Tag Archives: Management Training

The Tazie Effect – Turning Life’s Defining Moments Into Personal and Professional Greatness

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TheManager’s Leadership Book Review

In what may become a regular feature of AskTheManager.com, we tackle the sometimes thankless task of reviewing the work of a published author. While you could argue that we’ve provided book reviews in the past with our Ten Best Leadership Books or our Ten Best Decision Making Books lists, this time it’s different… this time it’s about a single book: whether we love it or hate it, you’ll know where we stand.

The Tazie Effect, by Heather Whittaker

The first thing you realize when you are about to crack open The Tazie Effect is its incredible lack of girth. Just 66 pages separate the beginning of the first chapter and the end of the last – and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Too often leadership books are written for the glorification of the writer, not the education of the reader. The Tazie Effect focuses concisely on nine specific areas where leaders can develop their craft. More pages would be unnecessary.

Written with the belief that we can learn much about leadership from a six-pound blind dog who is called, among other things, Tazie Roo, The Tazie Effect attempts to weave solid leadership advice with examples about how this pooch lives her life. This, unfortunately, is where the book barks up the wrong tree. (Fortunately, this is the only place where it falters.) The connections between this little dog and the leadership advice doled out by Ms. Whittaker are tenuous at best. At worst, those who don’t love dogs the way the author does might be turned off by the amount of attention paid to and credit given this pup. In some ways it’s like the tail wagging the dog.




Stop Dogging this Book!

Okay, now let me throw the author a bone… Once I got past the precious Tazie Roo’s inability to teach me real leadership skills and simply read the material provided, I was impressed. Ms. Whittaker is clearly a gifted leader and a gifted writer, and her book deserves the attention it will surely receive.

Whittaker weaves in real world (human) leadership examples very well and provides lessons that any leader – young or old – can easily understand and incorporate into their work lives. Her words are well chosen and the advice she provides is solid. The Tazie Effect is void of unnecessary magic bullets, tips or tricks, and instead focuses on long term, life changing principles in the simplest form.

While The Tazie Effect is not the next One Minute Manager, I can see the value organizations will likely place on this book as a housebreaking tool for new managers and as a reinforcement of the skill sets of their senior leaders. (You can’t, obviously, teach an old dog new tricks.) It also seems likely that progressive companies could build their leadership development programs around its concepts, using the book as a cornerstone of their efforts.

The Recommendation

If you are a canine-loving leader who can’t resist speaking baby talk every time you come face-to-face with a four-legged friend, then this book is definitely for you. If you’re like most managers in the American workplace, and you’re more concerned about what happens to you than to some little dog, then this book is… still for you.

Let’s face it, with so much psychobabble BS passing itself off as leadership development; it’s nice to find a quick, effective read that meets the needs of its intended audience – even if they’re not all dog lovers. With that, I can confidently and doggedly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their leadership skills.

(To order The Tazie Effect, visit Amazon.com.)

Young Owner, Old Manager: Who Wins in the End?

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Questions… we get Questions

One of our readers, Anant, posted the following after reading our article from August 2008 titled The First Time Manager Dilemma, How Do You Gain Respect?:

hi, i am facing a similar problem as mentioned above with one of my older employees, the only difference is that i am the owner of my company.

Last year i joined my father’s company after finishing my engineering and have started to handle the correspondence and marketing of the company.

Initially i thought because i was a new, they treated me as like a new kid on the block and would probably fade out once i am long enough with the organization.

Most of them did change, apart from our general manager. He still thinks he is an authority over me. I didn’t mind his reactions till the time recently when my father had gone out for an industrial trip. He had asked me to get some work done before he comes, which were like level 1 jobs and could easily be done on the phone/personally meeting, nothing laborious. Its been almost 3 days since i told him and he has still not been able to complete the task. Apart from this whenever i tell him something he looks at me, giving me that expression “why is he telling me? who is he to tell me?”

This behavior of his has actually ticked me off. Kindly give me a solution to handle such kind of employee – Anant, February 8, 2009

Young man (I’m going to assume you’re a young man, as Anant means “bliss” in Hindi and is traditionally a male name), it’s time for you and your GM to face several tough realities:

  1. Every generation gets overtaken by the next;
  2. Youth is the only trait a manager cannot learn;
  3. You can attract more flies with honey than vinegar;
  4. Blood is thicker than water;
  5. Money is thicker than blood; and
  6. Your written communication skills are horrendous.

1. Every Generation Gets Overtaken by the Next

It’s the circle of life my friend: It’s exciting and great when you’re young; and it sucks when you’re old. Your father’s general manager is having a tough time facing this fact… that’s expected. Your job is to make sure that you maximize short and long term profits for your father, not to make the GM feel good about himself.

If he fails to grasp this fact, he should be shown the door.

That said, you and your father’s company might be better served if you followed the advice in point number three, below.




2. Youth is the Only Trait a Manager Cannot Learn

This fact is likely killing your GM from the inside out. It eats at him everyday, and his own fear of being replaced is going to force him to do one of two things: 1) seek other employment (not likely); or 2) go into passive-aggressive mode when dealing with you (highly likely).

Until you came along, the GM was your father’s right-hand man. Today, he sees you as the greatest threat to his existence (see point number one, above). Following the advice given in point number three might help make the situation more tolerable for you (and the GM). If it fails, it’s probably time to show him the door. (Do you see a pattern emerging?)

3. You Can Attract More Flies with Honey than Vinegar

Of course, you can attract the most flies with dog shit, but we’ll forget that for a moment, because it doesn’t really fit with this whole analogy.

I think the best way to introduce this concept is to have the great Dalton (Patrick Swayze) from Road House explain it:

All you have to do is follow three simple rules.

One: never underestimate your opponent. Expect the unexpected.

Two: take it outside. Never start anything inside the bar unless it’s absolutely necessary.

And three: be nice.

…until it’s time to not be nice.

Generally every human can figure out Dalton’s numbers one and two on their own. Dalton’s tip number three, “be nice,” takes some practice.

Anant, if you want to be nice, then it’s time to become “The New Anant.” The New Anant is a guy that loves everyone and everything. He smiles are everyone (especially his GM), and nothing ever gets him down. If you become The New Anant, you are going to be so nice to the general manager that people are going to think the two of you are dating. In fact, your father may become jealous of your relationship with the GM.

Seriously, If you want to get the most out of the general manager, you need to hang on his every word. You should ask his advice on every topic (where it makes sense) and you should strive to make him the hero at every turn. If you do everything in your power to make him look good, he will (usually) work hard to prove you right. At worst, you’ll have made it incredibly hard for him to treat you poorly – his subconscience won’t allow him to be an ass; just as your subconscience will drive you to eventually like and even respect him. (If nothing else, you’ll begin to see the world as he sees it, which will give you great insight into how to manage him better.)

If this fails, show him the door.

4. Blood is Thicker than Water

At the end of the day, you can always tell your father to fire him. After all, you’re blood and he’s just an employee. This strategy is great provided a) you are ready to lead the company as the new general manager; and b) this GM really wasn’t that effective.

5. Money is Thicker than Blood

This is where things get sticky for your dad. If the GM is strong and delivers value for the company – and the two of you cannot get along – then it’s time for Anant to find a new job.

Blood is pretty thick, but money is a whole lot thicker.

Face this reality right away and begin “working” for the GM if he’s any good. If he stinks, refer to number four, above.

6. Your Written Communication Skills are Horrendous

Seriously, Anant, I know you were writing informally when you posted a comment on this blog, but it’s important to always communicate clearly and correctly in business. Business associates (like the GM), subordinates, customers and leaders of other companies will respect you more if your written communication skills are always strong.

The good news is that you already form strong ideas, you just need to put them into a written form properly. Start by writing everything in Microsoft Word first, then running the spelling and grammar checkers before you send any correspondence. Next, you may want to read our posts covering email etiquette. There might be some overall business writing tips you can take from these.

It sounds like you’re well on your way to becoming a great business leader: you’ve clearly identified the major hurdles in your business and you’ve sought advice on how to rectify them – that takes guts and shows your leadership – congratulations. Please keep us posted, we’re dying to know how things work out for you.

 

Leadership Lessons from Corporate America’s Amateur Lobbyists

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Leadership and the Bully Pulpit

Michael Jackson (no, not that Michael Jackson) loves the bully pulpit. AutoNation’s Michael Jackson, we’ll call him the “non-gloved-one,” is everywhere these days. Officially, he serves as the CEO of the largest automotive dealer group in the US. Unofficially, he serves as the primary spokesperson for all curmudgeons who are good with a hammer (so they think everything is a nail).

MJ seems like a great guy – the non-gloved-one is well-spoken in an everyman sort of way – he exudes both a confidence and an “awe shucks” humility that seem genuine. Great traits for leaders.

Character (on the surface) does not appear to be his problem – Jackson, you see, is quite the character. Our issues with Mr. Jackson stem from his inability to wean himself off his love of the camera and microphone; and his incredibly narrow sense of how to fix what’s wrong with the economy.

It’s Not All about the Cars, Stupid

Certainly, it’s as prudent for this Michael Jackson to advocate for the auto industry as it is for that other Michael Jackson to advocate for unsupervised slumber parties at Neverland Ranch. We get it – your shareholders benefit if the auto dealers benefit – that’s your job.




To this end, Mr. Jackson is advocating (in a big, big way) for Congress to dramatically raise the gasoline tax at a time when Americans need every penny in their collective pocket. An increase in the gasoline tax? Are you serious?

Let’s put aside whether or not a gasoline tax increase will help his industry (though we think its benefit would be dubious, at best). Raising taxes in a recession would be disastrous for the economy, driving consumers to spend less and hurting the overall economic health of all retailers (including the health of car dealers) even more.

One could argue that part of the woes his industry faces today were directly caused by the very $4 per gallon gasoline he so desperately wishes would return. Jackson’s argument – that his dealers (and manufacturers) will sell more electric and hybrid vehicles with a huge increase in the gasoline tax – is probably a sound assumption… for the short term.

Leadership is more than a Great PowerPoint Presentation

Like Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, Jackson appears to be crisscrossing the country looking for converts. We are not moved.

We cannot buy-in to his assertions that increasing taxes, especially gasoline taxes, is a good idea for what ails car dealers today. Automotive retailers, unfortunately, are selling vehicles today that are built better and last longer than their predecessors. This is really no different that a few years ago, of course. In 2006, when America’s car dealers sold over 16 million new units, consumers felt good about their present and future situations. They were willing to spend $30,000 on a new car even though their current vehicle was running just fine.

Buying a car in 2006 was a discretionary event; ripe with impulses and emotions. Buying a car in 2009 is a necessity event; driven by the need to get from point A to point B. Increasing the tax on gasoline (or raising any tax for that matter) makes any major purchase a necessity event. We will only buy a new car when it becomes necessary for us to do so; and if we purchased one of the 60 million new cars sold in the last four years, we probably don’t need another just yet.

This is why Jackson is advocating a hike in the gas tax. He believes that we’ll be forced to get rid of that 2006 Hummer once and for all. Okay Mike, once we trade in the gas guzzler for a Honda Civic Hybrid out of necessity, then what?

America’s car dealers, especially AutoNation, need Americans to make discretionary purchases to thrive and survive. Discretionary purchases cannot happen without discretionary income. Increasing taxes decreases discretionary spending; decreasing taxes increases discretionary spending. Sorry to break it to you Mike, but it really is that simple.

America Needs Higher Gas Taxes

From national security and environmental perspectives, we would love nothing more than for America to be 100% energy independent. OPEC, and especially the countries that make up OPEC, concern us. America cannot, over the long term, be dependent on “third worlders” for the growth of our economy.

Once our economy stabilizes, it may make sense to raise gasoline taxes. The revenues generated from these taxes could be used to make necessary infrastructure improvements; and the higher price of fuel, as Jackson notes, will drive consumers to purchase more energy-efficient vehicles. It will also drive them to drive less. All good for the environment.

In a recent podcast available on AutomotiveNews.com, Jackson even jokes that he could eventually become a Democrat with his drive for higher taxes. Really? Hey Mike, we’re sorry to inform you that advocating higher taxes probably makes you the Chairman of the Democratic Party today. Interestingly, in this particular podcast Jackson has moved off of his stance of advocating for the immediate tax increases, and has a newly stated goal of increasing these taxes in 2011 or 2012.

Hmm, then why shout from the rooftops for these increases in 2008 and 2009? Wouldn’t Jackson’s shareholders be better served if he lobbied for something that would actually spur economic growth? Perhaps something like a tax decrease?

As much as we like him, we have to tell this Michael Jackson to stick to moon walking and leave the economic decision making to someone (anyone) more qualified. Great leaders know when to use the bully pulpit and when to avoid it. They also understand that just because someone is giving you a microphone, doesn’t mean you should speak.

Management Training Blogwatch – January 5, 2009

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Management Training Blogwatch – Best of the Blogs

We scoured and we scrubbed and we were left with just few posts and articles worthy of making it into your reading rotation for all things Management Training.

Perhaps it was the holidays and everyone was taking off between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, but we simply struggled to find more than just a handful of very good posts from the past five weeks. (The pickings were so slim we even had to include two of our posts into the mix.)

Although not from a traditional Management Training Blog, we recommend the first post below: excerpts from a great interview with Dilbert creator Scott Adams. A worthy read.


We’re Dilbert Fans
That inspired him to join a management training program. Adams left banking when his then-boss “told me the company already had too many generic white guys in senior management, and promoting me would only make things worse. …

Leadership Management Training
Corporate executives often book leadership management training courses for their employees in order to boost the workers’ skill sets and effectiveness when dealing with subordinates.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
A strong understanding of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs should be incorporated into any management training program. Understanding the hierarchy will help managers to understand the behaviors of their employees as they move through life. …

Management and Ethical Responsibility
Think about what you can do the next day to improve yourself. Are you setting a positive example for your employees?…

Epic Living – Leadership Development Career Management Training …
In times of crisis (economic or otherwise) organizations begin to think about leadership. Actually, they think of it often. What they do about it is another thing. I feel for those organizations that neglected growing leaders when …

Real Estate Blog – Lessons in Management – Lesson II
Here is the second installment of 6 of the Management Training. Read Lesson I before reading this one. This is an important one, so don’t miss a word. Lesson #2 A priest offered a Nun a lift. She got in and crossed her legs, …

Great Leadership: Successful Succession Management
EffortlessHR Blog · Time to vote – Bloggers Choice Awards 2009. 1 week ago. Epic Living – Leadership Development Career Management Training Executive Life Coaching Author …

Delta Airlines – Not Sweating the Small Stuff – Leadership Lessons …
Leadership Development & Management Training Resources and Topics. More Leadership Lessons from the Airline Industry – Delta Stubs Their Toe (Again) · TheManager

Brett “Cuatro” Favre and the Leadership Lesson of Humility
Leadership Development & Management Training Resources and Topics. An Update to our Leadership Lessons from Brett Favre · TheManager…

Secret Tips For Delivering a Persuasive Sales Speech …
Business Management, Training. If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! Delivering a persuasive sales speech is not really as difficult as it seems once you …

 

Sales Training 101 – Reciprocity is Childsplay

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Reciprocity – Sales Training 101

From a very early age, we all learn about reciprocation. That is, when someone does something nice for us, we tend to do something nice for them. As humans, most of us don’t want to be indebted to someone else – especially someone we barely know.

In sales, we often forget the power of the lessons we learned when we were five; and we fail to use these simple techniques and other great manipulative gestures to get our way with a client.

As bad as that last sentence sounded, this really is what commissioned sales is all about. If you cannot manipulate someone to buy what you’re selling, then why do we need you to sell for us? We would be better off firing our sales team and putting everything we offer on a table and letting the customer choose what is best for them. Of course, companies whose products require salespeople would be out of business in a week if they chose this path.

If you can get past the whole “manipulative gestures” of sales, then you might just have a career as a sales manager – and you can begin teaching your sales team some basic lessons on gaining a “yes.”

Tit for Tat – How a Coke Will Make All the Difference

One way to use reciprocity to your advantage (if you’re an inside salesperson) is to offer (with no strings attached) every prospect who walks into your store a can of ice cold soda or bottle of water.

This little gesture is so manipulative that it should be outlawed. When you give someone a true freebie, they cannot help but be open to your pitch – they owe you.

Studies have shown that the simple act of unilaterally offering something for nothing can increase sales by 25-50%. Wow! We spend hours on sales training to gain a 5% incremental advantage; it’s hard to imagine that a bottle of Dasani or can of Coke can do so much more.

It can, and it does. The bottle of water accompanied by a sincere “it’s a hot day, thought you might enjoy this” or “you looked thirsty, hope this helps” will go a long way to improving your closing percentage.

If you’re an outside salesperson, it might be necessary for you to learn something about your prospect and then show up with something cheap that you’re sure they’ll value. If they have kids, bring a few pieces of company-logoed chachki that appeal to children, for example.




Think Small and be Careful to Keep the Strings Unattached

Earlier this year, one of my company’s vendors took a colleague and me to the Super Bowl in the Phoenix area. It was a great game; and it came with an all-expenses paid trip that probably cost the vendor $5,000-$7,000 per person.

I enjoyed the game, and I appreciated being asked. I did not, however, increase my company’s use of their product. In fact, less than seven months later, I was actually advocating to others that we needed to reduce our spending with this vendor.

Why did this once-in-a-lifetime trip not sway me to become this vendor’s advocate? Why do they now feel they wasted their money on me and my colleague? Is there anything they could have done to get more value from this gift?

Forget for a moment that one of their salespeople once used the line “yeah, but we took you to the Super Bowl” to gain more business from me – big mistake – primarily there were two reasons their gift failed to drive the desire results.

Allowing myself to enjoy such a huge gift was difficult. I felt guilty and was worried there would be strings attached to such a great trip. My conscience bothered me, and a trip this big caused me to reexamine the vendor relationship to be absolutely certain there was no indication of impropriety on my part.

In effect, I began to “over-police” myself. When in doubt, I selected the choice against this vendor for fear that a decision in their favor would seem tied to their gift. The exact opposite effect they sought with the Super Bowl trip.

Secondly, the trip was nice, but it wasn’t very personal. We received free airfare, a free hotel stay, and free tickets to the game and other events. A packaged deal that cost thousands, to be sure.

Personalize the Manipulation

Where this vendor went wrong with both my colleague and me was that they didn’t bother to personalize anything about the trip. Everything they provided us was part of some package they had purchased. It was money and it was things; it was devoid of thought and showed no personal sacrifice or commitment on their part (save for the money they spent).

Had they spent an additional $50 per person and given us a commemorative Super Bowl football, for example, they would probably have us more in their debt; and we would have something to remember the gesture.

Additionally, both my colleague and I have children. Providing us with something we could take home to our kids (we’re talking about less than $100 here) would have made the weekend away from our families more worthwhile. As it is, I have a great memory of a great game and little else.

What Should You Do as a Sales Manager?

If you plan to add a little “manipulation by giving” to your sales team’s routine, it’s important to remember a few simple rules.

  • Rule number one is to keep it simple. Never try to “over think” your prospect or the role your company plays.
  • Rule number two is to consider the recipient. What drives them, and what would make them think you really care?
  • Rule number three is to make sure the gestures are personal and come with no strings attached. That is, walk away after you give the prospect the bottle of water. Let them know you’re here for them if they need you, but that you intend to let them browse on their own – and mean it.

Making a Sale Today is Tough

No one can disagree that we live in scary times. Whether you sell cars, furniture or cell phones, your walk-in traffic and your sales are down. In this economy, it is imperative for sales managers to find that little “something” that can separate them from the competition.

Open your mind, and realize it may very well be a can of Pepsi.

 

Management Training Blogwatch – November 13, 2008

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Management Training Blogs – The Best of the Best

As is a semi-regular custom here, the editors of AskTheManager.com scoured the billions of pages of the World Wide Web to bring you the best Management Training-related blog posts and articles for past few weeks.

The pickings are slim here, folks. This means we either do a lousy job of searching or there just isn’t that much written about Management Training anymore. (Probably a little of both…)




Management Training
Often it is only when you attend a business coaching programme that you realise that you have many of the managerial skills required to be successful leader. It is also the forum where you can assess those skills where you don’t feel …

Gaming During Management Training
I had to attend some kind of leadership/management training workshop for work a few weeks ago headed by one of those external consulting firms. It was surprisingly interesting and focused on communication, confrontation, resolution and …

SOUND-OFF: Paying DC Middle-Schoolers for Good Grades
It is wonderful that accounts are being created at SunTrust Bank for the students in the program, and it is even better that the bank is providing free money-management training, but at the end of the day, these middle school students …

PEST Analysis Overview
Those who have undertaken a management training course will have been educated with a variety of tools and techniques they can use to improve the flexibility of their organization. One such analytical tool is referred to as The PEST …

Send Tucson School Admin Staff to Disney Training?
She’s sending her “executive team” to management training with Walt Disney. No Mickey Mouse jokes here. I’m sure Disney is a well managed business, and their training sessions probably help other corporate leaders learn about bonding …

Management Training – The Dirty Little Secrets
I am often asked if training really works. The answer is yes and no! Here’s why. Sometimes, unless a training is made mandatory, those who need it the most will choose not to attend! 75% of the learning goes on after the employee comes …

‘Tis the Season for Management Training
We meet in a banquet room on the second floor. Two walls of windows give us a great view of the golf course. When I started going in January, it was no big deal. There’s nothing bleaker than a large empty expanse of field covered in …

Professionalizing Management?
So, their argument about closure rests on the assumption that management training yields a higher level of leadership, skill, etc. that would allow professional managers to command a premium relative to non-professional managers. …

Real Change
The above speech is from 2002, but it seems to me that it is fitting on the eve of our election here in America. I have no idea where Bill Strickland stands on the issues or the candidates. But his approach shows how change can be …

Planning For Empowerment
In a previous article we considered the rationale and benefits of empowering staff. However, it’s important to recognize that successful empowerment, requires careful preparation and planning, it not simply a case of giving someone a …

Exposed and Transperent
“Never trust a leader who hasn’t suffered.” -John Eldredge. I’ve heard it many times before that who we really are is revealed in crisis. I didn’t fully own that reality until I tasted my own crises. Taste is a humbling thing. …

 

Leadership Lessons From Circuit City – Ho Hum, Another Bankrupt Retailer

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Circuit City – Another One Bites the Dust

In what might be the least surprising business announcement of 2008, Circuit City filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday.

Wow, really? Color us shocked.

To be honest, we’re a little shocked it took this long. We’re also a little surprised that their creditors aren’t forcing them into Chapter 7 liquidation – though that may come sooner rather than later. (Lest we forget, fellow specialty retailer Linens ‘N Things initially filed under Chapter 11 and is now in Chapter 7.)

Like Linens ‘N Things, Circuit City cannot blame their bankruptcy on the credit crisis, housing downturn or the growth of online retailing. No. Circuit City can only blame themselves. Specifically, they can only blame their leadership.

Leadership is More Than Directing Traffic

The Circuit City executives deserve to join Lehman’s Richard Fuld in the business Hall of Shame. Like Fuld, Circuit City leaders made misstep after misstep that effectively condemned their company. However, unlike Fuld, Circuit City’s leadership failed to take enough risks; deciding instead to ride out a doomed strategy for the past several years while their competition ate away at their market share.

What is Circuit City? At what do they excel? What is their niche? Can you identify one thing they do better than anyone else? The short answer: No. Circuit City is a vacuum; they are the epitome of nothingness; they lack an identity.

You must be the Best “Something”

Who’s the best online bookseller? Which hotel company provides the best customer service? Which rental car company is the undisputed king? Where can you go to get the best sushi in Las Vegas? (It’s important to note that 3 of these 4 command a premium for their products.)




The answers to these questions are not relevant to this discussion, though being the best and/or carving out a niche is critical in business – good economy or bad. Circuit City had no such niche. They were not the best at anything. They were known for nothing.

Of chains offering electronics, Wal-Mart is the low cost provider and Best Buy provides the largest selection and the most knowledgeable salespeople. Circuit City has long been known for poor service, poor selection and product shortages of loss leaders. This is not the niche you want to carve out for yourself. (Did Circuit City executives ever understand their goal?)

Circuit City chose to compete with Wal-Mart and Best Buy by duplicating pieces of these companies’ strategies – something they could never hope to do well – and they never bothered to create a unique business model that would provide something of value to consumers and provide them their piece of the pie.

While there is certainly room for additional bricks and mortar electronics retailers, Circuit City executives never understood what it took to be the best at something… anything.

That’s Not Fair – They Never Saw This Coming

If your argument is that the credit crisis is really what took Circuit City down you’re sadly mistaken. Perhaps you’re unaware that Circuit City executives burned through more than half a billion dollars in the last four years.

What about creating an aggressive online strategy? Doesn’t it seem like $500+ million would have been enough to develop a competitive online business model? With that kind of cash in 2004, true leaders would have developed a sustainable business. Instead, Circuit City chose to watch the cash reserves decline quarter-after-quarter until they were forced in bankruptcy. Were they negligent, incompetent or just suffering from analysis paralysis?

The End is Near

Don’t be fooled by their reorganization plans, Circuit City is down for the count and not getting up. Lousy leadership is lousy leadership, and court protections will change nothing.

While Chapter 11 might provide a short-term reprieve and allow them to stock their stores for Black Friday 2008, they’ll not be around for Black Friday 2009. (Heck, they probably won’t make it to Good Friday.)

….

(Just in case you were wondering, the answers to our questions about who are the best ___________ are Amazon, Ritz Carlton, Hertz and Nobu.)

 

Managing Up When Your Boss Refuses to Lead

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Managing Up – Overcoming the Fear of Leading the Dullards Above You

Explaining to your boss or your boss’ boss that he/she is an idiot is never a good idea, though everyday in American business we are faced with substandard leadership and a mission at hand. How can we help move the business forward when we work for the dumbest person alive? How can we, as lower or middle level managers, effectively and efficiently help our company succeed in today’s tough economic times?

Overcoming the fear of managing up is a primary way middle managers or rank and file employees can effectively drive results through the entire organization. Of course, it’s important that these middle managers stop being a victim of their supervisor’s inadequacies. If you’re too busy crying “woe is me,” then you have your own issues to overcome before you should feel comfortable tackling those of your boss.

Your Boss Has Some Strengths, Doesn’t She?

After you grow up and quit blaming your boss for the failings of your business, understanding your supervisor’s strengths and weaknesses is the first key to unlocking the door to a more productive workplace. Clearly, you have a good handle on their weaknesses or you would have never stumbled upon this management training article. Employing a little insight and putting your personal feelings aside you’ll certainly discover that this idiot has a few strengths, as well.

Playing to their weaknesses (or trying to exploit these) will not get you from point A to point B in an expeditious manner. Rather, you need to understand their strengths – and especially what they believe they’re good at – and use these to your company’s advantage.

Perhaps your boss fancies himself a tremendously cost-conscious leader, adept at recognizing and cutting fat before it ever hits the bottom line. Perfect – you have an “in” for all the good you wish to accomplish. Manipulating (I know this word sounds bad, but it’s necessary) your speech to this person in a way that angles everything toward the bottom line will allow you to make an impact you’ve missed in the past.

Priorities are King

Your supervisor’s priorities are probably tied very closely to their strengths. That is, if they’re good at something, that “something” generally becomes the highest priority for the company. Unfortunately, when a manager is good at something, especially a senior manager, they tend to use and overuse this at every turn. You’ve heard it said that “he’s good with a hammer, so he thinks everything is a nail.”

Work to document the priorities of your boss and especially what key issues exist (in their mind). Next, determine ways to address these issues within your sphere of influence. (Your sphere of influence encompasses those precious few priorities or duties you actually control.) Working to help your boss reach some of their goals (and allowing them to be the hero) will bring you into their inner circle faster than a sycophantically-adept sprinter.

Without being obvious, it’s important to ensure your supervisors see and appreciate your involvement in helping them solve their issues. When you assist your superiors, they are more likely to reciprocate in similar ways when you need help.

Take Charge

Taking charge when your boss does not is also an ideal way to positively influence a company’s direction. Generally speaking, when a team is in need of leadership, it’s due to a lack of involvement by the top guy/gal on the team. Taking charge and delivering quality direction to the rest of the team – and even to your boss – provides the much needed vision every human worker seeks.

By taking charge in a constructive way you will become a bit of a role model to others on the team. Ensuring your style is fair and void of ego will help the team members to rally around you, and should draw praise from those above.

But, My Boss is an Egomaniacal Weeble!

We’ve all worked for the do-nothing supervisor who smacks down every attempt at independence from any of his subordinates. In these instances, you must strive to balance pleasing your boss and the driving results of the team.

Nothing will appeal more to your supervisors than anticipating their needs. Instead of providing this no-load manager with a dose of passive-aggressive production (as others do), try delivering something above and beyond.

Of course, if your boss is truly an egomaniac, it will take more than a few “great jobs” for them to include you in their master plan. Here are few steps to help you achieve the unachievable with an egomaniac do-nothing:

  • Perform well on every task – never assume that something you completed for your boss is “good enough:”
  • Be visible – this smacks against the conventional wisdom that you should keep your head down for fear of having it shot off;
  • Go above and beyond – if your boss asks for last week’s numbers, deliver them with a chart showing the trends for the past several weeks; and
  • Drop the attitude – nothing kills a management career more than a passive-aggressive approach to doing one’s job.

Are you saying I Should Kiss His Ass?

No … and, well, sort of – after all, he is the boss.

On a serious note, all managers want people who work with them, not against them. Even great leaders prefer to work with those who create the minimum amount of drama at work. We all have enough drama in our family life that we would prefer to live without it in our work life. That said, great leaders do want to be challenged.

If you were working for a great leader, you wouldn’t be reading this blog.

By providing more than your boss asks for and acting consistently, you will quickly gain a reputation for being a reliable person of integrity who can execute. In business, there is nothing more important than execution.

Once your boss identifies that you are the “go to” person in the organization, your ideas and vision will begin to permeate the organization.

It’s All About “The Boss”

Throughout your quest to manage up, never forget that in your supervisor’s mind, it might be all about him/her. Great leaders check their ego at the door, but your boss is far from becoming a great leader. Accepting this part of your position – that is, to make your boss look good – will help both your management career and your company.  

By providing cover for your supervisor and taking blame when it’s not yours to take will allow you to grow in importance and influence. Over-communicating and frequently over-communicating will show most managers that you care about them and their priorities. Understand how your boss likes to communicate (via phone, email, in-person) and deliver what they want via the medium they prefer.


I Don’t Want to be a Pest

Careful, you’re slipping into the victim role here…

If you deliver value and you make sure your boss looks good while you deliver this value, you will never become a pest. However, it is important that your boss never look at you as weak or as a sycophant. A few quick tips to keep you from appearing weak or ineffective to the do-nothing boss:

  • Don’t waste their time – be prepared and understand their issues and the possible resolutions before you meet with your boss;
  • Have an opinion on everything important – recommendations, especially solid recommendations, are appreciated by the do-nothings; and
  • Provide adequate data – nothing moves a do-nothing off the fence more than data-based decision making.

Some Final Thoughts…

Although we may have already touched on some of these, it is vital that you think strategically, over-communicate with the underperforming manager and remain humble in the presence of your boss (especially when he/she is meeting with their boss).

As someone who thinks about the long-term, you will often be looked upon to deliver forecasts and opinions about the state of your industry. All managers want to succeed in the short-term, but great companies maximize their future. Strategic thinkers will always win above those who live only in the here and now.

Don’t be afraid of delivering too much information to the do-nothing manager in your life. In fact, there is no way to truly manage up unless you ensure they have all the data necessary to make an informed decision. Over-communication is the most underutilized techniques in middle management today. Don’t be shy and don’t be intimidated by the large corner office with a view. Businesses need information to succeed and your company needs someone like you to deliver that information.

Humility is often the most underused leadership trait today. Think about it in your life. Likely everyone you really like is humble; while you tend to tolerate those effective folks with overactive egos and you absolutely despise the blowhards who deliver nothing. Humility breeds respect, and respect is the key to managing up and managing across.