Not much new under the Sun (Tzu)

I recently re-read the Art of War by Sun Tzu. Not really the most modern thinker, knowing that his guidelines on effectively leading a war were written 2500 years ago. But his work on the Art of War goes beyond military environment and rings valuable for leaders and managers in these very different times.

Two of my favorite quotes ...

"If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame."
Pretty clear. Yet there are so many leaders who are convinced it is their teams, not themselves, that need help. "I have explained them different times, but they just don't get it !". Business leaders spend a lot of time explaining what their teams should do differently, and so little time on what they themselves can do differently.


"When you lay down a law, see that it is not disobeyed; if it is disobeyed, the offender must be put to death."
A powerful illustration is that of Ts'ao Ts'ao, a military leader who forbade his troops to destroy crops once they had conquered an enemy. After his own horse inadvertently trampled a field of corn, he condemned himself to death !

Now, cutting off people's heads has gotten out of fashion, but there so often seems to be a different set of (unwritten) rules for those in leadership positions than for the rest. "Do as I say ...". Yet leaders then wonder why levels of engagement of their teams are low ... !

I once in a while pick up a new book on leadership or management that promises 'breakthrough' methods. I have come to the conclusion that all there is to know, when it comes to management and leadership, is more or less known. It's the execution that is missing.

The #1 mistake managers make

I have to admit: stole this blog title from a blog I recently came across. Reading the title made me think (in fact, the title was more interesting than the content !) ... In my experience, what would count as the #1 mistake managers make ..? The answer I came up with is: the #1 mistake managers make is that they stop to ask ...

1. they stop to ask for feedback

Growing up in the organization, people get feedback all the time, unfortunately often limited to the once-a-year performance review. Once they become manager, they give feedback to the team members they work with, and they are asked for their feedback about some other individual in the organization. Once manager, feedback becomes that which our title gives us the right to hand out. Feedback is what others need. In many situations, managers themselves receive feedback ... when there is an issue around their leadership style.

Managers should themselves, and continuously, ask for feedback. From team members, peers and their superiors. Feedback about themselves as well as the team they lead. It could take a while as sometimes people are not comfortable to give feedback when asked. But persistence, and genuine intention to use the feedback to develop yourself, does pay. You can be your own coach, you can be your own mirror ... All that is needed is to ask for feedback.

2. they give the answers (because they know them)

When you become a manager, it's for a reason. You have performed, you have solved problems. You have found answers and implemented solutions successfully. So when people come to you with their issues or problems, you want to help them, let them benefit from your experience, and give them the answers. And they happily go away and implement your  solution. And very often, the problems are indeed solved. And when it doesn't work, they will come back and ask for better solutions. This creates a feeling of empowerment ... for the manager, and a team that is completely dependent on him or her. When the manager is ready to move to a new assignment a number of years later, the conclusion is often that "nobody in the team is ready to take on my role". Help your team to develop by making them think for themselves. Giving the answers doesn't do that.

3. they don't ask what they should be learning

Being a high performing manager creates a zone of comfort. You "know" how to do things around here. You created an image of yourself as a manager, for your team and your superior. You are in your "managerial element" (as Ken Robinson would say). And you repeat, repeat and repeat, because it works. But things around you change: technology, people's expectations, the business environment ... Everything changes and the approaches that worked in the past will one day become old school, and limit your performance. I have seen managers who were successful and five years later had to be demoted because they were too "stuck". Managers should continuously ask what new there is out there, how the world and the views on management are changing, and use this to update themselves.

Children develop by asking questions. "Why this ?", "Why that ?". Managers can use this simple in-born technique do continue to develop themselves.