Control but Not a Control Freak

How to not be a control freak but be in control…

Most managers and other upper level executives scaled the corporate ladder by being good at what they manage. In fact, a lot of companies choose a team’s new manager from the top performers on that team. Although some will argue that this is not the best approach to selecting management candidates, for this article I want to focus on situations where we do just that—situations where we promote an employee who is extremely skilled in a subject and ask them to not only be good at that subject, but to manage people as well. Notice, these are two very different tasks.

Still sounds like a perfectly logical path, though, right? Take someone who is good at their job and ask them to lead a team of people doing that job. First, these management candidates have built-in credibility due to their experience and history of success. Second, they know the ins and outs of the position, and, finally, they probably know how to avoid a lot of the pitfalls associated with the job.

The question that remains is, can they coach, manage and lead people to do it, or do they become control freaks that can only “manage” a small team because they hover over their people and/or even take over and do the job themselves if things don’t move as quickly or efficiently as they would like.

Many new “managers” fall into the trap of “it is just easier to do it myself.” Rather than invest the time coaching their team members, they get frustrated with the lack of correct performance and just take over. Rather than invest time in recruiting the right team members, they cover for the lack of skills on their team by their own extreme abilities. Rather than allow people to be creative and resourceful and try new methods and directions, these new managers mandate exact systems. Although there is a time and a place for each of these techniques, they should not be used exclusively.

But, you may wonder, how does a good manager avoid falling into this trap?

As managers, our job is to develop our teams and thereby increase the production, efficiency, and profitability of our companies. Because our time is our most valuable resource, where and how we invest it will many times determine the success or failure of that mission. Invest wisely, and it will give exponential returns! Here are a few places to start:

1. Coaching: Having a coach for a manager can help the process immensely. That person can be an outside consultant or a manager or mentor within the company. “Coaches” help managers learn to delegate—showing them how to involve their team in the process instead of doing it all themselves. They teach managers how to encourage their teams to be more independent and efficient with their time, and educate them about personnel development methods, etc. The coach also provides a sounding board for the manager’s ideas and thoughts and, subsequently, offers feedback before the manager utilizes those thoughts. Finally, coaches become accountability partners—they help managers stick to their plans. And, they can provide perspective from outside the “battle” because they aren’t as emotionally tied to the situations. Therefore, their guidance is based on logic and the plan rather than emotions.

2. Spot checks: Putting a system of random “spot checks” in place is vital to success. It gives managers a feeling of control, but they don’t actually have to look at every single thing. For example, if the team produces billing for the company, the manager should set up scheduled checks of a certain number of the bills. That way, the manager can take a quick look at all billing, but take a deeper, more detailed look into a few of the bills just to be sure the processes are being followed. We can assume that if the process was followed on some, it’s likely that it was followed on all. At the same time, accountability is created for your team because they know you are looking at certain ones and they don’t know which ones they are. The result should be better work on everything as a whole
3. A prospect pipeline: One of the most glaring weaknesses in many managers is the inability to replace team members in an expeditious manner. Things happen, right? Things you didn’t expect. People find new opportunities, people don’t perform up to par, people are disgruntled at times. Our people are our most important asset. Even one team member that is not performing up to standards will hold you back more than almost anything else. Good managers need to be ready to replace or reload as the situation presents itself. They should constantly be recruiting and looking for new prospects and talent to fill voids created by departures as well as growth. If you were told you had to hire someone in 48 hours, who would you call? Have you interviewed anyone in the last few months? Most managers get ‘satisfied’ with their team and say they don’t need to interview. But, what if one of your team members leaves? Trust me, two weeks is not a long time to find AND train a new person. Things happen, be ready. Have a goal of finding a person to interview at least one time a month. Trust me, just start interviewing—you will be better at interviewing because of the practice, and who knows, you might find a rock star to hire!

Being in control without controlling is a challenge. Especially when the reason you are a manager is because you were reallllly good at the job. Becoming a true manager involves a mindset shift. You no longer get results primarily through your own work. Instead you get results through your people’s work. Ultimately, your true success depends on your ability to bring out the best in your team members. You can cover up flaws or inabilities or a lack of knowledge for a while. However, you will create a situation where you can’t grow past your span of control and you will stymie your team’s growth potential. Real leaders don’t just encourage their team—sometimes they almost have to force growth to happen. They ask people to perform and help them see the impact of their actions. Managers like these are personal development “freaks” not control freaks.

For help with this or any other challenges you and your business face, contact us today. burk@burkmoreland.com or 832-356-4585