It’s a truism that executives set goals and broad strategy while managers build and execute work plans with the front line people.

To begin: Are you ready to “Step Behind the Curtain?” To stop being a doer and begin being a coach, a manager? It’s a serious question. If you’re not ready; Run! Duck! Hide! Refuse the “promotion!”

So here are some basic questions: “Do you know specifically WHAT each of your direct reports is supposed to accomplish this quarter?” “Do you know HOW they intend to get it done?” “Do you know HOW FAR they’ve come?” Well that’s a start! And how’s it going right NOW? Things change so quickly – and you are managing on the front lines.

Then there’s “WHAT’S IN THE WAY?” Is it a mental thing – a lack of training or knowledge? Maybe it’s a physical thing – better tools or access. Perhaps it’s a spiritual thing – distraction with a family problem or a dis-agreement with goals or process. Perhaps this individual thinks he’s got to have a big red car to hit the road. And you have to help him distinguish between wants and needs. You’re their manager, you‘re there to help them achieve and exchange with the company. So forget about power and glory. Wade in there and find out how it’s going, how it can go faster and better and what’s required to make it go right.

We keep finding that management is a terrible sentence for very bright, goal oriented people. Nobody tells you what the job really is, and yet they hold you responsible. Of course, if you’re “managing” your people but not connecting with them regularly, then they have every right to become critical. So first, last and always, quality management is about the quality of the connection.

This would be a great time to find a mentor/teacher/coach to help you (and perhaps your colleagues on the management team) get some ideas on paper about what you should expect from your people and what they should expect from you. Let’s go further: What should your seniors expect from you, and what do you want from them? Wow! Look what happens when you start to get specific.

In a way, much of managing is about setting/building “standards of expectation” – “how things are done here.” Once you’ve got the standards in place, you can explain them to the team and start working on delivery.

Can we help you, your team, or your colleagues begin to define “the Culture of Management” at your firm? Ask us about “Management Practices” and watch "Welcome to Management" in the Video section of this site.

Give us a call at 800.866.2228