3/09/2006
Don't Kill Creativity!!!
When I leave my job next month, I'll be leaving behind all the nonsense, anger, hurt and stomach acid that this placed caused me. Additionally, I'll be leaving behind 2 very bright individuals who will need to take the wheel and steer the ship. Both were hired (almost on the same day) because of their backgrounds and experience and because they both struck me as smart tacks that could get this job done. Granted, the job isn't rocket science, but - as with most jobs, there needs to be a certain amount of ambition and drive to go beyond what is expected. This is how people succeed and move forward in their careers. At least it's one way to do that.
Since the time my 2 underlings began 3 short months ago, they have demonstrated a strong ability to pick things up quickly and execute them. I trained them and gave them highly detailed "How-To" sheets and let them run with them. Now that they've got the basics down, they're looking to "step up to the plate" and pick up some more responsibilities. I'm very proud of them.
They will do well when I go and I have every reason to believe that they will succeed... provided Miss Manager allows them to. This gets me to what I want to talk about today: Letting Go.
Although what happens when I go is completely beyond my control, I still hope that my bat-$#@%-crazy manager trusts them to do their jobs and stays out of their way. Of course, given her track record I don't think this is likely.
Good managers allow their staff a certain amount of freedom to go about fulfilling their responsibilities. For starters, it's empowering and builds self-esteem. When people feel good about their jobs they become motivated. Just a note: YOU WANT MOTIVATED EMPLOYEES!!!
Aside from that, if you allow your staff that freedom it gives them the chance to be creative. Suppose they come up with a better, more effecient way of doing something? In my book, if your staff can accomplish tasks like this, it's going to make YOU, the manager, look like a superstar.
Another note: Mistakes are not the enemy! Sometimes mistakes can be good - smart people learn from them. But again, doing things "differently" keeps the creativity alive and can keep business thriving. You have to allow some room for it.
Getting back to Miss Manager, this is my prediction: She's going to:
- Stifle any and all motivation and creativity my employees currently bring to the table
- Correct their emails for punctuation
- Nit-pick about formatting issues on reports ("No, I want it in BOLD and 10point Verdana!!!")
- Belittle them for any/every little mistake
- Watch their comings-and-goings while keeping a keen eye on the clock ("You were 5 minutes late today, I want to know how you're going to make that up.")
- Set them up for failure
- Falsely accuse of them of performing poorly
- Make their lives a living hell
This is not "Good Manager" behavior. This is (Very) "Bad Manager" behavior. This is Miss Manager behavior.
Don't be a Miss Manager.
Copyright 2006 Pied Piper Consulting
Since the time my 2 underlings began 3 short months ago, they have demonstrated a strong ability to pick things up quickly and execute them. I trained them and gave them highly detailed "How-To" sheets and let them run with them. Now that they've got the basics down, they're looking to "step up to the plate" and pick up some more responsibilities. I'm very proud of them.
They will do well when I go and I have every reason to believe that they will succeed... provided Miss Manager allows them to. This gets me to what I want to talk about today: Letting Go.
Although what happens when I go is completely beyond my control, I still hope that my bat-$#@%-crazy manager trusts them to do their jobs and stays out of their way. Of course, given her track record I don't think this is likely.
Good managers allow their staff a certain amount of freedom to go about fulfilling their responsibilities. For starters, it's empowering and builds self-esteem. When people feel good about their jobs they become motivated. Just a note: YOU WANT MOTIVATED EMPLOYEES!!!
Aside from that, if you allow your staff that freedom it gives them the chance to be creative. Suppose they come up with a better, more effecient way of doing something? In my book, if your staff can accomplish tasks like this, it's going to make YOU, the manager, look like a superstar.
Another note: Mistakes are not the enemy! Sometimes mistakes can be good - smart people learn from them. But again, doing things "differently" keeps the creativity alive and can keep business thriving. You have to allow some room for it.
Getting back to Miss Manager, this is my prediction: She's going to:
- Stifle any and all motivation and creativity my employees currently bring to the table
- Correct their emails for punctuation
- Nit-pick about formatting issues on reports ("No, I want it in BOLD and 10point Verdana!!!")
- Belittle them for any/every little mistake
- Watch their comings-and-goings while keeping a keen eye on the clock ("You were 5 minutes late today, I want to know how you're going to make that up.")
- Set them up for failure
- Falsely accuse of them of performing poorly
- Make their lives a living hell
This is not "Good Manager" behavior. This is (Very) "Bad Manager" behavior. This is Miss Manager behavior.
Don't be a Miss Manager.
Copyright 2006 Pied Piper Consulting
