A Little Space Please-September 2014

A Little Space Please The Labor Day Weekend has passed, and those of us who like the beach know that although it is the “official end of summer” it’s not the end of some great beach weather in September and October. This past Labor Day weekend was particularly crowded, but it never ceases to amaze me how some folks have no clue on the proper beach etiquette when it comes to setting up their chairs and umbrella. A long time ago someone told me to imagine a six foot circle around your intended “camp” area, and if someone already on the beach was within your circle you were too close. Similarly, if you could hear every word of their conversation, back away. Obviously, the family that chose to sit next to my wife and I both Saturday and Sunday never had the benefit of beach etiquette training. Otherwise, when they set up their umbrella and it shaded me in my chair they would have known they breached the six foot circumference. I’m also pleased to tell you that their Aunt Betty had just come out of gall bladder surgery, having reluctantly overheard all the details of her ailment and pending recovery. All of us need a little space now and then. But some leaders feel the need to micro manage every detail of the people that support them. I was recently helping a manager find a new project coordinator, and when I asked her to outline the primary duties for the position she responded by saying, “I’ll tell them everything they need to do and when they need to do it.” Sensing I was getting nowhere with this line of questioning I changed my approach and asked her to define the skills and experience she was seeking in the successful candidate. In true micromanagement fashion she said,” I want someone who is not afraid to take instructions and follows directions to the letter.” I finally asked her, “Why do you need this position?” to which she replied, “I’m overwhelmed and need an additional resource to help me with my workload. I can’t do everything myself?” “So”, I asked, “how will telling this person everything they need to do and when they need to do it save you time? It seems to me that you’ll actually be spending more time giving instructions than you are now and that, in fact, you’ll have less time to do your work. “Wouldn’t you rather have someone who could work with minimal supervision that you could rely on?” Truth be told, this manager was afraid to hire anyone that could be considered a threat to her position. Like so many inexperienced leaders, she believed her job security was based on keeping as much under her control as possible. Having someone on her staff that could operate independently and make decisions with minimal supervision was frightening to this manager. I’m pleased to say that this story had a happy ending in that the candidate we hired has shown the right balance of independence and deference. She has demonstrated her ability to work independently as a valued team member while making sure the manager still feels the level of control she needs for her own personal feelings of security. If we can help your managers with their candidate selection and/or personal development needs give us a call at 610-287-1162 or email me at phil@hrsolutionsonline.com. We’ll be happy to help, and after another weekend at the beach, I may be able to update you on Aunt Betty’s progress.