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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Tag Archives: Improving Leadership

May 8, 2013 Are Middle Managers Still Relevant?

Researcher Behnam Tabrizi recently conducted a study to examine whether middle managers are still relevant in a world where executives have direct access to the front lines of their businesses. The results of the study showed that not only are middle managers still important, but the successful ones had a direct hand in the success of their company.

Based on the results, Tabrizi crafted three “rules” for being a successful middle manager:

Alignment

Successful middle managers were able to see how their own personal aspirations lined up with the greater aim of the company. This notion of alignment is similar to ideas I shared in a previous post. Accommodating someone’s personal goals does more than simply make them feel good about their job; research continues to show that it has a direct, positive impact on the company.

Authorship

Successful businesses gave middle managers the power to initiate projects. According to Tabrizi, “organizations create cross-functional teams of MLMs, who author change and innovation plans that turn executives’ visions into concrete steps.” Putting the power of the initiative into the hands of middle managers provides them a sense of ownership and commitment to success.

Action

Because middle managers in Tabrizi’s study were authoring initiatives, he stresses that they must be responsible for the enactment of their plans. They are the foot soldiers who must work through obstacles on a daily basis. It’s not always a glamorous job, but they’ll be motivated by the fact that they authored the initiative, not some out-of-touch executive.

This study puts the scientific stamp of approval on the things we already knew: that managers who didn’t share the common aspirations of their company don’t make good managers; that the company must place trust in their managers to come up with initiatives of their own; and that managers who work through enacting their own initiatives do much better than when they are handed an initiative from above.

Here’s a link to Tabrizi’s article.

Eager to learn more?  Read my post about authentic leadership HERE.

Happy managing!

Tabrizi, Behnam. “New Research: What Sets Effective Middle Managers Apart.” Harvard Business Review, May 8, 2013.

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/05/reinventing_middle_management.html

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April 25, 2013 “Just Be Yourself!” Leadership and Authenticity

“Authentic leaders remain focused on where they are going but never lose sight of where they came from.’

Striving to be authentic is hard enough on its own, but in a leadership role it can seem impossible. There’s the constant battle between expressing our true selves and managing the competing personalities and opinions of those around us. It’s the dance between plain-speaking and politically-conscious wording. It’s the struggle of trying to remain “human” in a leadership role, while simultaneously appearing resilient to any bumps in the road.

And believe me, we must stay human if we are to be effective leaders. People want a leader who is approachable, honest, forthcoming; someone who knows where they are coming from. They want to know that you have opinions and emotions outside of your role, that you have passions and hobbies, that you root for a sports team or enjoy a night out. We can all point to a leader in our lives who was distant, stale, or off-putting, and I’m willing to bet that the person you’re envisioning wasn’t a very effective leader.

So how exactly do we convey our authentic, imperfect selves right along side the impression of strength and confidence that all leaders must possess?

1. Striking A Balance 

This takes time. You must make an effort to stay approachable and friendly, but also know when to assume the “fearless leader” role. There is no formula for this, unfortunately, because every leadership role requires qualities specific to the organization they lead. The main thing to do is to be observant and receptive to your environment. You must also be flexible, willing to adapt.

2. Failing

Great leaders accept their flaws and learn from them. You will make mistakes, as we all do, and you may be inclined to shove it under the rug. Don’t do this. While mistakes are embarrassing, they provide an opportunity for you to show your human side. If you handle it with grace and humility, and focus on how to handle situations more aptly in the future, your organization will see that you’re authentic and appreciate you for it.

3. Making Clear Distinctions

I used to give my staff hand-written thank you notes when they did a great job. One man in particular held on to my note, as it reminded him that he was a capable, valued worker. At an appropriate time, I was able to let my leader guard down and express my appreciation. This strengthened my connection to this member of my team, which in turn boosted productivity. The trick is learning when and where it’s okay to lose the leader role and “be yourself.”

 

I firmly believe leadership is a learned trait. Sure, some are naturally more prone to leading than others, but with time, patience, and a willingness to be brave, you can teach yourself the balance needed to lead authentically and effectively.

 

Goffee, Rob and Gareth Jones. “Managing Authenticity: The Paradox of Great Leadership.” Harvard Business Review, December 2005, accessed April 23 2013. http://hbr.org/2005/12/managing-authenticity-the-paradox-of-great-leadership/ar/1

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April 17, 2013 Is It The Job, Or Your Attitude?

We spend at least 40 hours a week at our job. That’s almost one third of our waking lives. So we better darn well get satisfaction from all that time and effort.

To recap on last week, Cal Newport’s book, So Good They Can’t Ignore You highlights three components that result in job satisfaction:

Autonomy – feeling like you have some control of your job, and that your actions make a difference

Competence – knowing that you are good at what you do

Relatedness – being able to connect with your coworkers

Newport contrasts these “ingredients,” as he calls them, with the pervasive belief that passions lead to success. Instead of following your passions, Newport argues that becoming very good at what you do, and knowing that it makes a difference, transforms a droll job into a rewarding career.

But let’s narrow the focus today to you and your job. Do you feel you have control of your own work? Does it make a difference? Are you valued? And can you relate with your coworkers?

Answering these honestly will give you a clue as to why you may feel dissatisfied with your work.

From here, the first thing to do is to take ownership of your skills. You can blame your job and your circumstances all you like, and you may have good reasons to do so. But this won’t change a thing. Become determined, if only for your own satisfaction, to master the skills needed to excel in your field.

There is no excuse not to work toward mastery, because no one has ever mastered anything completely. Take Jiro Ono, for instance. Widely considered the best sushi chef in the world, 85 year old Ono tirelessly pursues perfection in his craft, as depicted in the award-winning documentary, “Jiro Dreams Of Sushi.” His age and position in the culinary world don’t deter him from chasing after perfection.

So, you can always get better. While at work, take a personal inventory of areas in which you need to improve, and occupy your day with trying to master the skills your job requires. You feel better when you know that your work is valued and desired. Aim to be sought after.

Second, look at your past to boost your confidence about your present situation. Leadership coaches Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins write: “To strengthen your confidence, first face the facts. When you look to your past, you’ll realize that successes often outweigh failures. And more importantly, that you survived through the failures and gleaned priceless lessons along the way.”

Looking back puts things in perspective. You may just realize that although your present job may not be ideal (and no job is), you have it now because of your accomplishments, qualifications and perseverance leading up to where you are now. This should give you some confidence and reassurance of your decisions.

References

Newport, Cal. So Good They Can’t Ignore You. New York: Hachette Book Group, 2012.

Su, Amy Jen, and Muriel Maignan Wilkins. “To Strengthen Your Confidence, Look to Your Past.” Harvard Business Review, April 11, 2013. Accessed April 17, 2013. http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/04/to_strengthen_your_confidence.html

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