I was still sitting with David, talking about a seemingly competent manager, who simply never accomplished anything. This manager had talked a good game, but never took any effective action, never made any significant progress.

“David, I often see this in my management program. Students come into the class thinking they will listen to a series of lectures, get the latest management techniques and life will be good. I talk about how education is often understanding certain technical information. I talk about how training is often motivational to make a person feel a certain way. But in my class, the focus is on action. Quite frankly, I don’t care how much you know. I don’t care how you feel. I care about what you do.

“Some students,” I continued, “are surprised to find themselves, no longer sitting comfortably in their chairs, but standing at the front of the class. I want them on their feet, out of their comfort zone. Leadership starts with thinking. Leadership is about who you are. But ultimately, leadership is all about what you do.” -TF

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David was not surprised, but his disappointment was strong. “I don’t understand,” he started, then abruptly changed his pitch. “Yes, I do understand. I hired this guy, Marty, for a management position. He interviewed well, had all the buzzwords, you know, teamwork, synergy. Hell, he even kept the book, Good to Great propped up on his desk the whole time he was here.”

“So, what was the problem?” I asked.

“The problem was, he never actually got anything done. We would meet, be on the same page, but the job never got done. The progress, during the time he was here, quite frankly stood still.”

A few seconds ticked by. David looked up. He continued.

“You asked about the difference? I think I know the answer, now. The difference is action. Words are fine, theories are fine, planning is fine, but the big difference in success is action.” -TF

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“A leader is someone who gets things done,” Stephanie responded. “At my church, whenever there is a project that needs to get done, people scatter. They all have excuses. They don’t have enough time. They are too busy. They don’t know how. So, the same one or two people eventually get asked to run the project.

“But when I look at those people, they are busier than anyone else. They always have more on their plate than the next person, yet somehow, they always get the job done. And they seem to get it done with little effort, even though they probably have less time to devote to the project than anyone else.”

“So, what do you think is the difference?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I mean everyone seems to want to help out, but some people just do it. There is a big difference between wanting to get something done, and actually doing it.”

“My question is still on the table,” I said. “What is the difference? What are the factors that make it so?” -TF
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“So, what’s the difference?” I asked.

Stephanie was slow to respond. We were talking about people. “Well, it’s like my team, there are definitely some different personalities.”

“And what about you? What makes you different? As the leader of your team, what makes you different?”

“Is it personality?” Stephanie knew there was a difference, but she had never thought about it.

“Some people think personality has something to do with it, but there is no evidence that any personality type is more or less successful as a leader. It may look a little different, but personality doesn’t explain the difference.

“Look, the world is the same for everyone. We are all faced with challenges, crisis, learning and growth. Yet some people stand out as leaders. What do you notice about them?”

“Leaders seem more aware. They know what to do. They have more energy. When they speak, what they have to say is interesting. People listen to them.” Stephanie was beginning to see the difference.

“So, if we are all faced with the same circumstances, the difference lies in the way a leader thinks.”

Over the course of the next few days, we will explore what this thinking consists of. In the meantime, I would like your thoughts. How does a leader think differently? Post your comment.

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“I feel a bit overwhelmed,” admitted Melissa. “There are so many things that could go wrong on this project, and I am just not sure if I can manage it all.”

“You are right,” I replied. “You cannot manage every detail. Success consists of the execution of a hundred things, most of which cannot be managed.”

“Then how?”

“Most things we accomplish as managers consist of processes and systems with elements that can be measured and managed. But that is only part of the story. Success also requires elements like focused attention, cooperation with team members and commitment to the result. Those are elements which are difficult to measure, but more importantly, almost impossible to manage. You cannot manage focus, cooperation and commitment.

“This is the people side of management, and people don’t want to be managed. This is where leadership comes in.”

Melissa was silent. She was thinking. “So success as a manager requires both management and leadership.”

I nodded. “And often, the people side is more critical than the process side. I will take a mediocre process coupled with a fired up attitude over a spectacular process with a poor attitude. And that is why leadership is so important.” -TF

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Until recently I have avoided this inevitable discussion about leadership. The reason is that there is so much crap out there in the marketplace, like 10,000 books on leadership. So, the only way I am going to talk about it is to frame the things that make sense. That make sense to me.

If leadership is who you are, then how do you become a better leader? This does not mean changing who you are. This means becoming a better you.

In his book Beneath the Armor, Ole Carlson talks about how we come into the world perfectly equipped to be a leader. We are:

• Curious (about all possibilities)
• Enthusiastic (unbridled)
• Energetic (from within)
• Inquisitive (searching)
• Explorer (turning over every rock, just to see)
• Learner (always getting better)

But through our lives, sometimes to be better managers, we learn behaviors that do not serve us well.

• Instead of Curious (we have a textbook answer)
• Instead of Enthusiasm (we become reserved)
• Instead of Energetic (we measure our excitement, look for outside stimulation, alcohol and drugs)
• Instead of Inquisitive (we know the answer)
• Instead of Explorer (we know the right and only way)
• Instead of Learner (we get good, we become learned, we become an expert)

How many options does an expert have to solve a particularly troubling problem?

Becoming a better you is a process of stripping away those behaviors that do not serve you well. Make a list. Post a comment. What behaviors and habits do you have that do not serve you well?

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Our next management program kicks off January 22 in Fort Lauderdale. Send me an email if you are interested. -TF

Our email from Exhausted stirred quite a ruckus. Even more comments were posted over the weekend and Monday.

So what could Exhausted have done differently to gain a remarkably different result? I suggested wearing a leadership hat instead of a management hat. But what does that really mean?

Unfortunately, wearing the leadership hat is not a technique. It is not something you do. It is who you are. So, what could Exhausted change about himself, to get a different result? What could you change about yourself, to get a different result?

This is an intriguing change. It is not about being someone different. It is about being more of who you are. And stripping away the behaviors that do not serve you well. If these are things that you have trouble identifying and changing in yourself, how can you expect to change them in others? -TF

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So, I left Shannon to ponder why. Why was she drawn to be a manager? Late in the day, I got this email. I asked her if I could share it.

Thought about what you said. I guess being promoted to manager was just the next thing. This is different than I thought it would be.

You asked me why? I think I just wanted to be more important. I think I wanted more responsibility. And now I have it.

But you were right. It wasn’t really for the money. It wasn’t so I could order people around. I just want to make a difference. A difference for the company, a difference for the people on my team and to make a difference for me.

I think Shannon is on the right track. It seems that she has a cause. But having a cause is not enough. To be a truly effective leader, Shannon has to be had by the cause. And right now, I don’t think she understands the cause enough to be had by it.

What do you think? -TF

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Shannon was staring at her desk. She didn’t look depressed, but certainly not happy.

“What’s up?” I asked, trying not to sound like a Budweiser commercial.

“Not much,” she replied. “I was really ready to come back to work from the holidays, but yesterday was a barn burner. Ever since I was promoted to manager, things have been different around here. It was so much simpler when I just came to work and punched a clock. Most of the time, it’s great, but there are times when things are just so frustrating.”

“So, why did you want to become a manager?”

Shannon furrowed her brow. “I don’t know. I just got promoted.”

“Why didn’t you turn it down?”

“I never thought about. It was a promotion, I got a raise.” I could see in her face that she had never explored this question before.

“That’s the reason most people become managers,” I said, “for the money. But if that’s the case it never lasts. The second reason is ego, you know, all the authority to push people around. But that doesn’t last very long either. Management is hard work, times get tough and if you are going to survive, you have to discover why you are drawn to be a leader.

“Think about it. I will check with you tomorrow, to see what you have discovered.”

And so I left Shannon to struggle with the same question I am asking you. Why are you drawn to be a leader? -TF

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From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:

I’ve been in my position as a manager for the past year and a half. Over time, I have noticed that one of our supervisors always seems to do his own thing and doesn’t conform to all of the company’s policies. He has been with the company since it started and has a wealth of knowledge about our industry. Yet, he refuses to help train new employees or take on a larger work load. This causes problems with the other supers who feel their work load is too heavy. A month ago, I inherited this situation. His former manager never confronted him so he feels like his behavior is normal and that no change is necessary. What can you suggest to help this situation?

Response:

The inattention from his former manager has placed you in a tough position, but that’s nothing new. Management is all about the reality of behavior. I know you want him to either shape up or ship out, but the downside is the loss of tribal knowledge, continuity of service to customers, having to recruit and train a replacement. Before I respond, why don’t we let some others take a crack at this. If you have some advice, let’s hear it. Post a comment.

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