“But then, as the manager, I have to stick around to see if they actually complete the task,” moaned Shirley. “Why can’t they just do it the way I showed them?”

“Let me get this straight,” I said. “If you tell them about the new procedure, show them the new procedure. Get them to try the new procedure. Then leave. How long will they continue to perform in the new way?”

Shirley shook her head. “60 seconds! That’s it. As soon as I leave, they go back to the way they did it before.”

“Shirley, you are focused on what you do before the new behavior. What could you do differently after the behavior to get a different result?”

“You mean, stick around and watch longer?” she said. It sounded like a question, but it was more of a statement.

“And if you stuck around longer, what else could you do to get a different result?”

“I guess I could correct them if they did it wrong.”

“And if they did it right?” I prompted.

“I could tell them they did it right?” Now, it was a question.

“Yes, and what else?” I asked.

“Ask them to do it again?” The picture began to come into focus for Shirley.

“Yes, ask to see it again. Smile. Ask other people to watch how well it was done. Smile again. Tell her you want her to practice and that you will be back in ten minutes to watch again.

“If you want someone to acquire a new behavior, telling and demonstrating only gets it started. If you want the behavior to be repeated, you have to design rapid fire frequent positive reinforcement after the behavior. Watching, smiling, paying attention, encouraging. What gets reinforced gets repeated.” -TF

“I admit it. I am struggling. I feel like I am trying to ride two horses at the same time. My boss wants me to take on more responsibility, but I still have all this other work to do. He says I need to let go, but I don’t know who to get to help me.” Rachel was moving up, but needed to identify someone on her staff as an emerging manager to fill in behind.

“Rachel, you say you want this new responsibility?” I waited, though I knew her head would say yes. “Here is a big fat secret. You will never be able to move up in this organization until you have found someone to take over what you do.

“Everyone thinks you cannot move up until you have learned a new skill, but the real constraint is below. You cannot move up until you have identified a person to take over your current responsibilities. And once you find them, you have to train them and test them.

“One of your biggest responsibilities, as a manager, is to find and build a person as your replacement. And it doesn’t happen in a week. You have to be thinking two or three years to the future.” -TF

From the Ask Tom mailbox.

Question

I was recently promoted to one of our higher volume locations as a supervisor. At first I was excited to show my skills to my new manager. However, I am doing less work and feel I am going backwards instead of forward. My new manager hasn’t had the time to train me and I don’t think I am being taken seriously. My question is, should I move on to another job or just be more patient.

Response

Why are you waiting for your manager to train you? You have to take some initiative here.

Are you responsible for scheduling?

Are you responsible for other associates performance?

Are you responsible for newbie training?

Are you responsible for inventory control – any aspect?

Are you responsible for drawer cash outs?

If your manager is like most managers, they are very busy with what is in front of their face at any given moment, especially during this holiday season. You cannot afford to wait. You may have to learn those skills from another person, from a book, from another manager, mentor or friend at the store. Ask to come in on your own time to sit in with another to learn scheduling or whatever the skill. Show genuine interest in learning. Sure, you may end up “volunteering” three or four hours of your own time, off the clock, but that investment will pay big dividends down the road. You will get those hours back one hundred times over. -TF

“The biggest change for me,” said Renee, “is that I have to spend time learning. I thought I was finished learning when I finished school. I was wrong. Think about it. The things I am learning today weren’t even invented when I was in school.”

Renee paused and looked around the table. “First, I have to keep an open mind that there are things I don’t know. There are things we do that can be done better. There are new ways to reach our customers. There are new ways for our customers to reach us.

“There are new products in our market that are better than our products. We have to see where we need improvement. We have to keep an open mind that we can always get better.

“The main thing is, I just can’t keep coming to work every day, thinking, all there is to do, is the work. If I want to be more effective, I have to keep learning.” -TF

P.S. Management Skills Blog celebrates its one year anniversery today. Cheers. -TF

“So, what’s changed?” I ask. It is one of my favorite questions. Change can happen on the outside, but it can also happen on the inside.

I always ask, “What’s changed in your industry?” The responses are easy, mostly observations from trade journals.

“What’s changed in your company?” The eyes roll. There is always some new something. Some new computer software, some new procedure, some new person, something new to stir things up. You can hear all about it at the water cooler.

“And with your team? What’s changed about your team?” The looks are puzzled. Well, we have a new team member. And Ralph, is getting weirder. And we have to work harder than we used to. And more is expected of us.

“And with yourself? What has changed about you?” This is the most interesting question. In the past twelve months, what has changed about you? What is the most significant thing you have learned? What is the most important decision you have made? What has made your older and wiser? What have you lived through that has prepared you for tomorrow? -TF