“Yes, but shouldn’t these people be reporting to me?” asked Ted.
“That depends. Functionally, their roles produce results you are interested in, but are you prepared to be their Manager?” I replied.
“I think so. I think they can report to me. I think I can hold them accountable for producing those results. I think I can check up on them to make sure they are working,” Ted proposed.
“That’s only the surface part of being a Manager.” I stopped to draw a picture. “Here you are, and these people, you believe, should report to you. But are you prepared to be their Manager?
“Your most important role, in the Manager relationship with your team, is for you to bring value to their problem solving and decision making.” Ted stared at the simple picture of circles and lines. “Are you bringing value by telling them that their reports are due on Friday and then reminding them Monday morning that their reports are late?”
Ted was still staring, but putting the pieces together. “Well, no, not when you put it that way.”
“Then, how, as their Manager, do you bring that value? And are you committed to bring that value? Are you willing to commit the time to bring that value?
“The answers to these questions will determine whether you should be the manager of this team.”
This happens so frequently at front line levels of management…
adding value to people creates a reciprocation of respect. This key piece is soo often never approached in management trainings. Manager just feel the need to push & control the policies, snapping people into line with force.
Once you add value to another, through increasing their skills set management and behaviors become a focus.