1 Management Trick You MUST Use

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As the new Deputy Chief of Party, Simon was just not having an easy time at work. With 8 direct reports leading a team of 62 in the Kenya Office, he found that his days rapidly dissolved into one fire-fighting mess after another. What gives?

Simon strode into the dining area of THAT garden cafe situated just a few minutes from work – his latest haunt for early morning breakfast. As he settled onto the patio overlooking the fountain and serene garden, he looked back into this past 60 days at the INGO.

“Having breakfast here has been the only silver lining to this endless dark cloud,” Simon mused to himself. A wry smile fluttered across his lips, before disappearing swiftly and in its place, a scowl forming.

Simon was not happy.

His eyes zoned out into a daze, as he analysed his direct reports mentally. There was the HR guy who just did not understand that recruitment was a corporate activity and not his personal ego-massage tool. Then there were the 3 Regional Program Managers who seemed to value per-diems and “muchene” (back-biting gossip) rather than implementing meaningful program activity.

Head of Finance was one step away from a nervous breakdown given his people-pleasing penchant that has him bound in a never-ending cycle of endless revisions of financial reports. “That guy needs to grow a back-bone,” Simon thought to himself.

Then there’s Maria, who happens to be one of the only sane people in leadership, as Head of Learning, Monitoring & Evaluation. “She’s diligent and clear in her communication. She’s so easy to lead,” Simon whimsically whispered, to the bright blue bird perched on the window ledge.

The Internal Auditor, Sam, seemed okay – though, cold and aloof – never really engaging long enough to leave any kind of impression as to his competence. And his analysis was brought to an abrupt end with the arrival of breakfast.

Question
Do you find that some of
your team members “get you”,
while others simply do not?
What’s that about?

If there is just one trick you could use – whether you are new to Senior Management or a new Organizational Leader – this would be it. Read on.

As Simon Sinek surmises, we follow leaders who inspire. This is perhaps why Martin Luther’s emotive speech was entitled, “I have a dream” and NOT “I have a plan”. The Million Man March to Washington DC on 16th October, 1995 happened without Facebook, WhatsApp, Online Calendar invites and so on. Old-fashioned “inspired to be” type of leadership, moved a million and more to be in one place on the same day, to push for greater civil rights. Incredible.

Indeed, we follow leaders for ourselves.

Not for corporate goals. For ourselves. The questions your team will probably be asking themselves, sound like these:

“Where is this leader taking me?”
“Do I believe what they believe?”
“What can I learn from them?”
“What opportunities can they introduce me to?”
“Do I want to lead like them, some day?”

Here is the gift to nurture in your season of leadership.

Identify what you believe in.
Discern + Articulate your cause.

For example, “Do you believe that every person has the opportunity to live with human dignity, and your dream is to see this become a reality?”
Or, perhaps “Do you believe that we are all enablers of empowerment and that unexplored and poorly executed strategies are killers of dreams?

What do you believe in?
How does that align to what you do at work?

Does your team know what you stand for?
Are you pulling them towards this vision or are you whipping them – nay, forcefully manipulating them – down an unclear, uninspiring and unempowering path?

It may be time to become a Situational Leader – this is the ONE management trick you MUST use as you get deeper into People Management and Corporate Leadership.

A Situational Leader understands that “not all animals are equal”, as detailed in the classic tale, ‘Animal Farm’. Some team members may require Coaching. Others may need more obvious Directing. Whilst others know exactly what needs to be done and run with things efficiently, pushing you into a Support role. Still others, will receive immense value from you by you Delegating to them, as they stretch their skills to new horizons.

These, then, are the 4 Situational Leadership Styles.
Directing > Coaching > Supporting > Delegating.

Directing has the most hand holding.
Delegating has the least.

Figure out which style to use – and for whom.
Each style will deliver a unique blend of support and direction.
Figure it out, early.

That is the ONE Management trick you must use – in this season of enriching your Leadership skills bucket.

It’s about the GOAL and the PERSON.
Adapt your management style to provide what is needed to reach the Goal AND to move the individual to their next stage of development.

Let’s repeat that …

Here’s the Productivity Soundbite
Adapt your management style
to provide what’s needed
to reach the goal AND
move the individual to their
next stage of development.

The Situational Leadership theory was first proposed by
Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey.

Be versatile.

“The secret of leadership is simple.
Do what you believe in.
Paint a picture of the future.
Go there.
People will follow.”
Seth Godin

Are you ready to sharpen your axe?
We look forward to working with you in the coming year.

Make time to do more. With the time you already have, enhanced productivity and clarity is within your reach. Welcome.