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.

Move Over, I’ll Drive

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“Move over, let me take the console. Why don’t you just watch me?” This is the ultimate in micro-managing. Charlie, the Manager, observing a mistake, simply took the project back under wing and proceeded to do the work himself.

Of course, for the past twelve minutes, Charlie had berated the Team Member for not being fast enough, taking things out of sequence and ultimately falling back to the old way of doing things.

As a Manager, Charlie had been working with Crystal’s training program. The training was designed to get telephone operators to record data in real time on the computer, rather than using paper in a two-step delayed process. In fact, Charlie got the job as the Manager because he had used this real-time process at another company. He was the best telephone operator on their crew. When he came here he picked out the software, but had been unsuccessful in getting the operators to use it. Eight months later, they were still writing paper tickets and entering the data later. If they remembered.

Charlie’s behavior, as a Manager, demonstrated the subtle difference in dealing with mistakes by a micro-manager and a coach. As a micro-manager, Charlie focused on the task and the method (mistakes). The more he focused on the task and the mistakes, the more he drove the operators back to the paper system they were comfortable with.

I let Charlie be a telephone operator for another eight minutes (he was really very good) before I pulled him aside. Tomorrow, listen in to our conversation. -TF

Micro-Managing, oh boy!

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“I wonder what the difference is between coaching and micro-managing. At what point do we provide too much instruction, and hinder the employee’s initiative and autonomy?” responded Brittany.

Coaching and micro-managing focus on two different things. To the casual observer, they may appear similar in manager behavior, but there is a powerful distinction.

Micro-managing is task and method focused. The Manager attempts to get a task completed according to a specific method. The focus is on the task.

Coaching is method and development focused. Task completion is secondary to behavior acquisition and competence in the method. The focus is on the Team Member.

The difference between micro-managing and coaching is purpose and purpose will determine two completely different outcomes. This purpose will drive subtle, yet powerful differences in Manager behavior. This subtle difference will define the poor Manager from the great Manager.

Tomorrow, we will talk about coaching skills through mistakes to see the difference between micro-managing and coaching. -TF

Training Before, Coaching After

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Crystal was puzzled. I had thrown her for a loop. We had been talking about her training program for inbound phone operators. The training wasn’t working, but she was looking in the wrong place.

The skill was simple. Enter the data into the computer during the phone call, not after the call. They had the software in place, the training program was clear, with exercises, repetition and interaction.

The problem was after the training. Following the training, the operators were literally abandoned. They had been introduced to the skill, even performed the skill two or three times during the training, but afterwards, NOTHING. Only one day later, all the operators had abandoned the new process and were back to taking notes on paper during the call.

“Crystal, I want you to develop some practice sessions following the training. Create some scripts based on the ones used in training. Then have the operators practice, practice, practice.

“And you are going to have to take off your training hat and put on your coaching hat. Your training is only intended to get this process started. Before you let them go, you have to bring them to a level of competence. Competence comes through practice and coaching. Training comes before the behavior. Coaching comes after the behavior. That is where you will find traction.” -TF

Training vs. Coaching

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“Take a look at this training program,” said Crystal. “We have been over it a hundred times, tweaked it here and there, but quite frankly, it’s not working.”

“What happens when you do the training?” I asked.

“Everyone seems upbeat, like they understand. We even do classroom exercises, but it doesn’t seem to stick. Two weeks later, they are back to doing it the old way, with all kinds of excuses.”

“How much coaching do you do after the initial training?”

“Well, anyone who seems to be having trouble, we write them up and they go back to the next training.” Crystal was visibly upset as she described what happened. “Sooner, or later, they all get written up and so they all end up back in the training. We have had this software in place for eight months and they are still writing the orders on paper and putting the information into the computer later. Sometimes the paper gets lost or it takes them a day or two to catch up. We wanted real-time order entry, but we are nowhere close.”

“But there is no real coaching except for sending people back to the beginning?”

“Yes, and every time we go round, the push-back gets stronger. They seem to hate the training,” Crystal said, shaking her head.

“By golly, I think you have found your difficulty,” I replied.

“What do you mean?” Crystal was puzzled.

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with your training. We need to focus on the time following the training. Let’s spend some time looking at the behaviors that follow the training. I think that is where you will find your answers.” -TF

How Well Should It Be Done?

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We were kicking around the new job description for a Project Manager. Howard was holding a copy of the current description. Current should be taken with a grain of salt. It was created three years ago and was little more than a starting place.

“Okay,” I started. “It says here that one of the responsibilities is scheduling.

The Project Manager is in charge of scheduling materials, equipment and personnel for the project.

“Remember our two questions? How well should it be done and by when?” I paused. The looks around the table were puzzling. I would have to dig deeper.

“Is part of scheduling actually publishing a written schedule?” I asked, finally getting nods of agreement.

“How far in advance should the schedule go?”

Matthew raised his hand. “At least a week.” He looked around to see if he was right. No one challenged him.

“Okay, by when should this schedule be published?”

Henry jumped in first. “By Friday, the week before, so on Monday, we know what is going on.”

“What time on Friday?”

“By 5:00 o’clock.” Henry replied.

I smiled. “Why not give yourself some time on Friday to review the Project Manager’s schedule to make sure it will fly?” Henry thought a minute, then slowly his head nodded.

By Friday at noon, the Project Manager will publish a written schedule detailing the materials, equipment and personnel requirements for each day of the following week.

“Is that better than the Project Manager is in charge of scheduling?” -TF

What Do We Pay You to Do?

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We were convened. I looked directly across the table at Matthew. “Just exactly, what is it that you think we pay you to do around here?”

“What?” Matthew had a puzzled look on his face. He had been paying attention, but this question caught him off guard. No one had ever asked him that question.

“It’s a fair question,” I repeated, “what do you think we pay you to do around here?” Matthew started to stammer out something, but I stopped him. I looked around the group. “Look, I am picking on Matthew to make a point. We are here today to create a job description for the open position of Project Manager. This is important work. If we fail to clearly set the expectations for this position, it is no wonder the last person fell short.”

Howard looked up. “But we have this old job description. It lists out all the stuff he is supposed to do.”

“That’s why most traditional job descriptions don’t work. They are just a list of tasks. In addition to what is supposed to be done, I want to ask two critical questions.

How well should it be done?

When should it be done?

“I want to create very clear performance standards that we can measure and I want to communicate that up front in the job description. Now, we have a good start because we have a list of tasks and responsibilities. We just have to answer those two questions about each.” -TF

People, Not Our Greatest Asset

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I had a couple of minutes in the lobby, so I was looking at all the teamwork posters on the wall.

Our people are our most important asset!!

For the first time, it struck me as odd. I was working with the management team to find a new Senior Project Manager. The last one didn’t work out so well and by the time they figured it out, they almost lost their biggest customer. I had been having difficulty getting them to spend the right amount of time on the job description, defining the management skills necessary for this position. The last guy had the technical skills, but none of the management skills.

As I entered the conference room, I asked the management team if they agreed with the poster in the lobby. Being politically correct, they were quite enthusiastic in their support.

I reminded them of Collins book Good to Great and asked them again, “Are our people our greatest asset?”

This team has been around me for a while, so they know when I ask a question a second time, their first response may need some rethinking. As I looked around the table, I could see the wheels churning. Finally, someone took a stab at it.

“Our people may not be our greatest asset. The right people are our greatest asset. The wrong person may be our biggest liability.”

“Good,” I replied. “Sometimes it takes a bad hire for us to realize how important this up-front work is. So, let’s get to work. What are the skills, knowledge and behaviors necessary for success in this position?” -TF

Spend Time on the Front End

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“It always seems like I don’t have time to prepare when we are interviewing candidates,” complained Paula. “Even taking the time to write a job description for the open position. I know we are supposed to, I just don’t have the time.”

“Paula, whether you want to or not, you will spend the time,” I replied.

“What do you mean?”

“As the manager, you will either spend the time on the front end creating the job description, defining the necessary skills and behaviors, or you will spend the time on the back end trying to shape the person you hired into a role that you never defined clearly in the first place.

“You get to choose where you want to spend your time, on the front end or the back end.” -TF

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Look Further

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I know this is long, but it is an important question from the Ask Tom mailbag.

Lucinda was impatient. “I have been waiting for a promotion from Project Assistant to Project Manager for some time now. My manager has been putting my promotion off for the past six months. I worked hard, attended workshops, gained the confidence of clients. In my review this past week, my manager again said I needed to wait, that I wasn’t ready. As a Project Assistant, I am already doing all the work of a Project Manager, but get none of the credit.”

“So, what are the reasons that your Manager feels you need to wait?” I asked.

“I don’t know. He just tells me I need to wait, a bit more training, perhaps, but I have been through training.”

“Lucinda, does your company have other Project Managers?”

“Yes.”

“And what kind of projects do they handle?” I was probing. There must be some reason for Lucinda’s manager to hesitate on this promotion.

“Well, they handle larger projects, but they have more experience. But they had to start somewhere when they were young.” Lucinda protested. I smiled as I watched her stand up for herself.

“Lucinda, I want you to do a couple of things. First, I need you to take a longer view of this. I know you want to become a Project Manager in the next three days, but I want you to imagine your career three years from now.” Lucinda nodded. I don’t know if she liked what I had to say, but she nodded. “It is likely that three years from now, you will have been a Project Manager for some time, probably handling larger projects than you handle now. I don’t want you to focus on the next three days. I want you to focus on the next three years and begin to map out a course for the kind of Project Manager you want to be then.

“Next, I want you to spend some time with other Project Managers in your company. You said they all had to start somewhere. Find out how they started. Find out about their first projects. Find out what skills they see as most valuable during their careers. Ask one of them to be your coach.

“Then, go back to your manager and ask his help in mapping out a three year plan to become a Project Manager. Tell him you know you will be promoted, and whenever that is, will be fine, but that you are looking further into the future at what kind of Project Manager you will be in three years. Ask what areas you need to work on, what future skills you need to develop.

“Lucinda, you will get your promotion, maybe in the next three weeks, maybe in the next three months. Look further in the future, that’s where the real payoff is. What kind of Project Manager will you be three years from now?” -TF

The End Around

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Frieda was frustrated. “I sit in a department managers meeting and get called on the carpet for an assignment that I knew nothing about. One of the other managers pulled an end-around and took a project directly to one of my staff members. I am not a mind-reader, how am I supposed to follow-up on a project I know nothing about. I told everyone in the staff meeting that if they want work done in my department, they have to work through me.” Frieda stopped. Calmed a bit. “That didn’t go over real well. Now everyone thinks I am a prima donna.”

“Do you think the other department managers are being malicious?” I asked.

“No, things are just busy. I think they just wanted to get the project done.”

“So, in busy companies, this kind of thing happens. We simply need to get work done and sometimes you may be out of pocket and one of your team members becomes convenient for the project. Don’t take it personally. The question for you is -How can you, as the manager, find out about these projects so you can schedule them appropriately?

“Do you have a weekly staff meeting in your department?”

“Of course, that is when we sit down and take a look at all the projects in-house, get a status and talk about production issues.” Frieda was firm in her response.

“So, I want you to add an agenda item. -What are the projects that have been assigned that we don’t know about? This is actually pretty easy. These would be projects that your team is working on that are not on the project list. The purpose is to capture the project information so your team can respond appropriately. You get back in control and your fellow department managers see you as cooperative and helpful.” -TF