From the Ask Tom mailbag –

Question:
You suggest that a manager must push work to the team and that is the only way to gain control. I pushed work to my team and things got worse. Chaos emerged. I was better off before. I had to step back in and take control.

Response:
Of course, things got worse. It was a seduction. You pushed decision making and problem solving to the team and they panicked. This not-so-subtle shift of accountability from the leader to the team sent the team into panic.

As long as the manager is making all the decisions and solving all the problems, as long as the manager is barking orders, raising the voice of authority, repeated lecturing about misbehavior and underperformance, the manager has all the accountability. It was a seduction.

When accountability shifted, the team panicked, chaos ensued and the seduction began again, to have you, as the manager step in and take it all back.

The most effective position for the manager in this seduction is very simple. Outlast the panic.
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Working Leadership comes to Austin TX. For more information, follow this link.
Here are the dates –

• Session One – Aug 25, 2017, 1-4:30p
• Session Two – Sep 1, 2017, 1-4:30p
• Session Three – Sep 8, 2017, 1-4:30p
• Session Four – Sep 18, 2017, 1-4:30p
• Session Five – Sep 22, 2017, 1-4:30p
• Session Six – Sep 28, 2017, 9a-12p

For registration information, ask Tom.