The lone wolf strategy of managing may evoke a certain "Mad Men"
reminiscence of the management role and perhaps sound like a good way to
go, but it's really not. There are certain individuals every manager
should have a good connection with if they want to succeed in their
management role. Here are four "must develop" associations that are on
this list.
Your Own Manager
It doesn't matter who you are, newly hired or long-time member of the organization, every employee should have a good association with their own manager. This is even truer when it comes to those who are in management roles. The sad reality is having a good association with one's own manager may not always be possible. Some managers don't know how or don't want good associations with their team members. These would be managers who suck. You are not a manager who sucks. You are a manager who wants to be as effective as possible, and a key ingredient to that is to not only show as if, but actually be seeing eye to eye with your own supervisor. Having a manager who is ready to hear your plans, prospects, and problems - one who will support you in your efforts is invaluable to your success. If you find yourself working under a manager who cannot or will not support you in your efforts to improve your team, you may want to consider a different place to work; it's that important.
Your Human Resource Contact
The Human Resource office exists to help you with the administration of personnel related matters in your office. All employees work with the Human Resource office as they get started in an organization or as questions arise regarding benefits, vacations, and the like. If you're lucky, you may never need the assistance of your human resource office outside of these regular matters. The reality is, no manager who serves for any length of time is this lucky. Whether the issue of team member who doesn't want to be a team player is brought to you, or you bring the issues up yourself, in these times of adjustment your Human Resource contact will be your best resource. For this reason, this is a connection you should foster faster than any other. You don't think this connection is all that important? Consider this, when you need assistance, when is the better time to get to know the one you may need help from; well before their help is needed, or in the moment you need the help? Common sense says the former, not the latter, right? So don't wait, your HR contact is the second connection you should foster to be a manager who is most effective.
A Peer Manager
A perspective outside of one's own is, in most folks eyes, something of an impossibility. Sure we can see things through the eyes of others but actually knowing what other people know, or seeing anything that we've never been exposed to? Not possible. It's like light being unable to go around a corner - it can't. This is what explains shadows. Similarly, people also cannot see around corners we all have shadowed areas that we simply cannot see. For this reason, smart managers make sure they have at least one peer manager they can talk to about work=related matters. Talk with them about the issues you're working with, your challenges, your goals, ways to negotiate the organization - things that a different perspective would be most helpful for. To borrow a phrase from the British, if you think you don't need someone else's perspective about things, you're daft. there are at least two characteristics you should look for of one who might work well as a peer manager you can connect with. Your peer manager should be a) more experienced, or at least as experienced as you are in the organization, and b) someone who is in a separate area of the organization. Working in a separate area of the organization gives them new and unique perspectives which can help you in your area as well.
A Manager Outside of Your Organization
Similar to the input a peer manager can bring, people outside of the organization can also provide additional perspective to a manager. Unlike what the organizational peer can help with, a person who manages things in a completely different organization can share what happens where they work, what works, what doesn't work, and other ideas you might try where you are. The more ideas you have, the more you can work with to be the best manager you can be.
Summing It All Up
As a manager, your number one job is to remove roadblocks to the work that your team members might be facing. Having as many different perspectives as you can from other managers is one advantage you can give yourself in working to remove roadblocks. Having good associations with those who will be in the best position to help you if you need their help is a second strategy you should employ. Foster these four associations. You'll be glad you did.
Your Own Manager
It doesn't matter who you are, newly hired or long-time member of the organization, every employee should have a good association with their own manager. This is even truer when it comes to those who are in management roles. The sad reality is having a good association with one's own manager may not always be possible. Some managers don't know how or don't want good associations with their team members. These would be managers who suck. You are not a manager who sucks. You are a manager who wants to be as effective as possible, and a key ingredient to that is to not only show as if, but actually be seeing eye to eye with your own supervisor. Having a manager who is ready to hear your plans, prospects, and problems - one who will support you in your efforts is invaluable to your success. If you find yourself working under a manager who cannot or will not support you in your efforts to improve your team, you may want to consider a different place to work; it's that important.
Your Human Resource Contact
The Human Resource office exists to help you with the administration of personnel related matters in your office. All employees work with the Human Resource office as they get started in an organization or as questions arise regarding benefits, vacations, and the like. If you're lucky, you may never need the assistance of your human resource office outside of these regular matters. The reality is, no manager who serves for any length of time is this lucky. Whether the issue of team member who doesn't want to be a team player is brought to you, or you bring the issues up yourself, in these times of adjustment your Human Resource contact will be your best resource. For this reason, this is a connection you should foster faster than any other. You don't think this connection is all that important? Consider this, when you need assistance, when is the better time to get to know the one you may need help from; well before their help is needed, or in the moment you need the help? Common sense says the former, not the latter, right? So don't wait, your HR contact is the second connection you should foster to be a manager who is most effective.
A Peer Manager
A perspective outside of one's own is, in most folks eyes, something of an impossibility. Sure we can see things through the eyes of others but actually knowing what other people know, or seeing anything that we've never been exposed to? Not possible. It's like light being unable to go around a corner - it can't. This is what explains shadows. Similarly, people also cannot see around corners we all have shadowed areas that we simply cannot see. For this reason, smart managers make sure they have at least one peer manager they can talk to about work=related matters. Talk with them about the issues you're working with, your challenges, your goals, ways to negotiate the organization - things that a different perspective would be most helpful for. To borrow a phrase from the British, if you think you don't need someone else's perspective about things, you're daft. there are at least two characteristics you should look for of one who might work well as a peer manager you can connect with. Your peer manager should be a) more experienced, or at least as experienced as you are in the organization, and b) someone who is in a separate area of the organization. Working in a separate area of the organization gives them new and unique perspectives which can help you in your area as well.
A Manager Outside of Your Organization
Similar to the input a peer manager can bring, people outside of the organization can also provide additional perspective to a manager. Unlike what the organizational peer can help with, a person who manages things in a completely different organization can share what happens where they work, what works, what doesn't work, and other ideas you might try where you are. The more ideas you have, the more you can work with to be the best manager you can be.
Summing It All Up
As a manager, your number one job is to remove roadblocks to the work that your team members might be facing. Having as many different perspectives as you can from other managers is one advantage you can give yourself in working to remove roadblocks. Having good associations with those who will be in the best position to help you if you need their help is a second strategy you should employ. Foster these four associations. You'll be glad you did.
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