From Working Leadership Online:

Question:
Why do we constantly have to correct workers? Why don’t they just do the task lists given? Where is the balance between constant harping at employees and merely checking their work?

Aside from the fact that supervision is the job, I am, many times, at a loss to define why some Stratum I workers need constant correction. I realize it could be in the supervisor’s methods or it could be in the systems.

Response:
Whenever I observe an underperforming team member. I always ask myself these first questions. “Are they doing their best?” and if they are, then, “Is their best, good enough?”

If they are not doing their best, meaning, they could do better if something changed, I then follow these questions:

• Do I, as their manager, think they have the capability to achieve the goals I have assigned to them?
• Is their underperformance due to a lack of skill, which leads to some training and practice?
• Is their underperformance due to a lack of interest? Are they simply not interested in this kind of work?

As the manager, you should be able to answer these questions.

“I don’t understand,” Roger shook his head. “If Brad would just start earlier on these longer projects, things would be under control, and he wouldn’t be cutting unnecessary corners which compromise project quality.”

“Why do you think he procrastinates until the end?” I asked.

Roger shook his head.

“Because,” I continued, “he cannot see the end until he is two months away. On a project with a nine month deadline, Brad cannot see the end. It is too far away. There is so much uncertainty between now and nine months from now, that he cannot see it.

“So he takes no action.

“Of course, the pressure of the project builds, because now things are getting late, but even that is not what finally kicks Brad into action. With sixty days to go, Brad can now see the end. And when Brad can see the end, he starts to act. It is frustrating for us, because we saw this nine months ago.

“Everyone has a story. And every story has a beginning, middle and an end. When you listen to someone’s story, you will hear the Time Span of their story. They cannot take action in their story until they see the end of their story.”

I managed to get two steps up the food chain, talking with the boss of Olivia’s boss, a senior vice president in the company.

“So, how did the audit project get delayed for your ISO re-certification?” I asked.

“I don’t know. You spoke with Olivia, one of our supervisors. Her manager, Brad, is really in charge of that project, it’s a Stratum III role, and we have had more troubles than just the audit with Brad.”

“Procrastination?” I suggested.

His eyes grew wide and his head began to nod in agreement. Eyebrows furrowed. “Yes. And I have talked to him about getting a jump on these longer term projects. Brad is okay with projects of about 60 days, but anything longer than that and he really gets in the weeds. In the end, you start to see him power through, working overtime and weekends. When he started working here, he looked really dedicated, but as time goes on, I don’t see that as effective manager behavior.”

“What length project is Brad good at?”

“Two months.”

“And how much time is left before the audit?”

“Two months.”

“What connection can you make from that?” -TF

From Working Leadership Online on Setting Goals and Time Span

Question:
In reading the posts so far, it seems that long term goals are hard to articulate. In setting long term goals, would you agree that they are by nature more ambiguous? Should we worry less about being precise?

Response:
A long term goal, by its nature?

Five years ago, a one year goal was a five year goal. What has changed in the four years between?

The goal has taken shape, become clearer, better defined, more concrete. It has also taken turns and twists, met with contingency and unexpected, yes unintended consequences. It is now more certain, less left to chance.

It is the Time Span of intention, the most important judgment for a Manager, to determine those things necessary in the future.

Ambiguous?

Precise? -TF

Join us at Working Leadership Online. Our next Subject Area is Decision Making – Facts and Intuition.

From Working Leadership Online on Goal Setting and Time Span

Howard Schnellenberger is doing the most important work of his life as a football coach at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton Florida. His earlier achievements are impressive.

Schnellenberger served as offensive coordinator under his college coach Bear Bryant at Alabama, helping Alabama to win three national championships in 1961, 1964 and 1965 before leaving in 1966 to take a job in the NFL as offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams under George Allen, then being hired by Don Shula in 1970 to become the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins and parlaying the success of Miami’s 1972 perfect season into becoming the new head coach of the Baltimore Colts in 1973. -Wikipedia

So, what is he doing now, some thirty five years later, coaching at a small university in Florida?

What are his goals?

On the face of it, the job of a football coach is to win games, one at a time, throughout the season, hoping to post a winning record. Noble goals.

Then why did Schnellenberger schedule to play the University of Texas Longhorns for the 2008 season opener? “Those boys are big!” stated an FAU player after the 52-10 sacking.

Schnellenberger has some long term goals, and he may have to lose some games (short term goals) along the way. But his FAU Owls got to play the University of Texas on television. The loss was a game, but the game attracted attention to the football program (long term goal). Schnellenberger demonstrated to talented high school players that if they come to FAU, he will challenge them to play against the best.

Time Span. I am always looking for the longest Time Span goals, for they define the role.

“But what if I consider all those things, materials, conditions and the competence of my team, and I set the deadline, and we still miss it. Maybe the team didn’t work hard enough?” Torrey floated.

“That may be possible, but I rarely find that is the case,” I replied. “Let me ask you this question. Is your team doing their best?”

Torrey sat back. “Well, I guess so.”

“What do you mean, you guess? It is your responsibility to know precisely whether your team is doing their best.”

“Yes, I know. That’s why we put in a bonus program, so that if the project meets the deadline, then the team gets a bonus.”

“So, you are still telling me that you, as the Manager are not able to judge whether your team is doing their best. You have replaced yourself with a phony bonus program, withholding compensation because you cannot make that judgment.”
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Mar 2 – Planning (2 weeks)
Mar 16 – Decision Making (2 weeks)
Mar 30 – Control Systems and Feedback Loops (2 weeks)
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“So, I get to set the deadline?” Torrey continued.

“Yes, that is one of the judgments a Manager has to make,” I replied. “As the Manager, you have the inside track on the context of the project, the importance of its schedule, the resources that have been budgeted, the quality of the raw materials, the facts of the working conditions, and the competence of the team. Only you have all these elements to consider.

“And that is why I hold you accountable for the progress of the project. I rely on your independent discretionary judgment to make that decision. Yes, you get to set the deadline.”
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Working Leadership Online kicks off next Monday. Register Now.
Feb 2 – Goal Setting and Time Span (2 weeks)
Feb 16 – Delegation (2 weeks)
Mar 2 – Planning (2 weeks)
Mar 16 – Decision Making (2 weeks)
Mar 30 – Control Systems and Feedback Loops (2 weeks)
We have 8 week subscriptions and annual subscriptions.