The Regenerate Web

“What do you mean – No surprises?” Rachel quizzed. “My team member must know that this conversation is coming. Everyone is constantly correcting his mistakes, making him do re-work.”

“So, you want to keep him guessing? You see, surprise works both ways. As his manager, you are surprised when he underperforms, fails to meet a deadline or turns in work with mistakes. What happens to your trust, when you, as a manager, are Surprised?”

“The trust level goes down,” Rachel replied. “It’s at the point now, where there is almost no trust at all.”

“So, as the manager, you are surprised when your team member fails to meet a deadline, and your team member is going to be surprised when you have an accountability conversation with him?”

Rachel nodded, silently, her eyes darting back in her brain. Finally, she spoke. “And we don’t trust each other. So, how do I prevent surprises when I go into this accountability conversation?”

“Pretty simple, really. No surprises, no ambushes. When you schedule the conversation, tell him the subject of the conversation will be about his current performance on the Phoenix project and the improvements we need going forward.”

The blood was draining from Rachel’s face. The truth does that, sometimes.

“I’m not looking forward to this conversation,” Rachel confided. “I have been dreading this for weeks.”

“So, you have been putting this off?” I answered (with a question).

She nodded. “I hate dealing with misbehavior. I would prefer to drop a few hints and hope they get the message.”

“So, hope is your strategy?”

Rachel chuckled, in pain. “I want to do this right. This conversation is treacherous. As the manager, if I screw this up, it could make matters worse.”

“How about three ground-rules?” I asked.

“Okay, I’m all in,” she replied.

“Now, if your purpose is to simply fire someone, cut them off at the knees, you don’t need this. But if your objective is for the team member to correct the behavior, put the performance back on track, then start here.

Three Groundrules credit to Pat Murray

• No surprises
• Re-visit the deal
• Be slow to understand

No Surprises
The purpose of this conversation is to re-place the team member on stable ground so that corrective adjustments can be built. People have difficulty coping when the rug has been pulled from underneath.

Revisit the Deal
There was always a deal. Sometimes people forget the deal and that’s why their behavior gets out of whack.

Be Slow to Understand
Managers often jump to conclusions without the facts, trying to solve the problem before they understand the problem. Be slow to understand.

The next Subject Area in our Working Leadership Online program is Coaching Underperformance – Time Span and the Employee Contract. We have a few open slots available if you would like a Free Introductory Membership. We kick off on September 7. Wait, that’s today!

Next Monday is Labor Day in the US. And I wonder, why do people work? Elliott Jaques is very specific in his response.

“People want work in which they can have the opportunity to exercise their full potential capability, to spread their wings widely, to receive a fair compensation for that work and to be recognized and understood as not needing artificial carrot and stick treatment on order to get on with that work.

By work, I mean an organism’s use of judgment in making the decisions necessary to reach a goal. Goal directed work is a basic feature of all life.

All humans need to do work that not only benefits oneself, but is, at the same time, of value to others.

It may be noted that, not only do millions gain work opportunities by becoming engaged in employment, but need something on the order of 40 hours per week of such engagement. That is what explains the fact that the employment work week, which came down to 40 hours during the first half of the twentieth century, has gone no lower. Any smaller number of hours is not sufficiently fulfilling. Indeed, people who work on their own, routinely spend many more than 40 hours per week.”

Elliott Jaques – Social Power and the CEO

Fascinating article by Forrest Christian on the role of trust required for an organization to deal with uncertainty. As you read the article, you may think about how this operates in your own organization. Stepping back, you may see more clearly the dysfunction in the current US operating government by its lack of trust.

Forrest Christian – Trust is Necessary

“The economic news is disturbing,” Morgan explained.

I nodded in agreement. “So, what are the actual impacts to your business and your market? The world is not ending, it is shifting. You think you are dancing on bullets. You have to find the rhythm in the dance.”

“I know, I know,” Morgan shook his head. “But, this recession has lasted so long. My people are tired. My customers are tired.”

“Then stop whining and figure it out. Get rid of the long face. Search for your advantage. Your competitors are suffering, just like you. In this market, in the midst of this chaos, there is opportunity. New undercurrents will surface. Are you watching them?”

From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:
When I hear about the concept of Time Span, I am reminded about the Peter Principle. Any connection?

Response:
This is an easy one. The book The Peter Principle is an amusing description of Time Span Capability and what happens to someone when we have mis-match in a role. I have written more about that at the following link.

The Peter Principle

Let me know if you have more questions.

“Tell me about a time when accuracy was very important. How did you make sure you balanced to the penny? -That’s the question,” I recited. “When you ask that question in an interview, what will you find out related to values?”

Sara was thoughtful. “First, I would learn how the candidate decides that accuracy is important. Accuracy is a nice thing to say, but it’s not an absolute on every project. I could ask – What was it, about that project, that tipped you off, that accuracy was important?”

“And what else would you learn in their response?”

“I could have the person step me through their methods that ensure accuracy. If it’s an inventory count, or a price estimate, their response would tell me what they did, to make sure the numbers were right.”

“How would you make sure they aren’t giving you some memorized textbook answer?” I prodded.

“Because I would ask them for real examples,” Sara insisted. “And more than one. They may have one story cooked up, but when I press for a second and third example, the truth always comes out.”

“I get it,” Sara smiled. “I know, for someone to be a high performer, they have to value the work in the role. If they don’t place a high value on the work, it isn’t likely they will do a good job.”

“Not in the long run,” I confirmed. “In the short term, you can always bribe people with pizza, but once the pizza’s gone, you’re done.” (This is known as a diagnostic assessment.)

“I’m with you,” Sara nodded. “But how do you interview for values. I am afraid if I ask the question, straight up, I am going to get a textbook answer. The candidate is just going to agree with me.”

“Sara, when you are observing your team, watching them work, can you see their values?”

Sara stopped. “I think so, I mean, I can see enthusiasm. I can tell when someone is happy.”

“How can you tell?”

“I can just watch them,” she replied. “I can see it in their behavior.”

“Exactly. You cannot see a person’s values, you can only see their behavior. And that is what you interview for, their behavior. As a manager, just ask this question – How does a person with (this value) behave?”

Sara’s eyes narrowed. I continued.

“Let’s say that you have an accounting position and that accuracy, specifically with numbers is an important value.”

“You can’t ask them if they think accuracy is important. Of course, they will say – yes.”

I nodded. “As a manager, ask yourself this question. How does a person behave if they value accuracy in their work.”

“I know that one,” Sara jumped in. “I once asked our bookkeeper how she always balanced to the penny. She told me she always added things twice. People who value accuracy in their work always add things twice.”

“So, what question would you ask?” I pressed.

“Tell me about a time when accuracy was very important. How did you make sure you balanced to the penny?”

From the Ask Tom mailbag.

Question:
You talk about the importance of Interest, or passion in the workplace and that we should interview for it. How does this play into job fit?

Response:
Elliott Jaques (Requisite Organization) talked about four specific criteria for success in any role.

1. Time Span Capability
2. Skills
3. Interest
4. Reasonable Behavior

While most of my workshops focus on Time Span Capability, the other three are as critical to success. I may possess the Time Span Capability for a role, and I may possess the necessary Skills to perform in that role, but if I lack Interest in that work, it is not likely that I will perform to a high level.

So, what is it, that we are interested in? What is it, that we have passion for? Especially in the workplace?

We have interest and passion for that work on which we place a high value. So when you include questions about values in your interviews (or managerial conversations), you seek to discover the interest and passion of the candidate for the work at hand.

While you may be able to beat me into short-term compliance for a specific task, long-term effectiveness in a role requires this Interest.

From the Ask Tom mailbag. This comes from Thomas Hochgeschurtz at 2eck.com, in response to The Consultants Kept Their Fee.

Question:
Telling the truth is painful, therefore you had a painful day, writing this post. However, I missed the one step further. “What you believe determines your behavior” brings up the question, how to change the “beliefs” of our employees. And this is “trust”. We can make the craziest decisions, if your people trust us, they go with us. Otherwise, if the people don’t trust us, even the best decision is not accepted. Tom, give us your opinion how to built trust in today’s working environment.

Response:
Say what you mean and do what you say. Are there any questions?

Trust is central to managerial effectiveness. Here is a great question to ask in any situation. “In the decision I am about to make, will it create trust or destroy trust?” There is no neutral. You are either building or destroying trust.

Creating trust is a battle for the thoughts of team members. A manager is either winning or losing that battle. And it is not just decisions, or actions. Organizations have entire systems that create and destroy trust. It’s a thousand things.

And when it is a thousand things, we cannot write them all down in the Standard Operating Procedures Manual. Our only hope is a small word, culture. Culture is that unwritten set of rules, beliefs that govern our behavior. It is organic, non-linear and by hook or by crook, it exists. A manager can intentionally influence it or allow it to go its merry way, at great peril.

I got started on this track last week after spending three days with Don Schmincke, High Altitude Leadership. He traveled up and down some treacherous climbs, studying leadership in “death zones.” Chris Warner, his mountaineering guide describes conditions on K2, where the death to summit ratio is 1 in 5. Chris is careful to point out, on the ascent, the bodies that must be stepped over, all facing downhill, with a summit picture in their pocket.

While climbers certainly perish on the way up. It is the unexpected trek down that snares those not paying attention. You see, the goal is gone. That, which bound the climbers together, that welded their trust toward the summit, has disappeared. Each climber separates and selfishness resumes its character. The path is dangerous in either direction, but trust fades and punishment is swift, sometimes fatal.

So, what is the lesson, for us, as leaders? You must snare the imagination of the team, and earn their trust through a goal, a vision, a story for which they have passion.

I spent three days last week with Don Schmincke, author of High Altitude Leadership. Don is deliberately irreverent, intent on shaking the boots of commonly held, but misguided managerial practices. “And for their flawed advice, the consultants kept their fee,” he railed.

We spend time, as managers, crafting our plans, working our processes, attempting to achieve the Holy Grail, results. It is our sword in the stone. We fall into the trap, thinking that, through ERP or JIT or MBO, we will magically create those results, only to find that, in the end, we are working with humans.

It is only through behaviors that results get created. We can monitor those behaviors, try to time those behaviors, put a carrot in front of those behaviors, but it is only beliefs that drive behaviors.

It is not information, but our belief about the information that determines our response. It is not the goal, but our belief about the goal that determines our response. What we think we know about managerial leadership practices often leads us down a rabbit trail into the briar patch.

And since I am in the business of learning, specifically, managerial leadership practices, Don forced me, with a smile, to examine my own curriculum.

Working Leadership Online, as a learning curriculum, has little to do with memorizing anything. It is not a collection of supplanted wisdom which must be carefully studied. Instead, it is about behavior, specifically changing behavior. It is about our beliefs.

I used to worry if my planning model had five steps or six. I found out that it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was what you believed about planning. If you believed that planning was a waste of time, it didn’t matter if the model contained five steps or six. If you believed that planning was helpful in getting a team on the same page, it didn’t matter if the model contained five steps or six.

What you believe determines your behavior. Your behavior produces the results. And that is why Working Leadership Online is different. When we talk about delegation, it doesn’t matter that the model contains five steps or six. It matters what you believe about delegation. Do you believe, if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself, or do you believe you can gain 10x leverage over your time through delegation. What you believe will determine your behavior.

On September 7, we kick off the next Subject Area in Working Leadership Online. Coaching Underperformance. It’s a dangerous Subject Area. It’s all about changing behavior. It’s all about changing beliefs.

As is our custom, we are opening 50 slots for a free Introductory Membership to Working Leadership Online. Let me know if you are interested.

“Did you know that you can measure that mental horsepower by measuring the Time Span embedded in each of the goals?” I repeated. “You see, each of us has an innate ability to handle a measured amount of uncertainty in the world. For some, that Time Span is short. It is impossible for that person to think out beyond a week, or a month. Impossible to plan and execute goals, business or personal, beyond that measured capability. It makes that person uncomfortable to consider what life might be like in a year or two years.”

Jonas was listening.

“There are just a handful of critical factors that determine success in any role on your team. Measuring a person’s Time Span Capability is an intuitive judgment. Every manager keeps this running assessment going about each team member. This is a judgment you have been making about each person from the minute they joined your team.”

“But isn’t that subjective?” Jonas interjected.

“It might feel subjective, but when you realize that this intuitive judgment can be measured, using Time Span as the metric, this judgment becomes scientific.”

Jonas tilted his head, puzzled.

“Jonas, the temperature in this room, does it feel warm or cold to you?”

“Warm, I guess,” he replied.

“For me, it feels chilly. Those observations are subjective. But if we look at the thermostat on the wall, here, can we both agree that the temperature is 73 degrees?”

The light came on for Jonas. “Warm for me, chilly for you, but 73 degrees is an objective observation. Measuring capability, and agreeing on the Time Span,” Jonas was thinking out loud. “That measurement is an objective observation.”

“Well, that makes sense,” Jonas replied. “My team member has been a valuable supervisor, but this leap to manager is a big leap. The responsibilities are bigger.”

“How big?” I asked.

“Really big. I need someone with more than a Post-It Note mentality.”

“How can you measure that?” I pressed.

“I’m not really sure,” Jonas paused, searching his bag of mental metrics.

“What are the goals attached to this managerial role you are thinking about?”

“Oh, there are goals. We have a complete role description for this position.”

“Good. I would expect that. But when you look at the goals, you know, the what, by when, how long are the by-whens of each of the goals, longer or shorter than the goals in his current role, as a supervisor?”

“Longer,” Jonas snapped, instinctively. “I guess that’s what makes them more complicated. The goals in this new role, as a manager, take longer to complete. More things can go wrong. The manager has to think ahead, create contingency plans, recognize when things are going off track, take corrective action. It takes more mental horsepower.”

“Did you know that you can measure that mental horsepower by measuring the Time Span embedded in each of the goals?”

“How do I know?” Jonas asked. “I have a team member who wants a promotion, but I am not sure if they are ready.”

“How long have you been this person’s manager?” I asked.

“Eighteen months. In direct supervision, I’ve seen the good times and the bad times.”

“And who is your manager?” I continued.

“Brian,” Jonas replied. “And I have talked to Brian about this. As the Manager Once Removed (MOR), he has an interest in this person. He is always scouting the organization for talent.”

“And?”

“And he is not sure either,” Jonas explained. “That’s my dilemma.”

“So, your team member feels that he would like a promotion, you feel like you aren’t sure and the MOR is interested, but feels the same way. Are you going to make this decision based on feeling, or on facts?”

“I don’t know. I don’t have any facts to go on. This person does well enough in their current role, but this promotion would be a different role. I would hate to make the promotion and have things go wrong.”

“I will cut you some slack,” I nodded. “Most managers make promotion decisions based on feelings. That is why they often don’t work out. Get your feelings out of this decision. A promotion decision is a matter of managerial judgment. Managerial judgment is not a feeling. What facts do you know that you can base your judgment on?”

Jonas shook his head. “This person has never performed any of the functions in this new role.”

“Without giving this person the promotion, can you test their performance in some of the functions? This is important. Take your time. Build the case with real evidence of performance. Then make your judgment.”

Michael Cardus has a new URL to his Team Building site. Yesterday, he was curious and posed the following question.

Question:
Is Time Span capability something you are born with? Or is it learned? Can it be taught?

Response:
Nature or Nurture. The short answer is nature. We are born with our innate capability curve, which can be measured in Time Span.

The longer answer is that we can only see a person’s Applied Capability. Applied Capability, what a person demonstrates, at work, at home can be dramatically affected by education, skill development and training. I may have the capability to perform a function at work, but without the proper skills training, you will never see it.

The hat trick for every manager, working with a team member, is to discover that potential, so we can see it.

From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:
It appears easier to identify training and skill development for Strata I, II and III in the organization. What training and development do you recommend for Strata IV and V?

Response:
Training and skill development is the typical playground for corporate training departments. Understanding Time Span helps us add another dimension directed to the development of personal effectiveness.

Skill development has two sides to it. Side one is a piece of technical knowledge. If the skill is to effectively throw a ball, there is some technical knowledge that must be acquired. What shape is the ball? Round or oblong? What is the size of the ball? Does the ball have seams? Is the ball thrown overhand or underhand? What sport is the ball used in?

But side one requires side two. I can tell you all about the ball, I can even show you how to throw the ball, but if you want to get good at ball throwing, you have to practice.

Training and skill development earns its butter on side one and two, technical knowledge and practice. Yet, as we grow up the layers in the organization, especially for Strata IV and V, traditional training and skill development begins to disappear. Development needs center more on circumstance and often the prescription is to “read a book about (you name the managerial dilemma).”

When I look at training and development, I start by looking at the role. What is the superior purpose for that role and what are the tools used to accomplish that role?

Stratum I – the role is typically a production role of some sort. This leads to traditional training contexts using the tools of production, which turn out to be “real” tools, machines, equipment, fork lifts, trucks. If the role is clerical, the tool is likely a computer.

Stratum II – this role is typically one of coordination, making sure production gets done. The primary tools in Stratum II are schedules, checklists and meetings. While the technical knowledge of compiling daily, weekly and monthly schedules may be straightforward, even with computerized scheduling systems, it is the practice that emerges important. How to schedule and how to change the schedule, coordinating materials, people and equipment in concert to produce the product or service on time at a specific quality standard.

Stratum III – this is the systems role, creating systems, monitoring systems and improving systems. The tools are flow charts, sequencing, time and motion, planning. Root cause analysis can be used to solve problems. These activities go way beyond “best practices.”

And so now we arrive at Stratum IV – this role is engaged in system integration. As organizations grow, so do their systems, and at some point, those systems begin to compete for resources, budget, priority. For the organization to move forward, these competitive pressures must be resolved. Where Stratum III solves problems through root cause analysis, Stratum IV must engage in systems analysis. I encourage managers at Stratum IV to pay attention to Peter Senge (Fifth Discipline), looking at reinforcing systems and balancing systems.

These conversations are rare inside most organizations because there aren’t that many Stratum IV thinkers in the general population. One in two hundred (age 21-50). Professional development in Stratum IV can benefit from participation in facilitated peer groups. They need exposure to other managers at this level to help each other grapple with these systems issues.

Stratum V conversations are even rarer. The frequency of Stratum V thinkers in the general population is seven in 10,000 (age 21-50). Professional development for Stratum V (Business Unit President) also benefits from facilitated peer groups created for discussion of business issues where longer Time Span elements can be considered.

If you have more specific concerns for professional development at any level in the organization, follow the link to Ask Tom.

From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:
You describe Requisite Organization often using manufacturing examples. How can I apply this in my service business?

Response:
I use manufacturing examples, because most people, even outside of manufacturing can visualize the roles that people play in that environment. So, let’s look at the organizational structure in a service environment. This service environment might be carpet cleaning, pest control, plumbing, air conditioning.

Stratum I – (Time Span range – 1 day to 3 months) Technicians who perform the direct service to the customer. Their day to day Time Span task assignments typically range from one day to one week in the performance of a route. Your most effective technicians will have longer Time Span task assignments to cultivate a route of repeat customers and maintain those relationships.

Stratum II – (Time Span range – 3 months to 12 months) This layer in the organization would act as a coordinator, making sure that all customer assignments are appropriate routed to appropriate technicians. This role would also deal with the inevitable changes in technician schedules and customer requests. The tools of the coordinator would be schedules, checklists and meetings.

Stratum III – (Time Span range – 12 months to 24 months) This layer would be responsible for the design and implementation of operational systems in the organization. This would include the selection and implementation of computerized dispatching, development of equipment preventive maintenance systems, training systems (both initial and recurrent), identifying recurring problems in the technician delivery systems and making appropriate changes to the systems to prevent those problems or mitigate the damage from those occurrences.

Each of these roles becomes necessary as the organization grows in customer count and employee headcount. Simultaneously, depending on the business model, administrative systems (finance and record keeping) would be developed to support the technical operations.

Different business models will dictate the specifics of the organizational infrastructure, but these roles can always be calibrated using Time Span as a metric.

From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:
What’s the difference between a supervisor and a manager? And why does there have to be one Stratum difference?

Response:
Elliott Jaques is one of the few researchers who recognized the power and the necessity of the “first line manager” or the supervisor. Companies who give this role short shrift do so at their peril. For a complete discussion, I will yield to Herb Klopowitz, posting for the GO Society.

Working Leadership Online Update
We still have open slots for our next Subject Area that kicks off on Monday – Bringing Value as a Manager. Follow this link for a Free Introductory Membership.

“What kind of questions?” asked Ted.

“Look, in your position, as Manager, you often don’t have the technical details necessary to make a decision. As a Manager, that’s not your job. Your job is to bring value to the problem solving and decision making of your team.” I waited for Ted to catch up.

“By asking questions?”

“Most Managers think their team will see them as weak if they have difficulty making a decision, even if the Manager doesn’t have the technical details. So, sometimes, Managers make a decision because they think it’s their job.

“If you have two engineers, each with a different method of solving a problem, you may not know which method is technically the best way.”

“So, how do you make the decision?”

“You don’t bring value by making a decision and telling them what to do. You bring value by asking questions.

• What were the top three criteria on which you based your recommendation?
• What impact will your recommendation have on the time frame of the project?
• What two things could go wrong with your recommendation?

“Your job, as Manager, is not telling people what to do. Your job is to bring value to their problem solving and decision making.”

“Yes, but shouldn’t these people be reporting to me?” asked Ted.

“That depends. Functionally, their roles produce results you are interested in, but are you prepared to be their Manager?” I replied.

“I think so. I think they can report to me. I think I can hold them accountable for producing those results. I think I can check up on them to make sure they are working,” Ted proposed.

“That’s only the surface part of being a Manager.” I stopped to draw a picture. “Here you are, and these people, you believe, should report to you. But are you prepared to be their Manager?

“Your most important role, in the Manager relationship with your team, is for you to bring value to their problem solving and decision making.” Ted stared at the simple picture of circles and lines. “Are you bringing value by telling them that their reports are due on Friday and then reminding them Monday morning that their reports are late?”

Ted was still staring, but putting the pieces together. “Well, no, not when you put it that way.”

“Then, how, as their Manager, do you bring that value? And are you committed to bring that value? Are you willing to commit the time to bring that value?

“The answers to these questions will determine whether you should be the manager of this team.”