For the past two
decades, I've been interviewing and observing successful C-level executives to
discover the secrets of their success.
In a previous
post, I documented the core beliefs of extraordinary bosses. Now it's time for something
more tactical--the simple ground rules for managing a team effectively:
1. They Avoid
Creating Superstars
Average bosses
sometimes allow one employee to become the "star" of the team while
ignoring the hard work of everyone else. The "star" gets plenty of
recognition and attention, while the rest of the team gets shunted aside. This
alienates everybody except the star and sends people the message that their
contribution is not valued.
Extraordinary
bosses coordinate individual workers' goals so that they intersect with and
support team goals. Such bosses compensate based on how the team (rather than
just the individual) performs and encourage top performers to use their talents
to create a broader level of success.
2. They Remove
the Nonperformers
Average bosses
sometimes hire somebody who can't do the job--but then keep that person on
board, hoping that he or she will figure things out. This damages the the
entire team, because it creates a lower level of performance and forces
everyone else to do extra work to fill the gaps.
Extraordinary
bosses monitor employee performance and provide constructive coaching when an
employee falls short. However, once it's that clear a person can't perform,
they either reassign that employee to a more appropriate job or do him or her a
huge favor: suggest finding a job elsewhere.
3. They Coach
But Don't Interfere
Average bosses
can't "let go" of what they're good at. They're constantly
intervening when things aren't done the way they'd prefer. This not only lowers
motivation but also turns the manager into a "gatekeeper" for any
activity--causing productive work to grind to a halt.
Extraordinary
bosses know that their primary responsibility is to let people do their jobs
and provide coaching when necessary or requested. Such bosses realize that it's
impossible for workers to think strategically when their time and energy are
getting consumed with details of tactical execution.
4.
They Put Their Employees First
Average bosses
put most of their attention on customers, investors, other managers, and their
own career. In this priority scheme, employees rank dead last--if they're even
on the list. Unfortunately, employees can sense when a boss doesn't care about
them, and they respond by not caring about their jobs.
Extraordinary
bosses know that the best way to please investors, peers, and customers is to
put the employees first. They realize that it's employees who create, build,
sell, and support the products that customers buy, thereby creating investor
value and advancing a manager's career.
5. They Manage
People, Not Numbers
Average bosses
focus on numbers rather than people. They jiggle revenue and profit numbers,
monkey with statistics and data, and spend more time worrying about their
spreadsheets than making things happen.
Extraordinary
bosses know that numbers represent only the history of what's happened--and
understand that the best way to have great numbers is to make sure that that
the job gets done. They realize that their responsibility is to manage people
and their activities so the numbers take care of themselves.
6. They Ask
Questions Rather Than Give Answers
Average bosses
think their job is to know all the answers and to provide those answers to
their employees as frequently as possible. However, each time a boss answers an
employee's question, that boss robs the employee of an opportunity to think and
grow.
Extraordinary
bosses know that people don't learn when wisdom is handed to them on a platter,
much less forced down their throats. They know that a manager's job is to ask
the questions that will spark, in the employee's own mind, the thought
processes and ideas that will make that employee successful.
Geoffrey James
