Category Archives: Teams

Slow and Fast

Leave a reply

“I’m curious,” Millie announced.

“That’s a good mind-frame,” I replied.

“How come every time I get the team together to talk about a new method or procedure, when we are done talking, they go back to the way we did it before?” she asked.

“I assume you got some feedback and agreement at the meeting?” I replied with a question.

“Well, no one objected,” she said. “They nodded. At least they pretended they paid attention.”

“And, they pretended to do things the new way, while going about things the old way?” I smiled. “How long have they been doing things the old way and how long have they pretended to do things the new way?”

Millie pretended to think, but her answer was quick, nodding, “The old way, as far as I can remember. The new way, three days since the meeting.”

“And, so, what is your insight?” I asked.

“I can presume they haven’t had the time to assimilate the new way with the old way. But this change is so different, it’s not a matter of folding in a new method. They have to literally stop doing some old things and start doing some new things.”

“And I assume,” I continued to smile, “that three days is not quick enough for you?”

“Look,” she stared directly, “the new method will be slower at first before it picks up. Once they get used to the new method, it should double throughput. I want to get through the slow part as fast as we can.”

“I appreciate your impatience,” I said calmly. “Sometimes, you have to go slow, so you can go fast.”

This podcast just dropped yesterday, all about Elliott (53:00).
KPI Fireside Chat, hosted by Keith Norris, with guest Tom Foster.

The Value of a Manager

Leave a reply

“I don’t understand,” Margaret lamented. “I know I used to be a part of the team, and then I was promoted to manager of the team. It’s different, these used to be my friends. We used to do favors for each other, cover each other’s shift when we had a family emergency. Now, it feels disconnected. I feel disconnected.”

“Your role has changed. What else changed when that changed?” I asked.

“Now, I have to tell them what to do. I have to make decisions on priorities. I have to dictate the method and the sequence of the work. I have a bigger job, now,” she said, making a face that showed she was not happy.

“Where does the disconnection come from?” I wanted to know.

“I think everyone thinks I am bossy, when it’s just my job,” she replied.

“Is it really? You are certainly accountable for the output of the team. But, is it your job to be bossy? Look, you have worked with this team for a long time. Do they know how to get the work done? Do they know what tools to use and how to use those tools? And, more. Do you trust them in those things?”

“Of course, I trust them. I have worked with most of them for more than two years,” she counted.

“Then, what would be your most valuable contribution to the team as their manager? What value could you bring to the table. They know the routine, they know the methods, they know the materials, they can make the easy decisions and solve the easy problems without you. What value can you bring to the team?”

Second Guess

Leave a reply

“Why the long face?” I asked.

“I’m concerned about Rafael,” Eliana explained. “He was our best lead technician, always enthusiastic, knew his stuff, the team really respected him. We promoted him to supervisor two months ago and since, I noticed a slow disheartening withdrawal, from the work and from the team.”

“What does your intuition tell you?” I wanted to know.

“I don’t know, it’s like he is a different person,” she replied. “He seemed like a natural born leader and I wanted to give him the opportunity to shine. So when his supervisor got promoted, it was an easy decision. He said he wanted it. He got a raise, a small office off the production floor. But, now, I am having second thoughts.”

“I am flattered you wanted my advice, but you might find the conversation more productive if you talk to Rafael. He is the one who knows what is going on. Don’t avoid the conversation. If we made a mistake, we can easily correct it now, we have many options. If we wait another six months, the fix may be more difficult and we will have fewer options.”

Clarity

Leave a reply

“I don’t get it,” Elizabeth shook her head. “We hire MBAs, engineers, and industry veterans. Individually they were all great hires. Yet our projects still miss deadlines.”

“And what have you concluded?” I asked.

“That we need better people,” she said with a downbeat.

“Maybe. But tell me, who designed the roles they occupy?”

Elizabeth looked straight at me in an unspoken question.

“The smartest person in the world struggles in a role where the accountability is not clear,” I replied. “And a capable team member fails when they are given work beyond their current capability.”

“So the problem might not be the people?” Elizabeth showed a bit of doubt on her face.

“Most often, it’s the structure,” I nodded.

Elizabeth leaned back. “We’ve been replacing players when we should have focused on clarity.”

“And, clear to you may not be clear to the team member.”

 

Premeditated Culture is now available from Amazon.

Technical Contributors as Managers

Leave a reply

“When did you notice the slowdown in throughput?” Catherine asked. The response from the client was consistent and overwhelming.

“Right after we promoted Duncan to manager.”

“And what was Duncan doing before he was promoted to manager?” she wanted to know.

“Duncan is an engineer. He was doing engineering. Best engineer we have, so we promoted him to Engineering Manager.”

Catherine knew engineers and the worst decision was to make an engineer a manager. She interviewed the team and documented her observations. Her initial report was so precise, so descriptive that it climbed the ladder to the client’s executive team, in charge of engineering integration with every other function in the company. She did not expect the email, but there it was in front of her. “We know we had a small budget for this project, but we want to expand deployment across all teams. What could we expect?”

In Sync

Leave a reply

“I truly want to make my team happy,” Melanie wished out loud.

“Please don’t focus on making team members happy,” I replied. “Being happy may be a byproduct, but what we want is engagement. What does it take to keep team members engaged in the work that we do?  As managers, we do things instinctively to get the work done, without thinking about the longer term impact of engagement. Getting the work done is short term, to meet the weekly metrics.” I paused. “We need to think about getting the work done well for the next five years. We do that best with a team we can keep together, working in sync with each other.”

“We almost always meet our metrics,” she said. “But, it feels forced, overtime, uneven effort from some team members. I mean, we get there, but sometimes, it’s not pretty.”

“So, even if the team meets their metrics, but isn’t working in sync, where are you, as a manager?” I asked.

“That’s the word,” Melanie smiled. “Working in sync? I can force the team, but it requires me to be dominant, create pressure, in short, get the team to be compliant to the metrics. I am exhausted at the end of the day.”

“That is why, in building an organization,” I continued my thought, “it is not enough to have the right people in the right seats, we have to think about how the seats work together.”

“That sounds nice for an orchestra,” she chuckled, “but what about here, where we have to get some work done?”

I smiled back. “In every working relationship that we design, we have to think critically. In this working relationship, what are the accountabilities we expect? And, in this working relationship, who has the authority? Authority to make decisions and solve problems the way we would have them solved? It is the design of the structure that creates team member engagement. It is the design of the structure that creates flow, everyone working in sync.”

Real Problem

Leave a reply

“It’s all about connection,” Pablo said. “If a team member is connected closely with their manager, most likely they will remain engaged. If the team member becomes disconnected from their manager, or connected to a toxic manager, the job search has already begun.”

“Only the manager?” I asked.

“The manager relationship is the key, with a supporting cast of the team,” Pablo explained. “Conceptually, a manager’s accountability is simple (not easy). Create connection, prevent disconnection.”

“That’s the popularity of team exercises,” I said.

“The problem with exercises is just that. Exercises are exercises. They start up muscle memory, but if you really want to build a team, give them a real problem to solve. Stand back. Allow the team to struggle. In that struggle, you will see some things occur. Leadership will emerge, automatically. Leadership takes the form of restating the problem, clarifying the obstacles and laying down the challenge. If the problem is complex, it will require expertise in specific areas, team members will consult, rely on each other to help carry the burden. In essence, problem solving builds connection.”

A Context of Trust

Leave a reply

“Fixing accountability is the first step to creating a context of trust,” Pablo shifted. “When accountability is not clearly defined, or placed at the wrong level, mistrust begins a slow nuanced dance, often imperceptible. But it’s there. People begin to feel insecure about their own jobs, not sure where this career may or may not be taking them, squabbles emerge about equitable pay, stress among working relationships and blaming behavior.”
“Sounds like a bit of insecurity?” I ask. “Isn’t that why we do psychometric testing, to weed those people out?”
“People behave as people behave, in the context of their surroundings,” Pablo chuckled. “We think the success of a managerial system depends of the psychology of its individuals, when its success depends more on its design. Change the context, behavior follows. Go into a church or synagogue and you will see people sitting quietly, barely speaking. Does that mean they are all introverts and poor communicators? Go to a soccer stadium where a goal has just been scored and you will see people screaming, jumping up and down. Does that mean they are all extroverts with a boisterous personality. It’s all about context.”
Pablo stopped before he finished. “Fixing accountability is the first step to creating a context of trust.”

Hollow Acknowledgement

Leave a reply

“If you want to change the behavior, change the context,” Pablo repeated. “How do I want my team members to show up for work? As the CEO, I have to create the environment that encourages the behavior I want.”

“For example?” I asked.

“Personal accomplishment,” Pablo said. “Let’s just take that one.”

“Okay, are you suggesting we walk around and hand out attaboys so people get a sense of personal accomplishment?”

“Sure, people need acknowledgement, but hollow acknowledgement does nothing for the human psyche. If you want people to have a sense of personal accomplishment, give them something that challenges their capability, challenges their skill set, gets them out of their comfort zone. And, I am not talking about some contrived exercise. If you want people to feel a sense of personal accomplishment, give them a real problem to solve.”

Any Foothold

Leave a reply

Ellie was stumped. “So, all I have to do is think of my team as competent and that’s it?”

“It cannot be a made-up competence,” I chuckled. “This is not think-positive-thoughts day. Your team is good at something connected to contribution. And, if you cannot identify it, ask the team.”

“What if all they come up with is they show up to work on time?” she frowned.

“Then start there. Look for any foothold. Showing up to work on time creates synchronicity, contributes to a positive dependence on each other. That’s not such a bad starting place.”