Managers Which Hat to Wear

If you run a business or a department and are responsible for the performance of a team, it is important to understand three key competencies in your role that have a direct impact on your success. In your role, at any given time, you may be called on to:

1.      Lead

2.      Manage

3.      Coach

Lead – What words come to mind when you think of a leader? A leader motivates, inspires, innovates, empowers, aligns, is visionary and sees the big picture.

Manage – A manager directs, handles, organizes, controls, is very hands-on and tells people what to do.

Coach – A coach develops, mentors, teaches, observes, is very hands-off and asks people what they think they should do before telling them.

Why is it important to be aware of and understand the differences between these competencies? The most important reason is so you don’t inadvertently take the wrong approach, which can be very demotivating for the employee and unproductive for you. What approach should you take in the following scenarios?

A. You hear an employee giving inaccurate information to a customer, which could result in a lost sale. Should you manage the situation and step in immediately? Should you let the person make a mistake and coach him/her later? On the other hand, do you find another customer, give accurate information and try to lead by example?

Best Approach – Manage the situation delicately by stepping in and giving accurate information to the customer. Do not say that the employee is wrong or demean the employee in anyway. Simply say, “Mr. Customer, I would like to add to what Jodie is saying…” In this situation, you have to weigh the risks. If you decide to coach, how much will this lost sale/lost customer cost the business? If you try to lead by example, you are assuming that the employee will realize that your demonstration is for her benefit.

B. Production is down in your plant and you believe it is because you have many new employees still learning the ropes. You have a big push this week to get products out to a distributor. Do you give an inspirational speech to motivate the troops, i.e. – lead by inspiration? Do you step in and work the line because you know you can work faster than anyone else can? Do you observe your slower employees and look for opportunities to train them and improve their efficiencies?

Best Approach – Coach the employees who have the potential to change behavior and skill with your observation and feedback. This will bring you more long-term results and create a more motivated work force. If you step in and manage the situation, this can be de-motivating and does not help you next week when you have another tight deadline. Your employees will still be at the same skill level as this week. An inspirational speech has some short-term benefits but you cannot depend on the message to help you over the course of the week. People forget easily!

C. You just learned that your company is going to restructure all the departments and align them according to the industries you serve. Your department will be affected slightly because you will be assigned a few more responsibilities. You are not happy with the changes. Do you have a meeting with your team and share your frustrations so they know you are on their side? Do you maintain a positive outlook and look for the ways this change will benefit everyone in the company? Or, do you meet one on one to address each individual’s concerns?

Best Approach – Be a leader and inspire the team to embrace the change. If you try to show your team that you are on their side and don’t like the changes, morale and productivity will drop. Meeting one on one is also an option if individuals have expressed a resistance to the change. If you choose to meet one-on-one, make sure your coaching is focused on future performance and on making the change work.