Author Archives: Tom Foster

About Tom Foster

Tom Foster spends most of his time talking with managers and business owners. The conversations are about business lives and personal lives, goals, objectives and measuring performance. In short, transforming groups of people into teams working together. Sometimes we make great strides understanding this management stuff, other times it’s measured in very short inches. But in all of this conversation, there are things that we learn. This blog is that part of the conversation I can share. Often, the names are changed to protect the guilty, but this is real life inside of real companies.

Industry Knowledge

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“We just made a great hire,” Evelyn announced. “We have been trying to recruit this guy for the past two years. Finally, he’s on our side.”

“So, what is so attractive, that you think he would make a good fit for the organization?” I asked.

“He is the break-out king,” she replied. “Every time we go to a conference in our industry, he is always one of the break-out leaders. His industry knowledge is top flight. On the lecture circuit, he is absolutely solid.”

“Given a problem to solve?” I squinted.

“He knows the answer before you even state the problem,” Evelyn was quick to respond.

I nodded in some agreement. “You told me that things in your industry were rapidly changing. What used to be, isn’t necessarily so, going forward. How open is your candidate to new ideas? Just curious.”

“That’s the thing,” she started. “He is so far ahead of the curve, he already knows what moves we should make.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he says so. Before you can even get halfway through explaining the problem, he can clearly state the solution.”

“What if he doesn’t understand the problem?” I smiled. “What if he solves the wrong problem? What if his solution worked somewhere else, but doesn’t work here? What if his solution is correct, but he can’t enroll people to execute? What if his solution works for the current problem, but creates unintended consequences later in time? There are some other things I want to learn about this person, his methodology and the frame from which he sees the world. It is wonderful to know everything, but that usually only works as a history lesson.”

Choices Already Made?

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“I don’t think my team is ready,” Ellis warned me.

“How so?” I asked.

“This new project landed in our queue this week with an impossible deadline,” he explained, hoping his explanation would let him off the hook.

“And?”

“I told the team that we could either choose to be successful in this project or we could choose not, it was up to them.”

“Do you think the team can suddenly decide success, or is success, or failure, determined by the decisions and choices that have already been made?”

What is Possible?

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“I just finished the org chart for my team,” Kayden announced, holding up a piece of paper with circles and arrows.

“I see that,” I replied. “Why do you think an org chart is important? It’s only a small team, 18 production people and two supervisors, then there is you.”

“You said it was important, remember?” Kayden was quick to respond.

I nodded. “Yes, I did. But, do you remember why?”

“So people will know who to report to,” he followed my nod.

“So, you think you were made manager so people could report to you?” I asked.

“Well, it does sound a little arrogant.”

“What is organizational structure?” I pressed. “I mean, we draw boxes on a page and connect them with lines. What does it all mean?”

“The lines connect people that work together,” Kayden floated.

“So, what? They work together. What do the lines mean? Look at your chart. Most of the lines are vertical and are connected to a supervisor or connected to you? What do the lines mean?”

“It’s the way we define the working relationships between people,” Kayden finally stammered.

“Now, we are getting somewhere. An org chart defines the working relationships between people. And, we have to forge the kind of relationships that move the company forward, with respect to these two things – Accountability and Authority. In every working relationship, who is accountable for what? And, in every working relationship, who has the authority to make decisions? The right working relationships determine what can be done, what is possible. The not-right working relationships lead us into counter-productive activity and thwart what is possible. That’s why an org chart helps us understand those working relationships.”

Getting Better

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“Tell me, Lorraine,” I continued. “Do you expect this team member to get better, in terms of skill, over time?”

“Yes, I do,” she snapped. “Absolutely. As the team gets more experience, each of them should get better, become more competent.”

“And, is that in their role description?” I asked.

“Well, no,” she replied. “Our job descriptions tell them what they are supposed to do, not that they should get better at doing it.”

“So, in the role description, you don’t have a Key Area called Professional Development that talks about learning skills, becoming more competent and demonstrating increasing proficiency?”

Activity vs Accomplishment

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I almost walked past her office, but I saw Lorraine with a pensive look through the doorway. “Well?” I said.

“How did you know to stop by?” she replied.

“Dumb luck,” I nodded. “What’s up?”

“I just finished a 1-1 with one of my team members, and I’m frustrated,” Lorraine began. “He has been on the bubble for the past three months, and he knows it. He’s been paying particular attention to all the tasks, and I will admit, he shows up every day, on time, doing exactly what we told him to do, but he is accomplishing almost nothing.”

“And, I assume he had a job descripton,” I chuckled, knowing the answer to my next question. “It was a series of tasks and activities, but little discussion on expectations, objectives or outputs?”

Lorraine looked at me with a furrowed brow. “Yes, maybe that’s the point. In our 1-1, he described how he was doing everything we told him to do, but we never described the output, more specifically, what we expect.”

“Not unusual,” I said. “Most jobs are described as activities, not accomplishments. So, irrespective of the output, most people think that doing a good job is doing the activities. Few roles are described in terms of accomplishment. And, I further assume that, during your 1-1, there was no discussion of accomplishment. And, that’s why you are frustrated.”

Evidence of Potential

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Jody’s face was red. Not an embarrasing red, but one of anger. “I just sat through my quarterly review and my manager gave me some feedback that I find difficult to take,” she said.

“Tell me more,” I replied.

“The last two people I hired are underperforming. And, they’ve both been here for six weeks, so we are finished with orientation, finished with initial training, they know what time to show up for work and where the coffee machine is. But, they aren’t cutting it.”

“And, you are in the hot seat, I suppose?”

“Yes, and I don’t know how to defend my hiring decision. Both candidates came highly recommended, had a ton of experience and showed a lot of promise in the interview,” she explained.

“The recommendations came from whom?” I wanted to know.

“One was a former boss who wrote a glowing letter, but at the same time, was the one who made the decision to terminate. The other was a technical consultant, and, yes, was a friend of the candidate we hired. I had high hopes for both of them.”

“And what do you know now that you didn’t know six weeks ago?” I asked.

“Experience doesn’t mean much. Just because someone performed brilliantly in one place, doesn’t mean they will do so somewhere else. It’s a different company, with a different team, different customers and a different service mix. And, just because I can see potential doesn’t mean the potential is real, it just means I had my fingers crossed.”

“I know most managers want prospective candidates with potential, to grow and develop, to take increasing accountability. And, most managers have their fingers crossed. You know my bias, that I will never hire anyone without evidence of skill, disposition or character. So, if you want to hire someone with potential, what does evidence of potential look like? Two clues, interview for error rate and deadlines.”

Who Owns the Problem?

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“Why the long face?” I asked.

Meredith looked up. “I’m a bit overwhelmed,” she replied. “Ever since my promotion to manager, I can feel the pressure tightening around my head.”

“How so?” I prompted.

“My team runs into situations they can’t solve. One of two things happen. They either freeze and do nothing about the problem, or they line up outside my door where the problem lands on my desk.”

“Isn’t that why we pay you the big bucks?” I nudged.

“It’s not funny. It’s stressful. And, I feel like my manager is watching me to see if I can pick up the slack.”

“Details?” I wanted to know.

“Most of the problems are self-inflicted,” Meredith explained. “The team gets behind because someone was late to work. Or the work cell shuts down because we run out of a raw material with a one-week lead time. Or the schedule gets delayed because a necessary machine goes off-line for preventive maintenance. If it’s not one thing, it’s something else.”

“And, this causes you stress?” I pressed.

“Of course. I am supposed to fix it, but most of these things should never happen in the first place.”

“As you look at each situation,” I nodded, “can you identify a person, other than you, who should more appropriately own the problem?”

“But, I’m the manager,” Meredith pushed back.

“Did you ever consider that everyone on your team owns the problem, and they are simply engaging in behavior to shirk that responsibility? And, I am looking for more than individual competence, I am looking for organizational competence. It is not enough to have individually competent players, they must work together as a team. Whose problem is it when a team member is late for work? The problem may be created by one person, but the whole team bears the brunt of the problem. You accept responsibility for the fix, when it’s a team problem.”

“So, what am I supposed to do?” Meredith pleaded.

“You sound like your team members lined up outside your office,” I smiled. “You want my advice, my guidance and direction, but, this is not my problem to solve, this is yours. So tell me, what could you do differently so the solution is distributed to those most affected, who more appropriately should own the problem?”

Whose Plan is It?

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“I just finished working on my team’s Professional Development Plan,” Elena announced.

“Impressive,” I replied. “You identified the basic skills, advanced skills, initial training, advanced training, along with timelines. All necessary components in a plan.”

“Yes, I got tired of new recruits coming to work, doing only what is required not to get fired,” she lamented. “Maybe this will get them off their collective asses.”

“I see,” I nodded. “I don’t have a problem with defining the skill levels, the corresponding training available. But, I am curious about the plan. Whose plan is it?”

Elena stopped to think. “You’re right. It’s my plan, not their plan.”

“I mean, you can have expectations, performance standards and timelines, but those are yours. And, if they don’t meet your expectations, they may have to part ways. But the professional development part is on the team member. As the manager, you can communicate your expectations and timelines, but the plan, and the execution of the plan has to be theirs.”

First Assumptions

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“What’s the quickest way to change your culture?” I asked.

“Great question,” Hudson replied. “Shifting culture usually takes time and intention.”

“But, there is a way,” I nodded.

“Is this a trick question?” Hudson wanted to know.

I continued to nod. “It’s not a trick, but it’s generally not where you look. The quickest way to change your culture, is to bring in new people. They bring a culture with them.”

Hudson smiled.

“Unfortunately,” I continued, “that culture they bring with them may be counter to the culture you intend. If, based on surveys, we find that most people are disengaged at work, then I assume most companies have cultures that are disengaging. In companies where people feel undervalued, underutilized, not challenged, team members will engage in coping behaviors that may be counterproductive. They quit, and get hired by you. Guess what assumptions they bring with them? And, that is where culture starts, with their assumptions, their beliefs, the way they see the world. Your initial employee orientation may be the most important time they spend to ensure they understand the new culture they will become a part of.”

A Dollar More

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“Why do people work?” I asked.

It was an innocent question, but Shari knew I had an agenda. “Okay. I’ll bite,” she replied. “I was going to say they work for the money, but I know you too well.”

I laughed. “You are correct. People work because they need the money. But, if that is all they work for, then you will be hard pressed to keep them when a competitor comes knocking on their door, and offers a dollar more.”

Shari stared at me with a half smile.

“Would it surprise you,” I continued, “to find out that people need to work, more than they need the money? Don’t get me wrong, they need the money. But, they also need the work. To lead a happy, fulfilled life, people need to work, to make a contribution to a group which they hold in high regard. And, it takes somewhere between 35-40 hours per week to create that internal feeling of significance. If you can create a safe place, where they can do their best work, and that work is valued by their most important group, now you get the beginnings of engagement.”