A Better Way to Work

Break free from the middle manager mayhem

Perhaps the most damaging mantra in business: “If you want it done right, do it yourself.”

Ask me how I know that. Actually don’t… I’m sure you can guess and it’s a little embarrassing.

As true as that statement might be, it’s not a solid foundation to build a department on or develop staff in a productive and energizing fashion.

Unfortunately, as my career in management advanced I continued to carry this mantra with me further and further up the line. I had 100 people counting on me in the Schweitzer Snowsports School, and I didn’t want to let a single one of them down.

Work/life balance was a nice phrase, but I wasn’t moving closer to it.

Small business owners can be particularly susceptible to this trap because after all, the business is their baby and they absolutely want what’s best for it.
Since they built it from the ground up, they probably do have the best skills to get each and every task done right. Why gamble on letting someone else fumble it, even a little bit?

Slowly I learned that even though I might be good at doing almost everything, that wasn’t really the right way to lead the department as a whole.

People need to be encouraged to accomplish projects that might be challenging for them. When that happens in a supportive environment, the department, or business, goes further together.

Other lessons followed.

• Hiring good people is more important than hiring skilled people. You can almost always train folks to be better at tasks, but it’s tough to transform a bad egg into a co-worker that is pleasant to be around.
• Operate and lead on consistent principles. The details of your decisions may vary, but staff will learn to trust that you’re looking out for them in a balanced way, even if things don’t always go in the direction they hoped for.
• Have the hard conversations. Avoiding a talk that you know will be challenging just pushes the problem further down the line. Taking time to address the impact of a staff member’s actions and then exploring solutions builds trust, even if it’s difficult. People work better when there’s not something lurking in the background that might haunt them in the future.
• Praise and reward staff in public. Not just for good work, but also for being a stellar supporting team member. And don’t water it down by following up with, “…this could improve…”
• Empower more than you inform. When staff feel trusted and supported they’ll figure how to get the info they need, and they’ll keep the ball moving in the right direction without your constant oversight.
• Surround yourself with people better than you. Build a team that complements you, and each other, and the combination will make you look better than you would on your own.

Moving through various levels of management for a couple of decades developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing supervisors and middle managers.

My clients are able to benefit from my trial-and-error learning process, bypass the pitfalls that I waded through, and travel a smoother path.

They’re in that tricky spot of needing to produce “real work” but also staying above the fray and casting a vision based on solid leadership.

The temptation to do it all yourself is strong… and unsustainable.

If you or someone you know has this tendency, let’s share stories and look for ways to find more balance.

Leading well doesn’t have to mean over-committing and traveling down the road to burnout.