The above is a wonderful talk from Jason Fried. He makes numerous points, with suggestions on how to make it better, about the ironies that are found in the office. Can you relate?
The Essential Element
Until organizations realize that people are the essential elements of what make things work, we will forever have a win-lose proposition. Meaning, the organization thinks they've won and people are always on the losing end of the stick. Paying lip-service to this will only further deepen the hole.
I admire any leader that has the courage to speak up and act. These types of leaders are willing to pay a steep price, in-order to fight for something worth fighting for. This is rare. Far too many people of influence are looking the other way.
The absence of leaders willing to raise their hands is the rot we have on our hands.
Candor and Clarity
I've written before about the importance of clarity on the part of managers. Most of that was directed at mid-level managers who are often tasked with leading individual contributors.
This post is directed at those who are steering at the senior level. It may be an obvious, but candor and clarity is important. Consider the following:
- Every organization should be willing to be clear and candid about the direction of the enterprise. If you are a publicly-held group, then you may have some disclosure issues to navigate. That said, legal limitations on what can and cannot be disclosed should not be an excuse for a lack of candor and clarity.
- Every organization should let their employees know what the value system is based on, even if it means the employee is not at the top of the list. Avoiding this discussion/communication could be fatal. So many employers and employees operate under assumptions. Assumptions that go out the window when the storms come.
- Every organization should be clear about how the organization makes money. This places a shared accountability and education.
- Every organization must understand the life-cycle of and employee and give those employees the room to move on. So many organizations live in fear of employees leaving. Turn-over (internally or externally) due to terrible managers is bad (really bad), turn-over due to an employee completing the mission and moving onto a new dream is a great thing. By the way, the latter example might make your company a highly desired place to work.
- Every organization should be able to communicate when the end is near. I know it sounds morbid, but don't tell an intelligent adult things are good when collapse is not far off. By giving them the tough reality upfront you give an opening to prepare. Every good employee deserves this kind of candor and clarity.
If you work for an organization that finds candor and clarity nearly impossible, I would consider moving on because a lack of candor and clarity is usually a sign of decline. The irreversible type of decline.
Fear and Greed
This post was originally written in 2006, it was timely then and timely now. Is your organization paying attention?
I read today that Jeff Skilling of Enron fame wasn't in "it" for the money. He just wanted to build a solid business. I'm not here to judge him, but his comments are telling…as it relates to fear and greed.
Oh, how great it would be if every junior executive/manager got the workshop on fear and greed. It wouldn't guarantee total bliss, but it might reduce the wrecks. Sadly, corporations fail to talk about this due to their own addictions. You see fear and greed can be habit forming. They seem OK when you first taste, but leave behind ruined lives afterward.
If you're new to management or ownership, take some time to deal with the issues of fear and greed. No matter how well you think things are going. Your employees/subordinates will thank you for it.
7 Things Your Manager Wants You To Know
I spoke with a friend yesterday about the role of her manager in her job. He's an advocate for her and a buffer. The buffer part was what struck me. He's a buffer between my friend and senior management. Sadly, senior management in this organization is living in an alternative reality, so they need someone who is deft at translating this reality into real world application. This happens a lot in the corporate world.
This post is not a defense of the middle-manager, nor is it a rant about how bad they sometimes can be. In the spirit of balance I want you to consider 7 things your manager wants you to know:
- Your manager is afraid. In many ways this makes them like everybody else, with one huge exception. Your manager has power and influence over the work of human beings.
- Your manager thought they wanted the job when it was offered. Many managers are conflicted. The organization dressed everything up well, put on the nicest face, but decided to let themselves go after the honeymoon. Now your manager sees themselves as stuck.
- Your manager wants to do the right thing. She realizes she can't please everyone. She knows that making a decsion swiftly and resolutely is sometimes needed, even if you don't see it or understand it.
- Your manager wants ongoing learning and growth. But it's very difficult when profit tries to push an unseen opportunity out the door. Or worse, the organization doesn't care about learning and growth.
- Your manager has been a bully all their life and has no intention of stopping. Unless, of course, someone decides to push back. He believes the organization is weak for not putting a halt to his behavior.
- Your manager is intimidated by people who are smarter and wiser. They see vulnerability (being ok with not being the crown jewel in the room) as something to be avoided.
- Your manager feels like their life is ebbing away. The other parts of life are demanding much from her, just like the organization. In many ways she wonders where is the life she dreamed of.
When Managers Are Vague-2011 Update
The following is a re-post of something I wrote over 3 years ago. Had a conversation yesterday with a peer and we still see way too much of this:
Talked to a friend yesterday who works for a large organization with many deadlines and targets to hit. She's a star in the company's eyes. And like other "stars," she tends to get access to places and people that average performers don't. She takes advantage of the opportunity-in a good way. What's frustrating this star is managment's lack of clarity around directives. Management has taken the approach of "need to know basis." That might work at the CIA, but not in an organization made up of performance-workers.
Funny thing about star performers, they demand clarity. It isn't given often with management.
Why the dichotomy? A languishing leadership/management culture as far as I can see. The company may have a viable product, long-standing customer base, and a model that's effective in good times and bad. But getting managers who understand how to lead great performers is tough. Here are a few reasons:
- High insecurity on the part of the manager. Maybe they were taught (erroneously) that they were supposed to be the smartest gal/guy in the room. The reality of this can be crushing to some.
- The manager may talk a good game around diversity, but leading diverse people in real-life does not come through.
- The manager has atrophied in their leadership and just wants people to follow orders.
When managers are vague, it creates an environment of vigilantes. Everyone (star performers and bottom-feeders) wants to take control based on how they need to survive. In many ways, the manager has become nothing more than a body in a suit.
Restoring (assuming it was there some time in the past) clarity is vital. To not to do this would be organizational suicide.
The DNA Seminar
The following is an updated post I wrote a few years ago. Subject matter is still relevant and the problem is still pervasive. Leaders/managers hear the bell.
A friend of my wife's lost his job this past Monday. It was done in the name of saving costs. Yes, at one time or the other you're a cost. No promises, right? It's a tough situation that is only made worse by organizations who make lots of promises.
Funny thing is the group he worked in was just started a year ago. How can you know in twelve months whether something will fly?
So what to do when Mommy and Daddy fly? Sorry for the flippant reaction, but this guy just moved here from the west. Why not use some candor and tell the employees that the organization isn't sure about the prospects and it may not go the way of success? Two faces are the issue here. And before you think I'm conjuring this stuff up, please know I've delivered the "two-faced" speech in my former corporate management life. It went something like this; one face was in the room with management stating we'll let them go if the unit oesn't meet targets (usually unrealistic). Another face was in front of the employees stating how the future was bright.
I write this post today to communicate something simple, yet complex. Every leader who has human beings following them should be required to attend an all-day seminar on the marvels of human DNA. If I were conducting the seminar I would say the following at its conclusion:
"After today think long and hard about who follows you. And when you make your plans think about the implications-they're real and worth your consideration."
You can read here about some of the dynamics of our DNA.