The Metiss Group's Blog

No competent leader consciously micromanages or controls their direct reports’ activities.  Most leaders truly believe they give their direct reports ample autonomy to do their jobs.  Why is it then that most direct reports feel their managers don’t give them the independence they need to do their jobs effectively?  It’s because sub-consciously leaders are reluctant to empower their direct reports and tend to micromanage without recognizing it.

Dr. James Dobson in Dare to Discipline relates the study where social psychologists observed elementary school children in a playground protected by a high fence. The children ran with abandon, playing joyfully within the confines of the fence, unaware and unworried about the busy street just a few feet from the play area. Some theorists decided that the fence was too restrictive, that it inhibited the children, and that they should have more freedom. So, the fence came down.

When the children entered the playground the next day, instead of running with their previous abandon, they tended to huddle together at the center of the play area. Unsure of their limits, they appeared insecure and fearful.

Empowerment works the same way.  Leaders need to consciously define and communicate the boundaries of their direct reports’ tasks, get out of the way, and the direct reports will use their whole playground.  There are four boundaries we suggest the leader establish:

1. expectations – what does success look like;
2. resources – people, processes, budgeting available;
3. timeframes – hours, deadlines, check-in points;
4. restrictions – budgets, authority level, non-negotiables.

Consciously empower your direct reports by giving them the tools and boundaries to do their jobs, step a side, and you’ll both be more successful.

As a leader you are constantly struggling to find time for the important but not urgent activities.  One of those activities is creating and updating the job descriptions/accountabilities for each of your direct reports.  Though HR or your direct reports may help, you need to take the lead for managing this critical leadership tool.

When creating or updating the job description/accountabilities (they should be updating it at least annually), it is important to get input from the key people interacting with the job.  These “stakeholders” might include the job’s incumbent, direct reports, peers, your peers, customers, or your boss.

Engaging all these stakeholders in defining the job creates “buy-in” and makes it much easier for your direct report to do the job.  Because everyone understands the challenges and expectations of the job, support is offered that would not necessary have been provide without an appreciation for the job’s complexity.

Empower your direct reports by having the key people they interact with help define their job, and your team will experience much success.

When communicating and giving feedback, we encourage leaders use questions rather than statements for a number of reasons.

When leaders ask questions and solicit solutions, they gain commitment to the execution of that solution since the direct report feels empowered.   Secondly, they expand the direct report’s critical thinking ability when they ask questions, probe for answers, outcomes, and long term ramifications.

In Jim Collins’ new book, “How the Mighty Fall,” he stresses the importance of your question to statement ratio suggesting you appoint someone in a team meeting to track how many statements you make and how many questions you ask.  Then he suggests you systematically try to increase the number of questions to double that ratio over the period of one year

Empower your direct reports by using questions to increase critical thinking and problem solving ability throughout your organization.

Most leaders are aware of the different behavioral styles people have at work and have taken measures to leverage those styles among their team.  Some conflict may arise when the deliberate, contemplative analyst works with the free-wheeling, aggressive sales person; or when the rigid, critical quality manager works with the scattered, impatient marketing associate.  But most of these conflicts are manageable because the behaviors are observable and the co-workers can easily identify the cause of the discord.

It’s the conflicting workplace motivators or values causing deep disputes that can damage a team’s performance.  What happens when the caring, selfless HR Manager and the no-nonsense, bottom-line oriented Operations Manager disagree over a termination?  Or when the dogmatic, judgmental Buyer and the over-achieving, controlling Branch Manager oppose a new product line?  These disagreements often end in stalemates, irreconcilable impasses, and sometimes unjust or irreparable personal attacks.  The reason for these unhealthy clashes is that we often don’t understand and appreciate our internal motivations and those of our coworkers.

Empower your team to assess workplace motivators; share the findings, talk about the likely conflicts, and prepare for solutions before confrontations arise and you be successful even through the most difficult situations.

Many industries and sectors are reporting increased sales and healthier business prospects.  Similarly, hiring activity had increased and the demand for top talent is as strong as it’s been in years.  Whether you realize it or not, you are in jeopardy of losing your ‘A’ Players.

How prepared are you for your top performers to leave unexpectedly?  Most leaders are ill equipped to handle the sudden departure of their ‘A’ Players and, worse, elect not to deal with it until it happens.  The chances of it happening now are greater than ever.

Create a succession plan for your direct reports.  The plan should include:

• cross-training functions and assigned tasks (who’s going to do what when the star leaves?);
• key job function documentation (how does the star do their work?);
• sourcing options to back-fill the position (how are you going to replace the star?).

Empower yourself to create a succession plan for your key direct reports and you’ll sleep better knowing you are prepared for the unthinkable.

After two down years, we are now seeing hiring activity as strong as it’s ever been.  Companies are getting more and more aggressive attracting ‘A’ players.  And whether you believe it or not, your ‘A’ players are probably listening.

What are you doing to keep your ‘A’ players?  An occasional pat on the back and a consistent pay check will no longer keep them around.  In fact, when asked, employees indicate that lack of recognition and feeling undervalued/unappreciated are among the top reasons for leaving their employer.

Regular and constant positive feedback are essential.  Not once in a while, not weekly, but daily.  Superstars warrant and deserve some positive affirmation each day.

Feedback must be timely, specific (not just “good job”), and relative to their behavior.  For example,  “The amount of preparation you put into that meeting was evident and the way you were able to facilitate input from all the participants to actually reach a consensual decision demonstrated great leadership skills.”

Empower yourself to praise your ‘A’ players and know you’ve made a huge step in ensuring their success and that of your organization.

With the first quarter of the calendar year having just finished, now is a good time for performance reviews.  Students receive performance grades each semester which typically lasts three months.  Public companies are required to report their performance each quarter.  Why do most leaders review performance of direct reports annually or semi-annually?  This is particularly troublesome when studies have shown the typical leader writing a review only recalls performance over the previous six weeks.

The two biggest reasons given for avoiding quarterly reviews are: 1) leaders don’t have enough time to write the review, and 2) their performance review form is too difficult to use.  We recommend simple quarterly reviews for at least three of the four quarters in which the leader has the direct report fill out a one page sheet of paper (5×7 cards work too) answering these four questions:

1.  What did you accomplish last quarter?
2.  What are you going to accomplish next quarter?
3.  How did you demonstrate our core values?
4.  What are your personal development plans?

Benefits: the leader spends little to no time writing the review and is not encumbered by any form; the direct report receives a review of performance quarterly and direction for the next quarter to stay on track with the leader’s expectations.

Try simple quarterly reviews to empower your direct reports for success