It should be clear by now that if you think you are as good as you need to be, you need to think again. Let’s start with three quick questions:
1. Are you spending time consistently improving your management and people skills?
2. What have you invested so far this year in your own personal and career development?
3. What is your working philosophy of routinely investing time and resources in your personal and career development?
I am often amazed at how many managers are quick to send their employees to seminars and skill-development programs while they sit in their offices trying to figure out why sales are down, performance is marginal, profits are lagging, and organizational effectiveness is chaotic to some degree. If you have never attended my two-day management boot camp, let me share one of the critical premises from this program: Everything in your organization is a “top-down” issue.
1. If top-down communication is ineffective, bottom-up communication will be poor.
2. If top-down direction is unclear or confusing, bottom-up performance will be deficient.
3. If top-down trust is absent, bottom-up trust will be negligible.
4. If top-down ownership of projects or initiatives is inconsistent, bottom up actions will be timid.
5. If top-down leadership is lacking, bottom-up effectiveness will be missing.
6. If top-down messages are mixed, bottom-up morale will be inconsistent.
7. If top-down decision making is tentative, bottom-up performance will be faltering.
Is this enough incentive to keep improving yourself? As I’ve said before: If you have a problem in your organization, look up the ladder for the cause and down the ladder for the solution. Unfortunately, many organizations today act in the reverse. They look down for the cause and up for the solution.
The solution is to develop a game plan for your own on-going self development. There are many options at your disposal:
1. Hire a career or business coach.
2. Attend management classes on a routine basis.
3. Attend at least one personal development seminar or program per month.
4. Join a business Book of the Month Club.
5. Listen to audio programs on business areas that interest you and are of benefit to you.
6. Get a business mentor.
7. Attend a management forum.
8. Bring a professional trainer into your organization to conduct a custom management/leadership program.
9. Get active in your industry’s association.
10. Attend networking events in your industry or at your professional level.
11. Join a professional organization such as the CEO Clubs, Young Presidents’ Organization, or Executive
Committee.
If you are investing in your employees’ development so they can be better equipped to more effectively perform their job functions as the world changes, don’t you think it would make sense for you to do the same for yourself? Why not try a simple rule of thumb. For every dollar and hour you invest in your employees’ development as a group, invest ten percent of both in your own development.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
In Management, Your Ego Is The Performance Killer
One of the biggest contributors to poor management performance, bad decisions, hiring mistakes, and a whole host of other problems is ego.
Everyone has an ego. It is a natural part of everyone’s psyche and vital for success. The problem occurs when a manager’s ego is given too much control of their behavior, attitudes, and management style.
The ego wants to look good, be right, not make mistakes, not admit failure, manipulate, and control or appear in control at all times. It would be nice if organizations and their strategies, objectives, goals, purpose, mission, and performance were always predictable and operating at peak efficiency and optimum results.
However, in the real world, change is the mantra and norm. Uncertainty prevails. And there are forces at work that would sabotage your ideal world. They include: the government, the weather, unpredictable employees, technology, competitors, customer attitudes and expectations, just to mention a few. If all of these could be harnessed for optimum control, we would never have business failures, lost customers, unhappy and poor-performing employees, disgruntled suppliers, and frustrated accountants.
Ego has cost Corporate America more money than any other single factor. It has resulted in poor decisions, thwarted initiatives, products that have out-lived their life cycle, and acquisitions gone bad. Want more?
· New products that should never have hit the street
· Bad products that were left on the street too long
· Poor hiring decisions
· The decision to terminate a good employee for no other reason than they have an ego, too
· The unwillingness to let go of control of anything
· Keeping decision-making at the top of the corporate ladder
· Unwillingness to delegate difficult or critical tasks
· The desire to look good to the rest of the corporate world, regardless of whether you are making money or not
I believe by now I should have your attention. So why is ego such a big problem in business? After all, Donald Trump has one, and he is successful.
If you were to ask an out-of-control-ego executive or manager if their ego is out of control, guess what you will hear. Believe it or not: No. Why is this? Denial? Arrogance? Insecurity? Or some other psychological or emotional need that has not been or is not being met?
During my career, I have watched clients make acquisitions (against my recommendations) for no other reason than ego. In almost every case, these cost their organization dearly in focus and reputation, not to mention profits. And, ultimately they were shut down or sold off again to some other executive with a big ego, maybe this time to someone who prides him- or herself as a business savior or turn-around master!
Before I lose you, I don’t want you to get the impression that ego is only an issue in the big decisions or choices made at the top. Its impact can be found day-to-day in many of the small and often less significant parts of an enterprise, in the actions and decisions made by mid-level managers and supervisors. I see the results of this every day and everywhere I go in my travels as a speaker and trainer.
As a manager, how do you know if your ego is out of control?
Just pay close attention to a number of critical factors. I guarantee that if you are aware of your circumstances, honest with your self-appraisal, and in touch with reality, it will become crystal clear whether your ego is in control or is running rampant in your organization or department. Some of these factors are:
· consistently poor morale
· constant communication breakdowns
· bad hiring decisions
· consistently poor decisions
· acquisitions or mergers that go sour
· high employee turnover
· consistently poor quality
· outdated policies, products, services, and/or procedures
· loss of market share
· vulnerability to competitors
· poor sales results
· decreasing profits from year to year
· the negative consequences of your decisions
Carefully observe early warning signs for these factors and determine their cause and any relationship between them and your ego, and then respond to them and manage them ego-free and effectively before they become embedded in your corporate culture, employee attitudes, and customer attitudes. You could ask yourself:
1. Can I ever be wrong?
2. Can an employee be smarter than I am?
3. Do I trust my employees?
4. Can I reverse myself after a bad decision or do I die by it?
5. Can I give up control?
6. Do I have pet projects or activities that I can’t let go of?
7. Can I freely give credit where someone else was responsible for the positive outcome?
8. Can I discard old products, services, or ideas that I was responsible for?
9. Can I share the limelight with others?
10. Do I give adequate appreciation and recognition to others?
11. Can I admit failure?
12. Can I admit to not having an answer?
13. Do I procrastinate on simple or important tasks, decisions, or initiatives?
These questions should get you started. Honest answers will help you clearly identify if your ego is a problem in your position.
In his classic book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don’t, Jim Collins states:
Level 5 leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company. It’s not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed they are incredibly ambitious – but their ambition is first and foremost for their institution and not herself or himself.
If you can rise to the challenge of channeling your ego in this way, be encouraged by the following:
1. Your ego is not part of your DNA or genes. It is man-made and can be un-made or controlled if you choose.
2. It is better to succeed and enjoy your success with a controlled ego than it is to go down in flames with an ego that is out of control.
3. You will never “win them all,” no matter how good you think you are. So get used to losing once in a while, if you aren’t already.
4. Hire a personal coach. What it costs you will be peanuts compared to the time and money you could save your organization. I accept ten new coaching clients every year. If you want to be considered for one of the slots, give me a call.
5. Business is not about winning or looking good, but serving others well.
Everyone has an ego. It is a natural part of everyone’s psyche and vital for success. The problem occurs when a manager’s ego is given too much control of their behavior, attitudes, and management style.
The ego wants to look good, be right, not make mistakes, not admit failure, manipulate, and control or appear in control at all times. It would be nice if organizations and their strategies, objectives, goals, purpose, mission, and performance were always predictable and operating at peak efficiency and optimum results.
However, in the real world, change is the mantra and norm. Uncertainty prevails. And there are forces at work that would sabotage your ideal world. They include: the government, the weather, unpredictable employees, technology, competitors, customer attitudes and expectations, just to mention a few. If all of these could be harnessed for optimum control, we would never have business failures, lost customers, unhappy and poor-performing employees, disgruntled suppliers, and frustrated accountants.
Ego has cost Corporate America more money than any other single factor. It has resulted in poor decisions, thwarted initiatives, products that have out-lived their life cycle, and acquisitions gone bad. Want more?
· New products that should never have hit the street
· Bad products that were left on the street too long
· Poor hiring decisions
· The decision to terminate a good employee for no other reason than they have an ego, too
· The unwillingness to let go of control of anything
· Keeping decision-making at the top of the corporate ladder
· Unwillingness to delegate difficult or critical tasks
· The desire to look good to the rest of the corporate world, regardless of whether you are making money or not
I believe by now I should have your attention. So why is ego such a big problem in business? After all, Donald Trump has one, and he is successful.
If you were to ask an out-of-control-ego executive or manager if their ego is out of control, guess what you will hear. Believe it or not: No. Why is this? Denial? Arrogance? Insecurity? Or some other psychological or emotional need that has not been or is not being met?
During my career, I have watched clients make acquisitions (against my recommendations) for no other reason than ego. In almost every case, these cost their organization dearly in focus and reputation, not to mention profits. And, ultimately they were shut down or sold off again to some other executive with a big ego, maybe this time to someone who prides him- or herself as a business savior or turn-around master!
Before I lose you, I don’t want you to get the impression that ego is only an issue in the big decisions or choices made at the top. Its impact can be found day-to-day in many of the small and often less significant parts of an enterprise, in the actions and decisions made by mid-level managers and supervisors. I see the results of this every day and everywhere I go in my travels as a speaker and trainer.
As a manager, how do you know if your ego is out of control?
Just pay close attention to a number of critical factors. I guarantee that if you are aware of your circumstances, honest with your self-appraisal, and in touch with reality, it will become crystal clear whether your ego is in control or is running rampant in your organization or department. Some of these factors are:
· consistently poor morale
· constant communication breakdowns
· bad hiring decisions
· consistently poor decisions
· acquisitions or mergers that go sour
· high employee turnover
· consistently poor quality
· outdated policies, products, services, and/or procedures
· loss of market share
· vulnerability to competitors
· poor sales results
· decreasing profits from year to year
· the negative consequences of your decisions
Carefully observe early warning signs for these factors and determine their cause and any relationship between them and your ego, and then respond to them and manage them ego-free and effectively before they become embedded in your corporate culture, employee attitudes, and customer attitudes. You could ask yourself:
1. Can I ever be wrong?
2. Can an employee be smarter than I am?
3. Do I trust my employees?
4. Can I reverse myself after a bad decision or do I die by it?
5. Can I give up control?
6. Do I have pet projects or activities that I can’t let go of?
7. Can I freely give credit where someone else was responsible for the positive outcome?
8. Can I discard old products, services, or ideas that I was responsible for?
9. Can I share the limelight with others?
10. Do I give adequate appreciation and recognition to others?
11. Can I admit failure?
12. Can I admit to not having an answer?
13. Do I procrastinate on simple or important tasks, decisions, or initiatives?
These questions should get you started. Honest answers will help you clearly identify if your ego is a problem in your position.
In his classic book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don’t, Jim Collins states:
Level 5 leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company. It’s not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed they are incredibly ambitious – but their ambition is first and foremost for their institution and not herself or himself.
If you can rise to the challenge of channeling your ego in this way, be encouraged by the following:
1. Your ego is not part of your DNA or genes. It is man-made and can be un-made or controlled if you choose.
2. It is better to succeed and enjoy your success with a controlled ego than it is to go down in flames with an ego that is out of control.
3. You will never “win them all,” no matter how good you think you are. So get used to losing once in a while, if you aren’t already.
4. Hire a personal coach. What it costs you will be peanuts compared to the time and money you could save your organization. I accept ten new coaching clients every year. If you want to be considered for one of the slots, give me a call.
5. Business is not about winning or looking good, but serving others well.
You Are Responsible To Employees, Not For Them
Although you are responsible for your employees’ output, productivity, and results, you are responsible to people and not for them.
The mistake of being responsible for people is like having sympathy for them. You feel that if they fail, you have failed. Sympathy keeps people dependant. Being responsible to people requires empathy: You understand what they are going through, but it is their stuff, not yours. You are there to help them, support them, and give them the tools and training they need to be effective. But if they fail to perform, it is clearly their choice. Now, if you haven’t done your part, then you should feel responsible for them.
How can managers be responsible for their employees rather than to them?
1.Make no excuses for poor employee performance.
2.Apply empathy when employees have personal issues that may get in the way of their
effectiveness.
3.Permit no negative attitudes from top performers.
4.Permit no employees to break the rules that others must follow.
5.Play no favorites with certain likeable employees.
Personal responsibility is an absolute requirement if people are to succeed and contribute their share to the overall success of your department or organization. Tolerating less than the acceptable standards from certain employees, for whatever reason, sends a message to other employees that the rules and expectations vary, depending on who you are, your age, gender, race, experience, personal challenges, tenure, performance, or relationship with the manager.
Everything you do as a manager sends subtle signals to everyone. Be vigilant to ensure that the signals you are sending are uniform and consistent. Sure, there may be situations when exceptions can and should be made, due to personal issues or challenges. Just be careful that these don’t set precedents that you are unwilling to apply organization-wide.
Do you treat all employees the same yet differently?
This topic, at first glance, might seem to contradict the previous one we just discussed. But if you will carefully observe, you will see some very subtle differences.
Every employee has special needs and desires that are uniquely theirs. They have dreams and hopes and the desire to feel valuable. Some may express them openly, while others may keep them hidden in the safety zone of their own minds. Or they may communicate them to their peers rather than to the higher-ups. But each employee is uniquely individual.
Treating employees without regard for these personal needs sends a clear message that they are not special, but just another employee, a cog in the machine. If you want the labor of a person’s heart and not just their hands or mind, it is critical that you treat people with respect. This would seem to be a simple task, but you would be amazed at how frequently managers show disrespect for their employees in subtle as well as blatant ways. For example:
· Disciplining an employee in front of their peers
· Interrupting them while they are sharing an idea or solution to a problem
· Being late for a meeting with an employee
· Not copying them in correspondence or emails that impact their position
· Ignoring their suggestions
· Not listening to them
It is impossible to know every employee’s needs and desires from moment to moment. But you can learn to see every employee as special and unique in their own way. This takes time, willingness, letting go of prejudices and judgments, and learning to see each and every employee as a valuable contributor to the organization’s success, well-being, and future growth – and to invest in them accordingly.
The mistake of being responsible for people is like having sympathy for them. You feel that if they fail, you have failed. Sympathy keeps people dependant. Being responsible to people requires empathy: You understand what they are going through, but it is their stuff, not yours. You are there to help them, support them, and give them the tools and training they need to be effective. But if they fail to perform, it is clearly their choice. Now, if you haven’t done your part, then you should feel responsible for them.
How can managers be responsible for their employees rather than to them?
1.Make no excuses for poor employee performance.
2.Apply empathy when employees have personal issues that may get in the way of their
effectiveness.
3.Permit no negative attitudes from top performers.
4.Permit no employees to break the rules that others must follow.
5.Play no favorites with certain likeable employees.
Personal responsibility is an absolute requirement if people are to succeed and contribute their share to the overall success of your department or organization. Tolerating less than the acceptable standards from certain employees, for whatever reason, sends a message to other employees that the rules and expectations vary, depending on who you are, your age, gender, race, experience, personal challenges, tenure, performance, or relationship with the manager.
Everything you do as a manager sends subtle signals to everyone. Be vigilant to ensure that the signals you are sending are uniform and consistent. Sure, there may be situations when exceptions can and should be made, due to personal issues or challenges. Just be careful that these don’t set precedents that you are unwilling to apply organization-wide.
Do you treat all employees the same yet differently?
This topic, at first glance, might seem to contradict the previous one we just discussed. But if you will carefully observe, you will see some very subtle differences.
Every employee has special needs and desires that are uniquely theirs. They have dreams and hopes and the desire to feel valuable. Some may express them openly, while others may keep them hidden in the safety zone of their own minds. Or they may communicate them to their peers rather than to the higher-ups. But each employee is uniquely individual.
Treating employees without regard for these personal needs sends a clear message that they are not special, but just another employee, a cog in the machine. If you want the labor of a person’s heart and not just their hands or mind, it is critical that you treat people with respect. This would seem to be a simple task, but you would be amazed at how frequently managers show disrespect for their employees in subtle as well as blatant ways. For example:
· Disciplining an employee in front of their peers
· Interrupting them while they are sharing an idea or solution to a problem
· Being late for a meeting with an employee
· Not copying them in correspondence or emails that impact their position
· Ignoring their suggestions
· Not listening to them
It is impossible to know every employee’s needs and desires from moment to moment. But you can learn to see every employee as special and unique in their own way. This takes time, willingness, letting go of prejudices and judgments, and learning to see each and every employee as a valuable contributor to the organization’s success, well-being, and future growth – and to invest in them accordingly.
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