Passage 2 of Leadership Pipeline – Managing Others to Managing Self

Blame the delay in this post on the festive season:-)

The second passage of Leadership Pipeline - Managing others to Managing Managers is where the company’s foundation is constructed. So obviously organizations would want to pause and spend some time and thought to create a solid foundation.

However the challenge lies in the perception that there is very little difference between managing others and managing managers.

Key Value Shift

1. Move from valuing individual contributor to strategic and team contributor. The focus is now to identify, cultivate and promote ‘Leaders’ and not just ‘Doers’. MOMs, (Managers of Managers) need to recognize that managers not only require functional expertise but more importantly managerial expertise.

2. Empower First line managers. It’s quite easy to fall in the trap of ‘doing’ things rather than ‘delegating things’.

First Line managers often get frustrated and disengaged when their managers ‘usurp’ their functions. …. Does it remind you of your early days…Delegate, and delegate properly.

3. Effective Performance Management. First Line Managers are looking for support and direction from MOM. MOMs are responsible for the greatest chunk of work force that are in charge of getting the actual work done. The art of giving feedback and coaching conversation need to be learnt and implemented. It is important to keep this force motivated and engaged. MOMs require to focus on identifying and developing Managerial talent.

4. Managing the boundaries. The horizon of work expands from self unit performance to cross functional productivity. This needs a transition from a purely functional mindset that values specific function to one that embraces a more egalitarian view – looks easy but a difficult transition for most of the managers.

5. Strategic Team Selection. MOMs are responsible for selection and recruitment of the First Line Managers and their direct reportees. Selection of team is an art and MOM need to be trained in this field.

Unfortunately, because of lack of training and guidance, many a times, people chose their mirror image which causes lack of diversity and later choke the leadership pipeline.

Role of Organization to prepare MOMs

Transition from First line Manger to MOM is not just a stepping stone, rather it is a very critical career passage. Hence organizations should help the managers transition this passage. All learning organizations spend critical time in preparing their employees for this role.

- The new requisite skills, time application and values should be communicated in the beginning and even midway.

- Goals and measurements must be put in place that creates accountability for new managerial behaviors.

Constant guidance and periodic monitoring helps the new MOMs to develop people skills early in their career –

• Effective selection and training of first line managers – according to Ram Charan, “they are not just choosing their team but also seeding the organization’s leadership field ”.

• Managing accountability, appraisal and performance feedback – this call for developing and demonstrating sensitivity towards people; this also means that they need to use their position to motivate, instruct and guide rather than demean and demoralize.

• Strategic deployment of resources – “Learning to reallocate money, technology, and support staff….to improve results is juggling act that takes some practice”, says Ram Charan.

• Engage them in strategic long term planning – Interestingly, MOMs operate in ‘no man’s land’… they usually do not participate in setting company’s direction nor are they now supposed to do the technical work.

In summary MOM’s are the bridge between the strategy makers and the workers/managers.

Managing and guiding them will help organizations build the much required ‘Concrete Layer’ which would help the vision flow into action.

The Leadership Pipeline

This post is inspired by Ram Charan’s - 'The Leadership Pipeline’. Ram Charan talks about different passages of growth which an individual goes through in an organization or the many organizations he/ she works through..

I particularly got glued to the chapter where he talks about the passage from ‘Managing Self' to 'Managing Others’. I completely identify and agree when he says that individuals ‘recognize this transition intellectually but reject it psychologically…’

For a detailed and enlightening information, I would suggest that this is a must read for all professionals… for the ones who might forget to buy a copy of this book… here’s a bird’s eye view of the shift in value system required for the above Level 1 transition...

How do you define Level 1 transition?
When you are recognized as a successful individual contributor in the organization who produces profitable results, you are promoted to the 1st line manager…now you get a team to work with you..More than half of your time is dedicated to ‘managing’ rather than ‘doing’

Key Value Shift
From getting results through personal efficiency to getting results through others… It’s easy to fall in the temptation of doing things yourself. It sure is faster, but pause… is it the most effective… would you be able to manage larger roles and responsibilities alone… Absolutely not… Trust and train your team.

Team success over personal success… As a manager, a value shift of team over self is absolutely essential. Remember, your appraisal would depend upon your team’s success story rather than your individual performance.

From relationship building for personal results to relationship building for team’s success … Indulge in workplace socialization. You should engage in relationship building with your boss, direct reports, peers, customers, cross function employees for the team’s benefit. This exercise would build trust and would keep the communication transparent and flowing.

Avoid overpowering direct reports with your expertise… Coach and guide your team.. assess the situation and chose the role of a coach, a mentor, a guide, a boss or a peer. Allow them a certain amount of latitude in the way they carry out their assignment… your role is to observe, monitor and provide feedback.

Be available… both physically and emotionally… Remember, being approachable is crucial to your leadership role. Your body language, attitude, speech should exuberate positive vibe… a feeling that you are not just present but actively present for them.

True it is the responsibility of the Human Resource or the L&D function to train the 1st line managers, but I feel that the responsibility also lies with the individual to absorb and adapt the change in behavioural values. If individuals are not made aware about the importance of shift in value systems required with each leadership role, it definitely would result in, as Ram Charan puts succinctly, ‘clogged leadership pipeline’.

This is the first in the series and I intend to share all the six passages of leadership mentioned by Ram Charan in this fabulous book. Stay tuned:-)