|
One of the major signs of a good manager is the ability to delegate effectively. Effective delegation requires clear communication of the tasks, the timeline, and the expected results. But that is just the first step. If your intention as a manager is to build a high performing team, you need to provide learning opportunities along the way so your team grows in skill to take on ever more challenging goals. Those precious “teachable moments” occur most often when things go awry. What should you do when you observe a situation that can only end in failure? Your instinct may be to barge in and save the day. But such heroics deprive your team member of a chance to learn what went wrong and fix it on their own. Here is a scenario from a recent new supervisor and new manager training program where the manager assumed a hands-off role…look at the results. Chris, the newest member of a landscape architecture firm, was asked by his manager, Pat, to work with an existing customer to redesign their one-acre back yard. Chris toured the site and eagerly began the plan. Hours into the project, he proudly showed Pat the final drawing. Pat knew immediately that it would not work. The plants Chris had chosen were attractive and well adapted to the site, but he had not taken into account the needs of the customer’s family or their budget. Small children (one with severe allergies to pollen) and a dog need room to play. The wandering paths and pollen-laden shrubs were all wrong. Pat did not grab the plans, grumble her displeasure, humiliate Chris, and re-do the design herself. Instead she took advantage of a learning opportunity. She asked Chris what he knew of the customer’s family. Chris realized that in his eagerness to get to work, he had not taken the time to learn all he could about the customer’s needs or financial boundaries. He had not asked how they would use the outdoor space nor checked on whether there were special circumstances to consider. He scrapped the plans, conferred with the entire family, re-designed the yard, and presented a revised, customized plan that Pat approved. The upshot Chris learned a valuable lesson from his failure and Pat did not rob him of the opportunity to learn and fix the design himself. Pat had taken a bit of a risk in assigning the yard plan to Chris but she trusted his talent and gave him the space to succeed. Chris felt validated, Pat’s design team gained a capable new member, and the customer was delighted. Learn more about manager training at new-manager-training.com.
Related Articles -
New Manager Training, Manager Training, Performance Management Training,
| 
