This weekly feature is for those who don’t have time or don’t want to make time to read lengthy articles or even short paragraphs. We call it a Quick List. AKA – 10 by 10 on Tuesday. 10 ( ideas or tips or questions or steps or ways to Get 2 Goal or Be a Better Manager or Boost Morale and Productivity, etc) by 10 (AM – EST) on Tuesdays. Click here if you’d like to see all Quick Lists created to date.
This one ties in with our Quote of the Week: for Managers and Mother’s Day – about what happens when we are not there. If we are scared to leave – scared of what will happen if we do – what can we do to change that? It’s not about hovering and fretting and micro-managing. Instead, it’s about teaching and coaching for improved productivity, performance and results. When you are not there. And when you are.
Before reading the tips, ask yourself: “What goes wrong when I leave the office? Which of these has the biggest impact on my business?”
If you haven’t left for a while because you’re scared to do so, ask yourself: “What’s the worst thing, the most damaging thing that could happen while I’m away?”
Now – which of these tips are already in place to protect? Which ones could use reinforcement?
1. Set a good example. Yes. It all starts with you. See example in Management Lessons from Mom (the first story about Bobbitt’s Pharmacy).
2. Hire the right people. I know this sounds obvious but actually doing it requires strategy, planning and skill. It’s part of our workshop on Maximizing People Resources.
3. Make roles, responsibilities and expectations clear. See complete series on this beginning with our Quote of the Week: #1 Killer of Productivity.
4. Create and maintain good systems and checklists. See #3 in The Joy of Independence.
5. Provide hands-on training that includes the rehearsal of common situations. See #2 and #6 in The Joy of Independence.
6. Don’t answer their questions. I know that sounds incredibly unhelpful, see #5 in The Joy of Independence and The Unhelpful Manager. Another good example in Management Lessons from Mom (look for the story about the cookbook and the campaign speech).
7. Set measurable goals that the team and each person on the team knows and understands. See more on this in 10 Steps for Push to Goal.
8. Monitor progress using tracking systems that allow you, the team and each person on the team to know progress to goal at any time. See example of this in 10 Steps for Push to Goal.
9. Provide frequent feedback (reinforcement and re-direction) and recognition to the team and to each person on the team. See example of reinforcement in Management Lessons from Mom (look for the story about summer camp and paychecks).
10. Squash communication triangles. These seem to pop up a LOT when the manager isn’t there. When Joe comes to you to complain about something Sally did and you go to Sally to talk about it and then you return to Joe to report on what Sally said….that’s a communication triangle. Not much good can come from that. It’s a waste of time. And it’s exhausting! How to squash it? Joe needs to go to Sally with the issue. OR you, Joe and Sally can discuss and resolve together.
To avoid overwhelm and a ding to your own morale, don’t try to add all of these to your work plan at once. Add one or two at a time. If you aren’t sure how to proceed, ask your coach for help.
copyright 2010 – Business Class Inc
Other Resources to Help You Get Better Results When You Aren’t There (and when you are):
