Have you met this manager?

I was rummaging through some old notes this week and came across this wonderful example of a manager that I guess we have all met at some time in our careers.

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A person in a hot air balloon realised they was lost. They reduced altitude and spotted someone below. Descending a bit more they shouted: "'Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago but I don't know where I am". The person below replied "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude".

"You must be a technician." said the balloonist. "I am" they replied "how did you know?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you have told me is probably technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information and the fact is, I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you have delayed my trip with your talk."

The person below responded, "You must be in management". "I am" replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?" "Well," they said "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault!"

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Sadly there are too many jokes about management that are a bit too close to the truth to be comfortable. Its important to any organisational culture for leaders and managers to communicate well if colleagues are to feel valued and respected. Say what you mean, and mean what you say.

"My door is always open" but they are never available to speak to you.

"Your wellbeing is really important to me" but they empty their inbox into yours on Friday afternoon.

"Lets book in regular 121s" but they routinely get cancelled for something more interesting.

We all know that when we say one thing and do another its our actions that people remember. So how about taking a little time to reflect on your own management style. Do you genuinely want your staff to be able to approach you about things? Have you worked through the practicalities? The meaning of communication is the response you get. If you tell people your door is always open there is a good chance they will come through it. If your practical reality is that your diary is always busy and you are never actually available, then the reality is your words are perceived as disingenuous and untrustworthy. A well meaning intention can turn into empty words.

We all have 168 hours a week, and I can guarantee that none of us have time left over at the end that we haven't used! Its all a matter of how we choose to spend the time. Whatever we do has a cost in the time it takes, whether that is committing time to listen to colleagues, attend meetings or carry out tasks. Successful leaders and managers consider how they spend time, and what they can afford not to do, in order to give time to something else. There is no single right answer, and that's ok, the important thing is to become more aware of the leader you are, and how that might differ from the leader you think or say you are.

I remember many years ago in my first leadership role putting a spare chair beside mine at my desk. It was an open plan office, so it was a practical 'door is always open' statement. What followed was a seemingly endless stream of people who came and sat there. For a while I accepted I would need to be in early and home late if I wanted to deal with emails, write reports, follow up from meetings - all the things we think of as work. As a leader or manager, colleagues don't get in the way of work, they are the job. So I spent time listening to what people brought to the chair. Many wanted a decision. Lots of the decisions were very minor things that should have been within their remit. For many years there had been micromanagement and a lack of trust. Some careful coaching questions later and staff felt more empowered, trusted to do their jobs, and the flow of people reduced. Others wanted to talk about how they felt at work, things that troubled them, or how their wellbeing was being impacted. Taking time to listen and provide support left them feeling much happier at work and consequently more productive.

Coaching, listening, supporting wellbeing are all invest to save strategies. Initially it costs you time, but the payback is more than worth it. So as you reflect on your approach are you choosing to spend your time, or invest it in your colleagues?

If you want to explore your approach further contact us about our coaching and mentoring offer, or join us on one of the NLP courses this autumn that are focusing on leadership and management skills