A Key Message to Managers and Leaders
Since the beginning of industry, companies have been seeking ways to do things better, faster, more efficiently, and more effectively. The leaders at the top of the organization are charged with setting a path forward, but it's the managers who are asked to fill in the holes in the strategy. The managers, along with the teams they manage, help make the vision a reality. And what is it that we ask managers to do – the same thing we ask companies to do – do more with less. And here is the tricky part – if you're a manager that has been successful in the past either as an excellent individual contributor or just in achieving exceptional results, you may be tempted to define the path forward for your teams. It's here where I'd ask you to consider a few alternatives:
1. More than one way: At work, just like in life, there's generally more than one way to accomplish a goal. In fact, there are often several different ways to solve a challenge. A paraphrase of a quote from Elon Musk goes something like if he had an hour to solve a problem, he'd spend 55 minutes thinking about it. I do not doubt in that time; he'd come up with viable solutions. Now imagine he engaged his team of talented leaders and gave them the same 55 minutes – how many solutions could he come up with then? It's the same for you. The ideas you have a probably good – but developing your team requires you to give them the space to create and evolve.
2. Failure applied correctly is good: How many times do you look at your work team and tell them, "There's a good chance you're going to fail, but I'm okay with it and you, as long as you learn from it." It's true; we do learn something from our successes, and given the option of learning a lesson while winning vs. while losing, I'm pretty sure all of us would select while winning. But that's the thing, in your career, the difficult choices we have to make are never entirely straightforward – or they wouldn't be difficult. That means, despite all efforts, the recommended approach may not work. Many managers like to shield their teams from that feeling – of doing their best and still failing – so they make the final decision. While there are times that approach is required, most often, I'd argue it's depriving the employee of a critical opportunity to grow. Want to understand if someone can handle the pressure – let them handle the pressure. Want to see if they have what it takes to find the right solution – give them the chance to do so.
3. You're right: If you've been successful throughout your career in different positions, there's a good chance you're right – and probably a lot of the time. But the question you have to ask yourself is, "What is the cost of my being right?" I've seen some fantastic managers who are typically the most intelligent people in the room – and those same managers don't seem to have the same tree of future leaders underneath them. These managers may know their solution is probably right and move forward with their option. In doing so, they may not fully consider their teams' ideas or provide their direct reports the opportunity to create a different solution. Over time, their team leaves the company or business, seeking new opportunities to grow. Or worse, their team stays and simply learns to defer to the manager's decisions – creating frustration and denying development.
As I said before, there isn't always one answer to a problem. But, as a manager and a leader, I encourage you to engage your team in creating solutions. Provide them the opportunity to fail – you'd likely be surprised how many times they won't!
Coach Ha-Keem
You're Worth It!
For more tips, check out my book, “You’re Worth It! Navigating Your Career in Corporate America,” or go to my website, CoachHa-Keem.com.
