The Mindset Shift

I’ve mentioned in previous blogs that a fundamental mindset shift is required if people managers (supervisors, team leads, project managers, etc.) are to succeed in their role.  And by success, I mean enabling not just your own success but that of your team.  I mean achieving results through others b/c that’s what it’s about now, not just you and your stellar output.  This shift isn’t instinctual – it’s understandable we’d still focus on our personal work rather than that of others because that’s what we know.  That’s what we are comfortable with and that’s what we are good at.  This mentality may work for a little while (your employees will work in spite of you or around you), but in the end, it will limit your effectiveness as a manager, and perhaps even cause you to fail.  

Red Flags You Aren’t Making the Shift

I worked for years for Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a public health non-profit focused on strengthening the health systems in developing nations.  MSH had a stellar leadership and management model/program.  One segment shared red flag behaviors that indicate managers haven’t made the above mindset shift.  They may have the title, but their focus is not on enabling others.  They are still defining themselves by their individual contributions and successes.  Some of those red flags are:

• Refusal or inability to delegate

• Competition with or micromanaging team members who work in your area of expertise

• Tendency to consider time spent coaching or supporting team members as wasted or unproductive time*

• Recurrent urge to fix an employee’s mistakes rather than teaching him or her to prevent them in the future*

• Tendency to maintain distance from employee mistakes

• Tendency to take individual credit for successes

*these two are super common

Have a good long talk with yourself

If you’re a manager, have a candid moment with yourself.  How many of these behaviors apply to you?  Some creep into our day-to-day pretty darn easily.  We’re only human gosh golly.  If you recognize any of these, don’t beat yourself up.  We’ve all been there.  Just ask yourself what you can shift to eliminate the behavior.  You will take your management to next level.  

And remember – it all starts with your mindset.  For more on the mindset shift, check out Ram Charan’s excellent book The Leadership Pipeline.  Most biz and leadership books leave me cold.  Not his.  The concepts are spot on and practical.

Cheers to you

More on core management skills in future blogs.  Share comments below if you have the urge.  Cheers to all of us out there trying to get the best out of ourselves, our employees and out team-mates.  And if you want a free consultation to chat through various management challenges, don’t hesitate to reach out.  Onward!