Many times planning stops at Goal-Setting. Then managers are surprised when (if) the goal is completed it is late, over budget, below quality and the people fight the entire process. Roles (who will do what) and Procedures (how the work will get done) are necessary steps in the Goal Achievement Process. Ignore these steps at your own management peril!
All managers should be provided the unequivocal authority to turn down any candidate who may be offered from above, not on personal grounds, BUT only if their judgment is that the candidate cannot do the necessary work.
Higher-Level-Leadership Training what does that mean? Is it a Manager’s ego that certain basic Managerial Leadership Skills are below them? Below is a piece of a conversation I had with a manager about goal-setting and Higher Level Leadership.
How do you describe the absence of a problem?
On the surface it sounds obvious, the absence of the problem is described by me telling you that the problem is no longer present.
But knowing that you have been successful at getting rid of something is difficult, the absence of something is hard to know.
A Manager providing Coaching & Feedback to subordinates is a necessary activity in EVERY MANAGER’S day. The role of a manager is to add value to the decision making and judgment of the people they manage. As employees and Managerial Leaders, we all agree that Coaching is important. BUT the understanding and purpose of Why coaching is important is unclear and not well known by everyone.
Working with a team of 5 Executive Directors from a company that employs ~2000 people we identified a gap in the Managerial Leadership Training, Mentoring and coaching of employees prior to being promoted to a Manager Level within the company.
Within all parts of your work YOUR knowledge and thinking must be part of the plan. No technology or rote process can give you the “correct” plan – BUT a solid process for planning can guide you to the best plan for your team and you.
A plan is a judgment about the best way to go about achieving an intended goal
Too often organizations try to push flying lessons to caterpillars.
I know some of you are thinking WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
It means that what we are trying to do is far too advanced at that time, or the person is not ready to develop the skills yet. In reality they may never be able to master the skills you are trying to train and develop.
All goals are time driven – whether we announce the time-frame or not ALL GOALS ARE TIME DRIVEN. As a Manager setting goals “What-by-When” is how you add value to those who work with you. As an employee completing goals “What-by-When” and setting goals for ourselves are what adds value to those who work with us. Determining your own & others time-span to complete a goal will make your work more fulfilling and innovative.
Being a Manager is tough and being accountable for the work as well as the behavior of a subordinate adds another layer of complexity to your challenges. Ensuring that the right person you promote is capable of doing the work and Fit-In with their new work peer group is necessary.