Managing/Leading Assessment - [450 words]
Most everyone seems to want to be a leader rather than a manager. Leading is sexier. Leading involves such dynamic activities as championing new imperatives, sponsoring reengineering teams, problem solving, decision making on critical issues, motivating people, and communicating important information.
Managing is more about establishing a solid organizational structure. Mundane stuff — b o r i n g? How exciting is it to put together a basic plan for the organization? All you have when you’re finished is a document. How exciting is it to set up and implement measurements throughout the organization? Hey, isn’t that the stuff we hire "bean counters" to do? And then to top it off, who wants to establish accountability [especially for themselves]?
Perhaps this is why most organizations seem to be, well . . . disorganized.
Perhaps executives are too busy leading to have time to manage. While conducting a time management workshop one of the participants said: "If I only had ten minutes with my people at the beginning of each day [to get organized], I could save at least an hour each day." When asked why he didn’t take the ten minutes, he replied: "I don’t have the time."
It has always amazed me that executives always have time to put out fires,
but don’t have time for fire prevention.
I’ve observed many organizations attempting to launch rockets [Imperatives, motivational efforts, seamless customer service, reengineering projects, shifting paradigms, etc.] from an unstable or nonexistent organizational base [Vision, Plans, Controls, and Accountability]. The results, if any, are spasmodic.
The following downward spiral begins. People in these organizations become confused and frustrated, as do their executives. The confusion and frustration leads to cynicism as new leaders emerge and attempt to launch new "rockets" or P.O.T.Y.s [Programs Of The Year]. The efforts have the effect of rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. Eventually the executives don golden parachutes, the troops start putting on life jackets.
Is your organization somewhere on this continuum? Go back to your above survey and see if you checked off items 1, 5, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, and 20. These are primarily symptoms of organizational problems. Left unchecked these symptoms will negatively affect performance, profits, and the organization’s health.
Common Sense Managing is about managing AND leading. The book begins with four management sections: Vision, Planning, Controlling, and Accountability. These represent the structure, or base, of your organization. Once these are solidly in place it is appropriate to develop leadership. Leadership sections involve motivation, establishing seamless customer service and satisfaction, problem solving, conducting effective meetings, communicating, and employee development. How to successfully lead is covered in the second half of the Common Sense Managing.
The above survey and Common Sense Managing book are available on our web site at http://www.growthassociates.org.