Business Management

Don’t be held hostage!
During a recent roundtable discussion of management styles and techniques with several colleagues, I was asked to write about a couple of subjects that make all the difference in how managers can be more effective in leading their teams.
The first topic applies to the leadership position we all want to be in…where we can manage from a position of strength, and not be held hostage by a weak team of direct reports.
When a manager does not have a ready-to-promote group of hungry candidates, he or she can very easily be held hostage by the current group of subordinates who may not be motivated to do their best or may not be of the quality needed to get the job done.
It’s hard for the manager to uphold high standards if there is no evidence that someone equal to or better is ready and hungry for the job. That’s why there is nothing more urgent and important than having a strong development program in place that is ongoing and teaches the skills people need to be promoted to the next level.
Every time these sharp, hungry, and determined candidates can be shown to aspire, the rest of the group will know that they can and will be held accountable for their behavior and performance.
So how does one accomplish this? Think about this…which is more important, selecting the best candidates to develop or the program that not only tells and shows how the skills are done, but actively involves the students in applying the behaviors?
Before I get further into the development and training elements, let me focus on the importance of selecting the best candidates.
This second topic speaks to the value of panel interviews for selection of candidates to mentor and develop up to the selection of promoting the very best.
Rule to remember, you will be spending more time than usual in working with these candidates; so it’s critical to make great choices.
Why is it so important to have a group of people involved in choosing the best? Shouldn’t you, the boss, be capable of making those decisions? Of course you can…you’re the most qualified, aren’t you?
Let me address the value to the candidate – who has to WANT the opportunity. Forcing or coercing someone into something they are resistant to usually spells failure for them. So if you have that person who wants to learn and grow, you’re halfway home.
Being put in a position where the candidate has to interview for the opportunity, lends added value to the proposition – it’s not just handed to them, they have to earn the right. They will prepare, they will put their best foot forward, they will want to show you they deserve this opportunity.
Next, let’s discuss the value of panel selection interviews as to the mentor/trainers of your potential candidates. Won’t they try harder to help their protégé be better? You can be sure they will take pride in signing off on their “product”…and this will likely improve their own performance.
If some of these mentors are part of the interview panel, they will be far more involved in bringing only the best to the table.
As to your team and developing these high potential candidates – they will take more ownership in the trainees and the program, especially if we involve them in the development and training content. And if one or more of the candidates are their own direct reports, you can be sure they will hold those individuals to a higher standard of excellence since they will be reflecting directly on their boss.
Let’s come back to Training and Development – if you’re going to spend your time with one or two, why not involve a dozen? What’s the worst that can happen? Your choices of finding the best are greater, those people have all developed stronger skills, and you have likely helped a few to learn what level they are best suited for.
Volumes have been written on how to train and develop people, whether for skilled positions or management. What I would like to address is a basic principle for learning that applies to every person, regardless of skill or intelligence level. That principle includes three elements to teaching and learning. First, we have to “Tell” what the behavior is, then we have to show what that behavior looks like, and critically, we must involve the individuals in learning the behavior by doing it. Practice and repetition build the skill. Rest assured, just telling will never get the job done; don’t ever assume it will.
More food for thought…at the end of the development program, when it comes time to promote on or some of these outstanding people, we need to conduct a round of panel interviews to find the best candidate of this fine group whom we want to promote. What better way to find out who is best prepared for the new opportunity than to have a panel work through the interview process together and build a consensus?
Put this all together and we have a situation where everyone wins. The end result is that you can be a more effective leader, you’ve surrounded yourself with high performers, and you’ve built a legacy of building and sustaining high performing teams. You can home and sleep at night!