The Secret To Being A Great Manager
17 Feb
I know the secret to being a great manager, and I’m going to share it with you, in this blog post, right now. No need to spend $29.95 on Leadership Lessons From Larva, or whatever other leadership book is hot right now.
What’s the secret?
Well, hold on. I feel obligated to tell you how it is I come to know this secret. It isn’t from my being a great manager (duh). Instead, it comes more from my being a lousy subordinate (double duh). In my 25 years of being a lousy subordinate, I’ve worked for a lot of managers, and I’ve finally discovered the difference between the good and the great.
What is that difference?
Not so fast. I just want everyone to know that in no way am I criticizing any of the multitude of bosses I’ve had over the past 25 years. I’ve been incredibly fortunate. I can only think of one who I would consider to be a lousy boss (and he’s way too wrapped up in his own blog and twittering to read my blog). In fact, it’s really the opposite — it’s the realization of what some of those bosses did right (and may not have even realized it).
So what’s the secret to being a great manager?
Leveraging people’s strengths.
That’s it in a nutshell. The longer version goes like this: Leveraging people’s strengths instead of obsessing over trying to get them to overcome their weaknesses.
Getting people to overcome their weaknesses doesn’t work. Trust me, I know this firsthand (so does my wife — she’s been trying for nearly 30 years now).
I don’t know what it’s like in other countries, but in the U.S., our whole employee evaluation system is oriented towards finding weaknesses, problem areas, or more euphemistically — improvement opportunities. People’s strengths are given a cursory glance, and it’s on to the litany of things they could and should be doing better.
There are generally two reasons why I’m not good at some of the things my boss(es) want me to be better at: 1) I don’t like to do those things, and 2) I’m simply not wired to do those things well.
There are, however, some things I am good at. And the best managers I’ve had recognized those things and found ways to help me focus on those things and maximize my output on them. And not let me get dragged down by the things I’m not good at — and will never be.
Here’s the problem with this secret: It’s not very easy to implement.
The reason for this isn’t just that our system isn’t oriented towards it. It’s that it isn’t easy to determine exactly what people’s strengths are. It’s bad enough that many managers don’t really know their people well enough to make this determination. But many people don’t truly know what their own strengths and weaknesses are.
Here’s another challenge: If someone isn’t good at understanding other people, doesn’t want to take the time to know what their strengths/weaknesses are, etc., then — by my own logic — they won’t be able to overcome this weakness, and become a great manager. In other words, the very principle that separates the good from great managers precludes some managers from being great in the first place.
Do I really believe that people can’t improve on their weaknesses? Not really. But it takes work, and it takes focus. Simply giving me a list of the things I’m supposed to do better — with the promise that it might get me some raise and/or promotion — won’t work. And I don’t think it works with other people, either. Great managers pick their spots. They get people to focus on the ONE thing that — if they truly improve on it — will move the needle on their personal and the company’s performance.
In the meantime, my manager will just have to put up with the fact that I’m a lousy subordinate. Sorry.
As I said on Twitter, I overwhelmingly agree, and it put me in mind of my favorite boss. (I’m serious when I said you’d've liked him, he was a conservative with a wicked sense of humor.)
But I was musing on this and realized I’ve been trying to apply the same idea to my own volunteering. I’ve been in several situations where I thought I was doing a good thing, but was desperately unhappy, mostly because I was pushing myself to do things that I hate doing and am not very good at. So now I try to focus on both continuing to be helpful, but doing it using my strengths.
I whole heartily agree. Focus on what you are good at. I suck at administration and my staff know it and compensate for it. I bring creative ideas to implement, but I need those people to bring the ideas to life. They, to me, are the most important piece to the equation.
Martin: If you suck at administration, it’s because you CHOOSE to suck at administration. There are a few people out there who really are superstars — good at everything related to their job. I hate them. I often suspect they’re aliens from another planet.
Always a pleasure to read your blog Ron. I could not agree more with you. Positive reinforcement (somewhat close to what you are referring to) is so much more effective than punishment or in the case of your topic – focusing on the weakness of an individual. Personality types probably factor into how someone should me managed (I am a firm believer in a degree of individually managing someone too btw) and I would say there are probably some people who like to hear about their weaknesses constantly because they aren’t comfortable with success. A minority for sure but they are out there.
I always enjoyed Organizational Development (one more reason to stay in school longer) and I think your post alludes to a topic that would be a fascinating research topic that would yield some interesting results. Now back to my weakness – cold calling
“There are generally two reasons why I’m not good at some of the things my boss(es) want me to be better at: 1) I don’t like to do those things, and 2) I’m simply not wired to do those things well.”
When I was young and stupid(er) I had a boss who was on my case for months about getting a project done. One day she wandered over to my desk and said “OK, I get it. It’s not that you *can’t* do it, it’s that you don’t care about it, so you *don’t* do it.”
I learned something about myself that day, and after that she only gave me projects that I thought were interesting. I’m not saying that made me a good employee (that would be “no”), but it *did* make her a good boss.
Right on. Maybe the next post should be The Secret To Being A Great Employee: Shut Up and Do What You’re Told.
Once again, I know the secret — not because I live it — but because I observe it.