By Daniel Bobinski
The debate over who has the most difficult job in an organization will continue for eternity. But based on what I’ve observed over the years, the supervisory/management role has more than its share of challenges. I have many reasons for this opinion, and by taking a few moments to review them, perhaps people working in those positions can develop a few strategies for success.
First, let’s talk about how managers need to be translators. Senior managers and leaders are supposed to set an organization’s vision and direction, then supervisors and managers are supposed to translate that vision into tangible tasks in a way that motivates and engages front-line workers. This can be problematic if leaders spend months hashing out all the angles involved in the big picture in a closed boardroom, then announce their direction and expect managers to instantly understand every nuance through the power of osmosis.
When leadership establishes a vision, managers often must find ways to translate boardroom language into front-line language. Good leaders will recognize the intricacies involved when translating big picture goals into tangible tasks and work with managers to help that come about. But if leaders don’t do that, it’s up to the manager to ask clarifying questions in ways that don’t step on anyone’s toes – or ego.
It’s even more problematic if leadership doesn’t have a clear vision and mission, but instead expects the company to be productive and successful “just because.” Front-line workers want to know how their work contributes to something bigger, and they easily disengage if they don’t see how what they do matters. One of the wisest men who ever lived once said, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” If there’s no vision to communicate to the front line, managers will struggle to motivate them.
OK, let’s say a clear vision has been communicated by leadership. At that point, managers must translate it into manageable tasks and assign those tasks to the right people so work gets done efficiently. Think of it as dividing a picture into its various parts – like pieces of a puzzle – and determining which people are best suited to make or solve each puzzle piece.
To do this well, managers must become students of the skill sets and motivations of each person on the work team. That, in itself, is another responsibility that isn’t covered much in business schools. I will add that learning the ins and outs of emotional intelligence goes a long way here.
But even more skills are needed. To gauge how people perceived what skills were necessary to be an effective middle manager, a while back I conducted a survey on the subject, collecting feedback from over 250 front-line employees, middle managers and executives. Participants were given a list of 21 skills and asked to rate each one using a 1-10 scale to indicate how important each skill was for a manager to have in order to be considered effective.
As you might imagine, the various groups (front-line employees, middle managers and executives) had differing opinions, but interestingly, at the top of every group’s list was “making tough decisions.” The definition of this skill varies position-by-position, but one thing should be understood: Making tough decisions does not mean making fast decisions. It means being able to learn what the options are, weighing the options, and then choosing the best method for moving things forward.
Because this was identified by all groups surveyed as an important skill to have, here are some managerial tips that might help a person hone this skill:
- Ask questions to get different perspectives before you make the decision;
- Be aware of the likely ripple-effects for each choice available;
- Use past experience and instinct to help inform you; and
- Select a “Plan B” as a backup in case your first choice doesn’t work out.
As for other essential skills, front-line employees also thought that managers are more effective when they’re diplomatic and when they let front-line workers know they’re appreciated. In essence, this is the front line saying, “If you want us to engage, treat us with respect and tell us how our work is contributing to the organization’s success.”
Sadly, most middle managers didn’t rate these two skills very high regarding what was necessary to be effective. So, if you’re a manager, allow me to say, “Listen up!” If you take time and show genuine curiosity, people will tell you what it takes to get them engaged! They’re telling you, in part, how they want to be managed. Therefore, be diplomatic and give specific compliments. You might be surprised at how much more people engage.
Thankfully, most managers indicated “coaching” and “training employees” were essential skills. I agree. It’s important to not only communicate what needs to be done, but also how things need to be done – especially to new employees.
Along these same lines, it’s vital for managers to equip all front-line workers with problem-solving skills. Managers who jump in and fix problems themselves may think they’re acting appropriately, but they’re shooting themselves in the foot. I’ve seen too many managers thinking they had to be “super-techs,” but that’s rarely true. It’s more important to teach people the nuances of their work so that when things go wrong – and they always will – employees can solve problems without relying on the manager.
Moreover, if employees are trained and can solve problems without the help of a manager, then managers have more time for planning and organizing, which were other skills ranked in the survey as highly important. Think about it. If managers have time for planning and organizing, they can better anticipate problems and eliminate (or minimize) them before they happen.
Being a manager comes with a unique set of difficult challenges. In other words, people in that position cannot think of themselves as super-techs. Managers must be translators as well as planners and motivators. It’s a tough set of job skills, but if managers can do them well, they can drive their organization to achieve great things.
Daniel Bobinski, who has a doctorate in theology, is a best-selling author and a popular speaker at conferences and retreats. For more than 30 years he’s been working with teams and individuals (1:1 coaching) to help them achieve excellence.
