Introduction

This online video course by Chris Croft talks about various management and leadership styles and skills to help us become a better leader. This course can be found here. Given below are the raw notes I took while attending this course.

Summary

  • leaders are about vision and managers are about execution
  • leader is like a captain of a ship
    • we dont want him to care about customer care
    • we dont want him to serve food, prepare our bed
    • we want him to steer the ship and NOT crash!
    • a good boss is hands-off and knows how to delegate
  • leadership is all about people - system - vision
    • has got all the right people for the job
    • a system is in place and it works
    • vision about where the company is going
  • if the system crashes, it is the leadership's fault, even in their absence!
    • if everything runs fine for a few weeks even in the absence of the manager means that he's a good boss
  • everything is the management's fault!
  • connecting with the team, aka communication (a very important thing!)
    • management by wandering about - check if your managers are running a tight ship by just "walking" around the workplace
    • back to the floor - a few days per year, go back and work with the lowest levels of the org. Also helps you with getting back in touch with the work, thereby helping you make better decisions
    • information cascade - along the management chain and then use MBWA to check if this is really working
    • team meetings - all your reportees, per week (can keep it snappy)
    • addressing the troops - address your full org about profits, revenues and investments and plans for the next year
  • good leaders are because of what they DO not what they ARE
    • get the tasks done
    • keep the team happy
    • keep the individuals happy
  • Maslow's hierarchy of needs (we can't skip the stages and they go in that order)
    • physiological needs - survival
    • saftey/security - as a manager we need to provide this! Communicate clearly about the status of the reportees, be consistent
    • belongingness - social
    • esteem/status - be noticed
    • self-fulfillment - this is an internal motivator
  • as a leader, we need to bring everyone to the final stage of self-actualization
  • management potato - thanking people
    • it is essential for security, status and self-actualization
    • most of us are doing ok 80% of the times, excellent 10% and not so good 10%
    • but the management typically focuses only on the last 10%!
    • that criticism can demotivate employees and they stop doing work
    • so focus on the middle 10% and praise them for that
    • but for the last 10%, ask them "what will you do differently to improve?"
  • leader needs to adopt to the different types of personalities
    • {introvert, extrovert} x {logical, emotional}
    • introvert+logical => analytical
      • give them freedom
      • might prefer self-actualization more
    • introvert+emotional => amiable
      • need to be felt safe and heard
    • extrovert+logical => controller
      • motivated by challenges
      • might be hard to manage
    • extrovert+emotional => enthusiast
      • very social and status oriented
      • might be disorganized
  • how will they be as leaders?
    • introvert+logical => analytical
      • communicates clearly (mostly 1:1)
      • like to have a plan and organized, might not be risk takers
    • introvert+emotional => amiable
      • good at judging and putting right set of people to work together
      • can be good senior managers
    • extrovert+logical => controller
      • very dynamic
      • might not be sympathetic
    • extrovert+emotional => enthusiast
      • visionary and inspirational leader
      • need to remember the details
  • money is not a motivator
    • it is actually a PUSH motivator. IOW, it will push you to do things, but not necessarily want you to do things (as opposed to a PULL motivator, which makes us want to do things)
    • pay raise does give some temporary motivation. But it is really the praise that's a bigger motivator than the money associated with it
  • motivational tips
    • give everyone ownership of something
    • involve people in decision making as much as possible
    • give out challenges
    • let them set their own objectives
    • do regular appraisals
    • make them feel secure
    • praise freely
    • thank as much as possible
    • coach and support (instead of criticize)
    • get to know your people and motivate
    • offer learning
    • show progress
    • co-develop (vision of where their learning is going to go)
    • help them reach their potentials
    • give people who need, the novelty in work
    • provide a sociable work env
    • build team spirit
    • make money adequate
    • set an example to your org
  • tannenbaum and schmidt management continuum
    • it's all about deciding how much control you want to have
    • continuum is: tells -> sells -> shares -> consults -> delegates
    • this is in increasing order of freedom for your team, or decreasing order of your control
    • final stage is empowerment where we are not monitoring but are available for support/consultation
  • delegating (or empowering)
    • provides a sense of ownership and motivation
    • frees your time
    • helps others learn
    • increases bus factor and thereby reduces risk
    • acts as a training experience
  • abdicating is basically delegating but not available for support and coaching!
  • people don't delegate because of the fear
    • that it might go wrong - but it is unfounded since you'll be monitoring and supporting all the way!
    • that they might be better than me - which is fine because that'll make you look good in front of your boss!
    • that they might be overloaded - but by giving them more work, they might become efficient! Remember that they'll always look busy in front of you!
  • if your team can function for a few weeks to months without you, then you have delegated (or even empowered) them sufficiently!
  • don't take the monkey
    • if they come with a problem, don't say "leave it with me"
    • ask questions (or guide) to let them come with a plan and then follow-up
    • remember, you are the boss and they work for you!
  • "situational" leadership
                     competency
                low                    high
motivation
       high    enthusiatic           experienced

       low     lacking confidence    bored
  • freedom ladder (types of workers)
    • wait until told
    • ask what's next
    • suggest next
    • just do it and report afterwards
    • free to act (occasional reporting only)
  • tannenbaum and schmidt is for planning and freedom ladder for doing
  • let your team help you in becoming a better boss!