progress. This self-gratification doesn't usually hurt anyone else unless the person is taking credit for work someone else did.

A more damaging variation on this theme is the employee who uses the forum of a meeting to ask another employee an embarrassing question, putting the person on the spot.

More insidious still is the employee who requests a confidential meeting with the manager to, out of sincere dedication and as much as he hates to have to do this, alert the manager to certain people who are not pulling their share of the workload or are incompetent or are overqualified or who need remedial help, etc...etc....

And then there's the employee who consistently ignores assignments her manager gives her, but gushes, “Gosh, I wish someone had suggested this to me earlier!” when her manager's boss assigns the same project or asks why no one is doing the work.

And then there is the perennial favorite, the person I call the "shoe shiner", who is harmless to others initially but, if left unchecked, will foster feelings of resentment and result in unproductive employees ("Why do I have to try and do a good job when all I have to do is offer to mow the lawn of the V.P.'s while he's away on holidays?"). 

Technology gives people new ways to polish the apples they want others to notice. An employee can send out a grandstanding e-mail — one that gives the impression she is managing the project instead of the team member who really is — and copy everyone in the department or (oops!) the entire company. E-mail has become the latest weapon in political agendas, replacing drinks after work and standing outside in the rain to grab a smoke as the ideal venue for pitching an idea or shining shoes. Who gets copied in and who is left off the list is the ultimate political move.

Few employee behaviors are as frustrating to managers as the perpetuation of politics. Work place politics can undermine morale and productivity far faster than any genuine bad news. To shut down the political machine that exists in most companies, some managers use a system similar to a suggestion box. Employees can deposit their questions, obserations, ideas, praise of fellow employees and complaints anonymously and the manager then investigates and posts responses on a bulletin board or e-mail them to employees. Other managers appoint an employee committee to handle these activities. But above all, Managers must keep themselves above and aloof from the politics;  it will either distract you from what you're supposed to be doing (i.e. Managing) or destroy your credibility if you are swayed by the politicos and shoe shiners which will result in you not being able to lead effectively.

Perhaps there is nothing that can really be done to halt the workplace politics, the jostling for increased group status or personal gain.  Perhaps all we can do is mitigate it by actively discouraging the worse offenders and by re-focusing our teams on what the expectations are.  Holding them to a higher standard (one which we ourselves as Leaders should be aspiring to as well) is a good place to start. 

So is reminding ourselves and the people who lead our employees of the following truth:  An underperforming employee is usually someone who will, in order to obfuscate their failings, talk to you about others;  a Manager who spends more time managing their career than his duties is usually someone who will talk to you about themselves; but a brilliant Manager is someone who will talk to you about yourself.

Which one do you aspire to be?

If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Don't be a Victim of the Buzzword Bingo movement

 

"We are determined to promote constant attention on current procedures of transacting business focusing emphasis on innovative ways to better, if not supercede, the expectations of quality!"

- Actual closing paragraph of a nationally circulated memo by Lucent Technologies

"The clichés of a culture sometimes tell the deepest truths."

- Faith Popcorn

Do your employees seem to be paying more attention lately to what you are saying in meetings? Are announcements from top management getting more careful scrutiny than they used to?

You may have, overnight, become a more dynamic speaker and your employees may have awakened to your greatness. The more likely reason for their new found enthusiasm in your monologuing abilities is that they are probably just playing "buzzword bingo". The good news is that you can use this latest business game to your advantage.

The game is played like regular bingo except that instead of numbers in the squares there are random business buzzwords: paradigm; bottom line; optimization; Total Quality Management; reengineering; out of the box; etc.

Before the speech is made or the announcement is published, the employees discreetly print up buzzword bingo cards (they are available online at numerous sites) and hand them out. As each buzzword is used in the speech (or meeting) they check off that square. Up, down or diagonal wins, just as in regular bingo. And since it would be too obvious to shout "BINGO", the winner coughs discretely or gives some other innocuous sign to signal his or her victory.

So how do you take this reborn game fad and turn it to your advantage? How can buzzword bingo make you a better manager? By helping you communicate better with your employees, that's how.

Don't hide your message behind the ambiguity of buzzwords. (I defy anyone to define "paradigm" without looking it up.) Say what you want to say in plain, direct English (or in whatever language your company conducts business).  I've always considered using whatever prevailing buzzword is de rigeur at the moment as a symptom of mental laziness, or, in some cases, a symptom of unoriginal thinking.  Their use is therefore an expedient method to hide behind.

Take your next speech, email, or policy statement. Generate a buzzword bingo card yourself from one of the sites. Review your message against the buzzword list. How quickly would someone have "won"?

Now go back and edit that speech, etc. and take out the buzzwords. Replace them with direct messages. You’ll be surprized at how quickly your people do start paying attention to what you are saying - for the sake of the message and not for the sake of winning at "bingo".

If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Life Cycle of the North American employee

"A leader's job is to make the strengths of the people who serve under him as effective as possible and their weaknesses irrelevant.  And this applies to you as much as it applies to those of us who are your bosses"

- Lt. Colonel Antoine Fasching, U.N.I.S.R.

"Men and women want to do a good job, and if they are provided the proper environment, they will do so."

- William Hewlett

I was once sitting in the office of a colleague of mine who was an HR professional, and  saw a chart of a 9 step Employee Life Cycle on the wall to her left. I remember asking her at the time why would HR require a tool that detailed for nothing more than formalizing a process that would appear prima facie to be intuitive to most people, especially those of us in a Management role.  Now, HR departments fill a much needed role in the corporate environment. They can make sure we get appropriate job descriptions written and posted to the company or relevant websites. They can use their understanding of our company culture to identify applicants who might fit better. They can research salary trends, benefit programs, and competitors' hiring practices. They guide us through the legalities and they produce the reports of staff levels versus budget, of turnover rates, and of employee morale. And because, like Accounting, they are a support function we need to treat them as such. It is our job as management, not theirs, to find, hire, motivate, lead, and retain the best talent.

All that being said, how does a 9, 10 or even 12 step chart detailing a typical employee's career cycle aid us in our roles?  Maybe Human Resources professionals need that much detail, but I believe that functional managers don't.

An employee life cycle is the steps the employees go through from the time they enter a company until they leave. Often Human Resources professionals focus their attention on the steps in this process in hopes of making an impact on the company's bottom line. That is a good thing for them to do. Their goal is to reduce the company's cost per employee hired.   Unfortunately, they aren't the ones who really make a difference – managers are.

In most people's minds, they don't really work for companies; they work for a boss. To the extent that you can be a good boss, you can keep employees, keep them happy, and reduce the costs associated with employee turnover. In the process, you will make your own job easier and increase your value to the company.

Employees are one of a company's largest expenses these days Unlike other major capital costs (buildings, machinery, technology, etc.) human capital is highly volatile. As managers, we are in a key position to reduce that volatility by understanding and implementing a condensed employee life cycle of Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire.

HIRE

This first step is probably the most important. It is important to hire the best people you can find. This is not a time to be cheap. The cost of replacing a bad hire far exceeds the marginal additional cost of hiring the best person in the first place.

• Hire talent, not just skills. Skills can be taught to a talented employee. A skilled employee cannot be given talent.
• Improve your interviewing skills. Often this can be as simple as knowing what questions to ask during the hiring process.
• Make your company a place people want to come to and work for. Company culture can be a powerful recruiting tool. Make sure yours reflects the goals the company wants to achieve. 

INSPIRE

Once you have recruited the best employees to come to work on your team, the hard part begins. You have to inspire them to perform to the maximum of their abilities and capabilities. You have to challenge and motivate them. That is where you will get their best effort and their creativity that will help your organization excel.

• Make them welcome. Make them feel like part of the team from the first day.
• Set goals for them that are hard, but can be achieved. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals. Encourage them.  Support them.  Communicate with them (this is a 2 way street.  Don't get caught monologuing to them).  Only mushrooms and fungi flourish in the dark.
• Be a leader, not just a manager.

ADMIRE

Once you have hired the best employees and have challenged and motivated them, you cannot relax. The biggest mistake I have seen many managers make is to ignore employees. The same attention you paid to their work assignments, to their satisfaction levels, to their sense of being part of a great team needs to continue for as long as they are in your group. As soon as you start to slack off, their satisfaction and motivation decreases. If you don't do something, they will become disenchanted and will leave. They will become part of the "employee turnover" statistic you were trying to avoid.

• You want TGIM (thank goodness it's Monday) employees not TGIF (thank goodness it's Friday) ones. 
• Give them positive feedback as much as you can, even if it's just a good word.
• Provide appropriate rewards and recognition for jobs done well.
• Maintain your integrity and always conduct yourself honorably.  An employee may not always agree with your decisions (and will probably never let you know about it in any case), but if they believe you to be fair, you will have their respect.
• Create referral programs and reward your employees for referring other employee candidates "who are just as great as you".

RETIRE

This is when you know you have been successful. When employees see your company as the employer of choice, they will join you. When they recognize you as a good boss and a real leader, they will stay around through the bad times. As long as you continue to inspire, motivate, and challenge them, they will continue to contribute at the high levels you need in order to beat your competition. They will be long-term employees; even staying with you and your company until they retire. They will refer other quality employees to your company, including their relatives. You will attract and retain second and even third generation employees. Along the way, you will have had some of the most creative employees, some of the most productive employees, and the lowest employee costs in your market. You will be able to spend the money you save in this way on other key competitive elements, including raises and bonuses for all employees – even yourself.

If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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Public Speaking

"Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary."

- Evan Esar

"You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart."

- John Ford

"Grasp the subject, the words will follow."

- Cato The Elder

When we're planning on how to get a point across to a group of people we will be addressing, we often think long and hard about what we want to say. We draft our speech by listing the key talking points, intersperse it with a humour we hope will bring a little levity, and sum it up with what (we also hope) will be a memorable finish.  I admit that I have done exactly this many times, and only after listening to enough speeches and presentations do I look back and realize that such a course of action was the wrong way to go about it. Instead of focusing on what I wanted to say in order to get my point across, I should have focused instead on what I wanted the other person to hear.

Countless books and articles have been written that explain why sending the right message is so important and teaching you how to send exactly the message you want to send. Their authors stress the importance of being concise, precise, and specific in choosing your words, regardless of whether you write them or speak them. They tell you that this is the best way to get your point across to your audience.

But do we ever stop for a minute and consider who our audience is going to be?

The secret is knowing that what we want to say, and what words or sentences we want to use, are unimportant.  The only thing that is important is our audience.  It  is our audience who will decide what we are going to say and how we are going to say it. Explaining the value of a new telephone system is different if you are speaking to the finance department than if you are addressing the telesales staff. The better you know your audience the easier it is for you to tailor your message to them. And the more your message is tailored to your audience the more likely it is that you will get your point across.

Though it might seem obvious once explained in these terms, it is not so obvious a thing when we are preparing;  at least, it is not so easy to bear in mind. While the message you send is important, the message the receiver hears is even more important. If you know your audience you usually have an idea of how they will interpret or filter what you say. You can use this to your advantage to make sure they receive the message you are trying to send.

We all know, for instance, that if we are addressing a group of first-graders we can't use "big words" because they won't "get it". They won't understand our message, or any nuance of language we use. So we choose words they will comprehend. Rather than using "big words" that convey the message we want to send, we use words we think they will understand. That way they will hear our message and understand what we want them to.

I am not suggesting that we speak to, or consider the intelligence of, any group of people as being that of elementary school children.  However, I would suggest that as the speakers who will have the attention of any group, we should be tailoring the message so that it is relevant and easily understood from their perspective, in terms that readily grasped from the position of their duties and tasks. 

We should not be trying to explain, for example, technology concepts to accountants using technical terms. Or using a financial analogy to get a point across to the Creative Department. If you want your service department to handle more calls per day, tell them that. Don't tell them they need to "reduce the time interval between customer-interface opportunities in order to better leverage company resources with the aim of improving the overall satisfaction metrics" 

To increase your chances of getting your point across, focus more on the receiver than on the sender. Tailor your message to your audience to improve their comprehension. Don't worry so much about what you want to say as about what you want them to hear and understand.

If you have any suggestions or topics you'd like to see covered, or if you'd like help with an issue you're currently experiencing, please drop me a line at gbossinakis@live.com. 
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