Coming Shortly.
Some thoughts, comments and observations on the new generation in the workforce.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Mentoring
Where are you going for your next vacation?
Are you going to be able to get away from work to take a vacation?
Here is the "kicker". Who is going to perform your essential job functions while you are gone?
You are not indispensable but there are certain things you need to do on a daily basis to keep the gears turning around the office. Have you taken the time to teach anyone what these things are? Have you developed anyone to the point you would be comfortable not coming in even for a day?
Keeping these tasks your domain is not, as some beleive, "Job Security". Your responsibility as a manager and leader is to develop and mentor others. To do anything else is to hurt the company and the people you are responsible for as well as yourself.
How is the company going to promote you if there is no one to take your place? How are you going to take that time off or go on vacation? How long is that employee going to stay around if you do not give them an opportunity to shine?
From the companies perspective, how much are we losing in productivity? How much money are we losing because we cannot retain the best employees? How can we afford to put the best person into the position if there is no one to take their current position?
Ask the people who report to you what their interests are. What would they like to learn? What are their strengths? Weaknesses? What are you doing to develop them and help them contribute more?
The great thing is that as you teach others you learn more. It also makes your job less stressful and more enjoyable. The company gets more relaxed, more productive employees. The people who report to you feel better about their job and learn valuable skills they can take with them to any position in the future.
Sounds like everybody wins in this scenario.
Are you going to be able to get away from work to take a vacation?
Here is the "kicker". Who is going to perform your essential job functions while you are gone?
You are not indispensable but there are certain things you need to do on a daily basis to keep the gears turning around the office. Have you taken the time to teach anyone what these things are? Have you developed anyone to the point you would be comfortable not coming in even for a day?
Keeping these tasks your domain is not, as some beleive, "Job Security". Your responsibility as a manager and leader is to develop and mentor others. To do anything else is to hurt the company and the people you are responsible for as well as yourself.
How is the company going to promote you if there is no one to take your place? How are you going to take that time off or go on vacation? How long is that employee going to stay around if you do not give them an opportunity to shine?
From the companies perspective, how much are we losing in productivity? How much money are we losing because we cannot retain the best employees? How can we afford to put the best person into the position if there is no one to take their current position?
Ask the people who report to you what their interests are. What would they like to learn? What are their strengths? Weaknesses? What are you doing to develop them and help them contribute more?
The great thing is that as you teach others you learn more. It also makes your job less stressful and more enjoyable. The company gets more relaxed, more productive employees. The people who report to you feel better about their job and learn valuable skills they can take with them to any position in the future.
Sounds like everybody wins in this scenario.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Leadership
I see so many young men and women getting into management positions and told they need to become leaders. How many times do you see anyone explain to them just what that means?
I see the same new managers making the same mistakes over and over again. I even see their managers use a magician's approach to leadership in trying to teach them. Smoke and mirror's.
There is an old saying that," the fish stink from the head down". It took quite awhile to truly appreciate that saying and I find new meaning every day.
From day one I was taught that you build trust with those you lead through honesty and integrity. Yet, as many of us try to pass on those values to others there are many who are teaching leadership through mis-direction, half-truths and "spinning" situations to make them more "positive".
A true leader worries about his people and cares for them; but when did that become lying to them to spare their feelings or creating positive spin on a situation to keep up morale? This is a short sighted and possibly fatal mistake.
You should always remain positive that you will weather the storm. However, that does not translate to telling them it is sunny when the storm is blowing full force. This erodes the trust you have built with the people who report to you as well as your superiors and peers. It erodes the foundation leadership is built on.
To often today we hear that we need to be positive about situations. However, we need to be positive that we can overcome the obstacles set in the path. Not to paint a happy face on the rock in our path.
This is similar to the way you raise children. You allow them to feel the pain, or to experience the problem and see it for what it is. This way you develop in them a feeling of accomplishment and also develop their abilities. This creates a self-reliant individual who needs less coaching and becomes self managing.
This is good in the home as well as in the work place. Developing the talents and abilities of those you associate with. By hiding the problems or issues behind smoke and mirrors you are doing a disservice to those who rely on you (the organization and the people you are responsible for). You send a message that they are not capable enough to handle the situation or that you just do not respect them as adults. If you do not respect them how can you expect anything in return?
Well that's my thought of the day.
I see the same new managers making the same mistakes over and over again. I even see their managers use a magician's approach to leadership in trying to teach them. Smoke and mirror's.
There is an old saying that," the fish stink from the head down". It took quite awhile to truly appreciate that saying and I find new meaning every day.
From day one I was taught that you build trust with those you lead through honesty and integrity. Yet, as many of us try to pass on those values to others there are many who are teaching leadership through mis-direction, half-truths and "spinning" situations to make them more "positive".
A true leader worries about his people and cares for them; but when did that become lying to them to spare their feelings or creating positive spin on a situation to keep up morale? This is a short sighted and possibly fatal mistake.
You should always remain positive that you will weather the storm. However, that does not translate to telling them it is sunny when the storm is blowing full force. This erodes the trust you have built with the people who report to you as well as your superiors and peers. It erodes the foundation leadership is built on.
To often today we hear that we need to be positive about situations. However, we need to be positive that we can overcome the obstacles set in the path. Not to paint a happy face on the rock in our path.
This is similar to the way you raise children. You allow them to feel the pain, or to experience the problem and see it for what it is. This way you develop in them a feeling of accomplishment and also develop their abilities. This creates a self-reliant individual who needs less coaching and becomes self managing.
This is good in the home as well as in the work place. Developing the talents and abilities of those you associate with. By hiding the problems or issues behind smoke and mirrors you are doing a disservice to those who rely on you (the organization and the people you are responsible for). You send a message that they are not capable enough to handle the situation or that you just do not respect them as adults. If you do not respect them how can you expect anything in return?
Well that's my thought of the day.
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