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.

Whose Fault Was That?

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Curtis was very uncomfortable. “You make it sound like I am in big trouble. But isn’t this what management is all about? I mean, aren’t I the one who is supposed to make all the decisions? Aren’t I the one responsible for all the results?”

“You are accountable to your boss for the performance of your team,” I replied. “But between you and your team, it sounds like you are responsible for making up all the plays, calling the plays, taking the snap, throwing the football, catching the football, running for the touchdown. Did you forget to block?”

“Yes, but it’s not that bad.”

“It’s not?” I asked. “Who was here all day last Saturday? How many hours a week have you been putting in?”

“Well, when you put it like that, I was here, 58 hours last week,” Curtis reported.

“And whose fault was that?”

“Well, there was just stuff I couldn’t get done during the week. I have a lot of responsibility.”

“And how much responsibility does your team have?” -TF

Tough Assignment to Turn Down

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Curtis shifted in the chair. “But my team never really comes up with anything. Sometimes it seems they just want me to tell them what to do so they don’t have to think.”

“Of course they want you to tell them what to do. If you tell them what to do, then they are not responsible for the solution. All the accountability falls back on you.”

“Yes, but after all, I am the Manager,” Curtis replied.

“It’s a tough assignment to turn down,” I nodded.

“What do you mean?”

“They invite you to take all the responsibility, you get all the glory. It is a tough assignment to turn down. Unfortunately, you cannot hold them accountable for things gone wrong. Your team kind of likes it that way.” -TF

Listening to Learn

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In her book, Fierce Conversations, Susan Scott talks about deepening our conversations, moving closer to reality, tackling tough challenges and enriching our relationships.

Mineral Rights is a multi-level conversation which cycles through surface issues, toward deeper insights, understanding and learning. Mineral Rights is the kind of conversation we often avoid, yet long to have. Yes, it deals with issues of the heart, beliefs and values. I am often asked when I teach this skill, “Isn’t that kind of personal?” Well, yes. “Doesn’t it make people uncomfortable to talk about that?” Well, no.

People like to talk about themselves. In fact, most people are actually waiting for someone to come along so they can talk about things close to the heart, what they believe, things important. They have been waiting all their lives for someone like you to listen.
-TF

No One Follows Your Lead

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From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:

I have been a manager for several years, but have just been reassigned to a new division. I feel like a fish out of water. Their processes are slightly different and all of the people are new to me. And I am new to them. In the past, things were easy, no sweat, very routine, no problem. At every turn, I am getting push-back. No one seems to follow my lead or direction. Everything I say is questioned. And I have some very aggressive goals that I have to achieve.

Response:

Are you getting push-back, or are you getting tested to see where you stand as a manager? Either way, you have some work to do, individual work and group work.

Individually, you need to get to know each team member. This sounds simple, but it’s not.

In our classroom training, we call this the Mineral Rights conversation, digging little wells, looking for interests, influences and values. This is a highly structured conversation with a definite purpose. (Tomorrow, I will cover the Mineral Rights conversation in more detail.)

As a team, you need to leverage the dynamic of the group to establish the lead or direction. You are correct in your observation that no one seems to follow your lead. People only follow the lead that is in their best interest. This is a critical topic for discussion with your team.

What is the work that needs to be done? How can we best help each other to do it? What do you need from me? What do we need from each other?

Notice that the questions come from you as the manager. The responses come from the team. -TF

You Cannot Manage Time

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“How many of you have all the time you need to complete all the things that need to be done?” I surveyed the room, not a single hand went up. Earlier, during class introductions, the challenge most often described was Time Management.

“The clock never slows down,” I began. “I cannot give you any more minutes in a day and the rate of those minutes never changes. You cannot manage time.

“You can manage yourself, you can be more productive, you can manage tasks, but no matter how much you stare at the clock on the wall, the second hand will continue to tick.

“And understanding techniques to be more productive, techniques for self-management, techniques for task management seldom work.

“It is not desire that fails people, for most want the outcomes that Time Management produces.

“What fails people most is Discipline. The Discipline to perform something over and over until it becomes a habit. It is only when you create a habit that you will gain the benefits from any Time Management technique.

“I can teach you the techniques, but only you can supply the Discipline.” -TF

Positive in Public

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From yesterday’s mailbag:

Question:

How do you bring in a new team member to an existing team?

Response:

Kurt pointed out (in a comment to yesterday’s post) that the job of bringing on a new team member begins long before the arrival date.

That being said, I believe the new team member is already on site. Now what?

This rite of passage for the new team member is a group issue. It needs to be dealt with by the group. It is up to the manager to create the environment for a positive discussion. The initial topic will be to introduce the new member. And I mean a proper introduction, at a regular team meeting.

What is the previous work experience, what positive qualities were identified during the recruiting process, what role this new person will play? These are all great questions to answer in the introduction.

Subsequent team meetings should provide discussion on Getting Things Done and focus on skills and talents that each team member brings to the table. Part of the discussion should be on the diversity of skill, talent, attitude and energy that will be required from the team as a whole.

I want to create these positive conversations in public with the team rather than allow private pairing conversations to occur at the water cooler. -TF

Bringing in a New Team Member

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From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:

How do you integrate your team’s newest member when she brings a personality that is more intense than everyone else? Let’s say that she strikes you as being, at times, slightly passive aggressive while the other five teammates are typically a very easy going bunch. There is no doubt that she is productive, but so is everyone else.

Might they have trouble working through in a crisis, if she will not buy into their laid back attitude? What obstacles would you watch out for in this situation?

Response:

Bringing a new person into a team is always the beginning of change for that team. The fastest way to change the culture of any team is to bring in a new team member. For better or worse, things will change, and everything that happens will create a precedent for future events, future relationships within the team.

Before we start looking out for things to go wrong, let’s start with how to productively bring in a new team member, especially one that brings energy, enthusiasm, a fast pace and other great attributes.

Let’s open this up for comments. If you have an experience, observation or recommendation, please post your comment. More tomorrow. -TF

Supervisor’s Control System

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“So, I am with you,” Joyce agreed. “Moving from Team Leader to Warehouse Supervisor is a different role. Talk to me about skill sets.”

“Okay, as Warehouse Supervisor, the role is no longer doing the work, but making sure the work gets done. What tool does the Warehouse Supervisor use to make sure all the work gets done?”

It had been a couple of years since Joyce had spent much time in the warehouse, but she was quick to respond. “Well, there is a daily shipping list containing all the orders available for the day, actually for the next four to five days.”

“That’s one skill set. Checklists. Remember, the role is to make sure the work gets done. A checklist is one of the primary tools of the supervisor. It’s the foundation of many control systems. Yet, how often do we sit with our supervisors and talk to them about how to create effective checklists (control systems) for all the work they make sure gets done?”

“You know, you are right. We just told Phillip that he got a promotion, he was now in charge. Something as obvious as a checklist never crossed my mind. I would bet that Phillip is trying to keep everything in his head.”

Different Skill Set

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“So, what do you make of this mess I seem to have made with Phillip?” Joyce asked.

I took a deep breath. “Based on what you have told me, Phillip’s current capability is greater than one month. That Time Span holds up to the task of a Team Leader. Phillip’s next step would be a transition to a Supervisor. But don’t think this is simple. You don’t sprinkle fairy dust and think Phillip is a Supervisor.

“Up to now, Phillip has been doing the work along with his team members. Being a Supervisor is a different role with a different skill set. Phillip will need training and coaching. Even beginning Supervisor tasks generally carry Time Spans of three months.”

“How much of a difference could that be for Phillip?” Joyce asked. “How different could the skill set be for Phillip to begin to be a Supervisor?”

“Let’s take a look at the Tools of the Trade for Phillip,” I began. “Up to now, the tools for Phillip in the warehouse have been real tools, forklifts, picking baskets, picking tickets, staging tables, shipping boxes, cartons, packing tape.”

Joyce nodded.

“The role for a Warehouse Supervisor is no longer doing the work, but now, making sure the work gets done. It’s a completely different role and requires a completely different skill set.”

Joyce continued to nod. She was ready for more. –TF

Our next Leadership program in Fort Lauderdale begins July 16. For more information, visit www.workingleadership.com.

Our next Leadership program Online begins in September. Watch for details. –TF

Managing With Precision

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“What could I have done differently?” Joyce asked. “I thought Phillip was the right choice. I know now, that I was wrong, but how do you make the decision on whether or not to promote someone?”

“Why did you think he was a candidate for promotion?” I asked.

“Well, he has been with us for a little over a year. He knows the ropes. He was a team leader, had the respect of his team,” Joyce replied.

“And what do you think his Time Span was?”

“Well, based on what we have been talking about, his current capability seems to be about four weeks or a little more, but not a lot more.”

“So, how could you find out how much more?”

“Well, he was successful at four weeks. I could have given him a task that took six weeks to complete, or eight weeks.”

“Exactly,” I pointed out. “The best way to determine performance is to test it. The problem with testing, is that, until we talked about Time Span, you had no way to determine the complexity of the task. With Time Span, you can now measure with more precision. Your job, as his Manager, becomes more precise.” -TF

Our next Leadership program in Fort Lauderdale begins July 16. For more information, visit www.workingleadership.com.

Our next Leadership program Online begins in September. Watch for details. –TF