Working from a Ground Zero starting point… strategies for coping

Posted on 19/05/2012 by Everydaymanager

I have been asked a few times this week how the ‘new’ job is going.  Well the ‘new’ job is now four months old and if I am going to be honest – its been one heck of a roller coaster ride.  In actual fact my true answer was “it is like working in a tornado.  There is so much stuff flying around and spinning past you all the time there is little ability to keep up or focus.

“The term ground zero (sometimes also known as surface zero as distinguished from zero point) describes the point on the Earth’s surface closest to a detonation. In the case of an explosion above the ground, ground zero refers to the point on the ground directly below the detonation.

The term has often been associated with nuclear explosions and other large bombs, but is also used in relation to earthquakes, epidemics and other disasters to mark the point of the most severe damage or destruction. The term is often re-used for disasters that have a geographic or conceptual epicenter.”  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_zero)

When I use the term ‘Ground Zero’ what I mean is a scorched, torched and burnt landscape where there are structures that stand and some business areas are functional but the essential pieces of infrastructure that connect all the pieces are either broken or alight.  And to be honest that is the picture I have in my head.  In reality it probably isn’t quite that bad but by using such a stark picture you will be better able to see what I see when sitting inside my head.

When I accepted the new role I knew I was going to have to step up.  Everything was twice as big as my old role.  Twice as much revenue, twice as many staff members, double the number of students.  No one warned me though that there would be twice the number of problems, issues and time pressures to get through.

One thing that I did when I left my previous role to shift over was I left a plethora of work behind me for the next person to pick up where I left off.  I left 5 years of electronic data and folders with paperwork in it after me.  I left every piece of written down knowledge that I had floating around in one place ready for the next person to pick, read and apply.

So while I realised there would twice as many issues – I never realised I would be starting from a completely zero base of knowledge and handover.  Nada, nothing, zero.  Yes – there is knowledge held int he minds and brains of those persons whom I work with (one person in particular) but having that knowledge locked away in a single mind just doesn’t really help me out much.

And so it is against that backdrop that I find myself where I am today.  After four months I am tired, worn out and spent.  Okay – so running a marathon or two in that time as well may not have helped me physically but it has helped me emotionally and mentally.  If I didn’t have running as an outlet I would have gone completely loony by now.

So what happens now?  Well I’m not really sure.  What I am having to do is attack three different fronts at once.  So what are the issues and how will I deal with them?

  • The past.  There is a zero knowledge base for a number of the key tasks I have to deal with – mainly in the financial and marketing areas.  So what I am doing is working with what I have and waiting.  And in 12 months time what I am working on now will be the past and then I will have at least some base knowledge to start from.
  • The present.  The drama! The action! The movie script writers would love to be able to put together a script as dramatic as what we have to deal with daily.  My strategy – forget about today and look both backwards and forwards.  Let others worry about what is happening with today’s smaller issues and problems and I will keep my focus between then and whats coming in the future.
  • The future.  Building a slow and steady base of knowledge and resources from the work that I have completed that focuses on today will eventually establish a base of knowledge from which I can spring board into future projects and start making some progress.

I’m not entirely sure what the right strategy is for me from here on.  The thoughts above are my reflection on how things are going and what I hope is an accurate picture of what I am working with.  I would really appreciate your thoughts/rebuttal/suggestions – anything that I can use or employ to try and get both better and smarter at what I am doing.

I’m not giving up though.  I am determined to spend the next 5 years fixing what I have been given.  Not only fixing it but making it better and getting what I can to a point where when the next person comes along I can hand over a nice neat package of knowledge, background information and instructions – and then watch that person make it even better.

Until that happens – I will hanging on by my finger nails to get through!

Okay – maybe I am a little bit overdramatic but you get the jist of it ;)

 

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3 things your boss doesn’t want to hear – EVER!

Posted on 14/05/2012 by Everydaymanager

There are a few things that your boss or manager doesn’t want to hear.  Ever.  Here are three examples -

  1. Yeah, yeah. I know.
  2. It’s not in my job description.
  3. You’re not my line manager.

Lets break it down a little and see what your boss hears when you say any of the above -

  1. If you know everything already – then why are you the employee?  And it’s not even that you pretend that you know it all but rather the fact that you are so arrogant to think that you can’t be given directions.
    When I was in the kitchen there was one surefire way of knowing when someones time was up.  When they uttered the words “Yeah, yeah – I know”.  As soon as those words were uttered the person had pretty much signed their resignation letter and delivered it in person.
  2. I don’t care if its not in your job description.  Get on with it.  Its that simple.  Don’t moan to me that its not what you signed up to do.  What your manager asked you to do is probably not in anybodys job description so don’t just say no but work with your manager to try and figure out a way to get it done.
  3. No – no I’m not your line manager.  But that you are a part of a bigger team.  And that team is committed to customer service and doing the best by each other.  So if you’ve done something what warrants another person giving you feedback and you don’t like it – guess what?  Tough luck.  I will give you feedback.  Suck it up.

A final word of warning – you think these things all you like.  But seriously – don’t say them.  Ever.

 

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Lessons in Leadership – “The Avengers” style

Posted on 09/05/2012 by Everydaymanager

So what about The Avengers movie huh?  Was that a great movie or what?  What I found most interesting were the different leadership lessons and reflections on team work that one can take from the movie.

I am not going to repeat the movie or say what actually happens (much) but the following list are the things that stood out the most to me.

  1. “You lack conviction”. At one of the most pivotal points of the movie the bad guy is told by a true believer that he will lose.  Not because he lacks power, brains, guile or strategy,  But rather he lacks the one true element that ultimately sees success come to those who seek it – conviction.
    Weak conviction is not enough.  Strong conviction and an unwavering dedication to what you do and why you do it is what will see you through to ultimate victory.
  2. Teams can be hard. The Avengers team is an odd mix of characters.  And it is great that to see the true personalities of the characters shine through in the movie.  The mix of pride, selfishness, various motivations and drivers all collide in the team causing friction, conflict and arguements.
    And its not just the super hero team.  It happens in our teams too.  Every day.  People come with different backgrounds, experiences, issues, desires and personal goals that they are looking to achieve.
    And its not so much that the leader or the team need to ignore or try to straighten out those different areas but rather the wider team acknowledge, recognise and ultimately harness those different areas to create a stronger team.
  3. Different strengths, different weaknesses. If all the people in The Avengers, or even in your own team, were all good at the same things and had the same skill sets what good would that serve?  As much as you would have the same strengths you would also have the same weaknesses.
    Teams work best when people with different strengths in different areas can pull together and each member assists with strengthening each others areas.  Where one is weak then another steps in to the fray.
  4. When the proverbial hits the fan – then what? What happens with your team when it all turns to custard?  The project they have been working on is no longer relevant?  The incomes stream you have relied upon for years suddenly dries up?  Do they turn and run?  Go and cower in the corner?  Or does your team take the lead and begin to deal with the situation they are confronting?The ideal lesson from the movie here is when you see the six characters in the middle of the battle standing ina circle.  Yes – there is a war going on.  Yes – the situation has turned to custard.  No – they don’t have all the answers.  But what they do have – is an ability to stand together, to stand back to back and to stand their ground.
  5. Why should I take orders from you? Yes – why should people take orders from you?  What makes you so special?  It is at the exact moment that these words leave the persons mouth that Captain America displays his abilites and strengths to the unbeliever.  As a leader you too need to show your hand.  Display your skills and worth not only to your own team but to a wider audience as well.
    Just because you have a position of power doesn’t guarantee that anyone will listen or take directions from you.
    Rather when you can proove yourself in the hour of need – then you establish a platform of credibility from which to launch yourself.
  6. The real leaders show up – eventually. So the team is in a fight, no one is too sure on who is actually in charge and things appear to be hap-hazard and not good.  What happens?  What happens is the true leader rises to the surface, steps out of the shadows of pride and power and actually starts to take charge.  What is no needed at such times is a showman, a person unable to handle their emotion, or people who cant seperate themselves from the players in the scenario at hand.
    Displaying common sense, courage under fire and the ability to assess a situation and act – those are the true leadership traits.
  7. Don’t leave until its actually over. How many times are people in such a hurry to leave the theatre as soon as the lights come on?  Its as if they are in a hurry to get to the next thing they need or want.  What happens though is that after 2/3 of the theatre leave and the credits are rolling – guess what?  The movie hasn’t actually finished and there is a teaser at the end for what is yet to come.
    Just because a situation looks finished or done doesn’t always mean it is.  Be prepared to stay a liytle longer than the average person.  Take the time to survey and reflect on what has gone on.  Rushing off to the next crisis or panic situation before you have properly dealt with the last one leaves yourself open to having situations flare up again – in which case you have to go back and fight the same fights over and over again.

Overall this is a great movie with many different levels to it.  Just like real life – you can look on the surface and be happy or you can take in the deeper lessons of life, reflect on them and ultimately become a better hero.

 

 

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Why do I do this?

Posted on 03/05/2012 by Everydaymanager

When I first started blogging (way back in 2009) my intention was to try and help other people who were new to the role of being a manager.  At the time I scoured the Internet looking for websites, books, sources and articles that could help me better understand what it was I was actually being tasked with.

And so over the space of three or so years my blog has undergone a few face lifts, a few different styles and varying rates of being updated.  At first my goal was once a week.  Then I thought was as this is called the ‘everyday manager’ then that was how often I had to update my posts.  And now I aim for once a week.

I think the variation in content and regularity of posts also reflects my journey that has gotten to where it is now.  So now after 5 years of being a ‘manager’ and having people who report to me I think I have learnt a few things, tips tricks and lessons.  I certainly don’t proclaim to know it all by any stretch of the imagination.  But I can say I am a lot wiser than I was, a bit more shrewd and a whole bunch better at managing people and tasks.

I haven’t finished my journey and neither has this blog.  I will continue to write posts and will attempt to keep you informed with little tidbits I learn along the way.  What I need to do is be more focused, organised and less on twitter to make sure I capture the thoughts and ideas that come to me.

So all in all this blog post really is a BIG THANK YOU!  To all the people who have read my posts, commented on my posts or have been the inspiration for my blog posts.

I’m not finished yet.  And again – I say thank you.

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Your relationship with your manager

Posted on 26/04/2012 by Everydaymanager

In any workplace there are important relationships that you need to both be aware of and work on.  Like any relationship the ones you have at work need as much time, commitment and effort as the ones you keep in real life.

One of the most important relationships you have is the one with your manager.  Your manager ultimately gets to decide what projects you work on and the volume of work that flows your way.  They also get to decide what opportunities you do and dont get in a work context and sometimes they know your strengths and weaknesses better than you do.

The relationship you have upwards doesn’t mean involve you having to ‘suck up’ or kiss up to someone who is higher up the chain than you are.  In the same way the relationships that you share downwards also shouldn’t involve people having to treat you in a particular way or manner that is different to the way your peers treat you.

Most of the time your manager carries a lot of stresses, burdens and shoulders pressures that you never get to see.  A good manager shares the workload and responsibilities without sharing the stresses that goes with it.

So how do you have a good relationship with your manager?  Here are a few points to think about -

  1. Your manager is not your friend. This may seem a little weird but you need to keep this in mind at all times.  Your manager is there to work with and to achieve work based results with.  Keep it professional – at all times.
  2. Your manager is a manager for a reason. Your manager knows more than you, is connected better higher up in the political ranks and should have a more strategic view of the organisation than you have.  This also means they have different responsibilities than you.
  3. Your manager (usually) has you in mind. This counts for both the good times and the bad.  A good manager shares the rewards but shoulders the blame.
  4. Your manager can take you places you can never get to on your own. Because they are plugged in at a higher level and work with people you often would never interact with – your manager has many more opportunities than you have to move ahead.  A smart manager will allow their reports to share in those opportunities and to move both up and ahead in their work life and career.
  5. Your manager expects the best from you – so give it to them.  Simple really.  you give as much of yourself as you can, for as much of the time as you can – and you will be noticed.  And ultimately you will be rewarded also.

The manager-report relationship can be as deep , rewarding or meaningful as you choose to let it be.  The strength of the relationship is dependant upon the following -

  • The time you put into it, and
  • The value you believe the relationship has.

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The split second decision

Posted on 17/04/2012 by Everydaymanager

What happens in the heat of battle when you have one moment, one split second to make a decision that will ultimately affect you, your life and create different outcomes than you expected?  What do you do?

To be honest – I don’t know.  I was in this exact position just a couple of days ago.  I was in a competition where the clock reigns supreme.  Yes – you are given warning that the clock is ticking and that you may go over the allocated time limit that you have.  I was watching the clock and as it rotated through its various warning colours I just knew that I wasn’t going to make it in time.  I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the clock would beat me.

What I really had in front of me were two choices -

  1. Stop what I was doing and stay within the time limit.  If I had of taken this option then I would have still been in the running for the win but at the same time I wouldn’t have finished properly what I had started.  Had I of lost I would have been kicking myself thinking that I should have pushed on and concluded what I was doing properly.
  2. I could have done what I did – gambled with the clock and the rules – but finished what I started properly.  And that was the choice that I made.  There was a single split second where my mind paused, everything was peaceful and calm and then my heart spoke.  As clear as a bell – I kid you not.  I knew right there and then in that one split second what my choice was.  “Go for it”.

So what happened?  I broke the rules and I was disqualified.  Simple.  There are no ifs, buts or maybes.  You either stay in the time limit or you are disqualified.  That is all.  There are no fairy tale endings or mysterious phone calls to say “all is forgiven, the timekeepers got it wrong”.  All there is – is nothing.  Well not quite nothing – there is something.

There is the the knowing that I followed my heart and did what I thought was right.  I listened to that little voice inside that said to me “do the right thing”.  There is the knowing that despite the outcome (and the fact that I will not have the opportunity to compete again this year) that I have a clear conscience.

Will I go back and try again next year?  Maybe.  I haven’t decided.  I am waiting for the split second decision to come through for me again.  I will go back to listening to my heart and will see what outcomes that brings about.

And just for the record – losing sux.  Worse than losing – is knowing that I screwed up a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel and compete on the world stage.  The really worst bit is having a hope and dream – disappear in an instant that was unavoidable.

But at the very least – I still have my integrity intact.  Which is worth more to me than any other reward.

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Book review – The Blue Eyed Salaryman

Posted on 11/04/2012 by Everydaymanager

The Blue-Eyed Salaryman: From World Traveller to Lifer at Mitsubishi

When I picked this book up off the shelf I was thinking “Okay, here’s my chance to learn about a great company.  Maybe it will be like the book I read on Toyota and their business/management systems”.  I was wrong.

The author doesn’t break any new ground as far as management and process goes.  Rather what he does is writes about his personal experiences of working within a corporate machine.  There are some funny stories in this book that will make you laugh and some others that will just plain bore you.  But hey – that’s life.

What amused me the most were the similarities of eastern business culture with western business culture.  To be honest – there aren’t that many differences.  As far as working in a large organisation and working with a sense of self-preservation the behaviors of people the whole world round mirror each other.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the fact that it was written from an everyday perspective.  The author gets up, goes to work, interacts with some people, has lunch, does some work and goes home.  Too simplistic?  Maybe.

But remember this story is set in Japan and this really is the authors first ever REAL job as such.  And so the nuances, the office politics the fitting to to the literal and company culture all pose different issues than what the average person faces when they go to work.

Another thing that amused me was that I thought the story was about a guy who worked in the salary department.  For about half the book I thought that.  Boy was I wrong!

Overall this is a nice book.  It has some interesting stories and anecdotes all about a westerner becoming acclimatised (and possibly neutralised) to the corporate machine that is Mitsubishi.  So this book gets 3 stars!

 

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10 quick fire tips for being a great employee

Posted on 05/04/2012 by Everydaymanager

If you want to be a great employee and go somewhere with your career there aren’t that many things you need to do progress.  Sometimes advancing yourself comes down to sheer luck and excellent timing.  Sometimes it just comes down to who you know.

Even so whether you are on the fast track or the slow track there are some things you can do as a person that will stand you in good stead to both be a fantastic person as well as a trusted and respected employee.

Here is my quickfire list of answers (just in case you were wondering)

  1. Just do it. That is all.
  2. Talk up not down. Speak about the best in people.  Not the not so good stuff.
  3. Be straight up. In everything you do – shoot straight.  People, finances, processes, business dealings.  Shoot straight.
  4. Do more. Do more than what you’ve been asked to do.
  5. Build allies. Make friends with people who count.  A combination of those people who work at the front line and those who have the ability to make real changes.
  6. Sit up the front. Stay close to the action and be seen to be supporting your boss, leadership or management team.  Metaphorically and literally.
  7. Touch, pause, engage. Don’t leap head first into any new projects.  take your time, ascertain what is required, reflect on the task – then go with it.  Take one step at a time.
  8. 24 hours. Don’t respond to any dramas or situations for at least 24 hours.  There are no dramas that are so urgent they need dealing with right now (unless you work in ER)
  9. Say thanks. Be thankful and expressive when others do great work or help you out.
  10. Do it early.  Complete your tasks and assignments with hours to spare, not minutes.  Never complete a delegated task late.

That’s it.  That is my entire list.  If you can fulfill one or more of those traits each and every day that you turn up to work – then you will go somewhere with your career.  And fast.

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Specialise and then diversify

Posted on 03/04/2012 by Everydaymanager

Yesterday was my 7 year anniversary of joining my current employer Waiariki Institute of Technology.  My how the time has flown.

When I first started my role was as a data entry input operator working part time.  And to be honest it was great.  I had a low pressure job that was a great place to start learning the job and the size of the institute.

Moving from a small rural town and an office of 3 to a workplace with over 400 employees was a heck of a jump.  So I started slow and learnt little by little as I went and slowly (in relative terms) made my way up the career ladder.

How did I get to where I am now?  Starting small and learning each aspect of the institute is how.  One step at a time picking up what I could as I went.  There were no magic tricks or formulas that got me to where I am now.

As a part of my role in the finance department I learnt how to operate the financial management system which gave me extended coverage and networking opportunities across the institute.  Being with, meeting and helping people from various areas of the business was the ideal launch pad and base to work from.

Having an understanding of one particular system of management gave me a skill and knowledge that I could use to find advancement.  When my time was up in finance I had the opportunity to shift into one of the specific  department areas.  I started by using my knowledge of finance to lay a base and then grow into new areas and to develop my skills in new areas.

So that’s what I did.  I went wider into three key areas – money, marketing and management.. And those three areas are the base skill set that I bring to any future role.. In my current role it is those same skills that stand me in good stead – money, marketing and management.

My recommendation to you – find one thing.  One area of specialist that you are good at or can transfer into other areas of your current workplace or another workplace.  Maximise your knowledge and skill in that area . And then diversify.  Have a base to leap off from and then grab and grow as many skills and areas of expertise that you can.

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Culture is Everything

Posted on 21/03/2012 by Everydaymanager

You as a manager can change some things about your business, organisation or department.  Things such as – people, roles, delegations, reporting lines etc.  And there are some things that you can’t change – peoples personalities, conflict between some people or the outside.  So as you can see some things are fixed and some things aren’t.

The most key area that you as a manager can influence that can be the difference between success, being cohesive and ultimately winning is the culture.  Culture is the sum total of every-one’s beliefs, behaviors and attitudes summed up in one way of working.

The culture of a workplace can be thought of as being the balancing point where all parties choose to get along and work together in a particular manner or way.

Is culture important?  Totally and absolutely.  In my view culture is THE most important aspect you can influence and need to work on as a manager.  The culture of an organisation varies from department to department.  Generally speaking culture is established and maintained within smaller groups which then combine with other small groups which create departments and so on.

How do you influence or change culture?

  • The way you make decisions;
  • the way you execute actions;
  • the way you conduct yourself in the hallway;
  • whether or not you act in a integral way or not;
  • the amount of trust you put in people;
  • the messages you convey to people about you feel about them;
  • being mindful of peoples emotions, motivations and wants;
  • the amount of time you spend dealing with an issue;
  • the amount of time you spend talking to and dealing with a person or group of people.

Culture is about more than a leader simply saying words.  It is about the modelling of behaviors, standards, work ethics and human being-ness that you display.  It is important to be having the small conversations with people and staying in touch and in tune with what is happening at the “coal face”.

There is no right or wrong culture.  Whatever culture exists can be changed.  The best place to start is to conduct an informal climate reading.  Find out where people are really at.  Ask questions that will help you to find out -

  • What are the  team really thinking?
  • what things are bugging the team?
  • what is working well?
  • what does the team say when you are not around?
  • do the team trust you?
  • what do others see and hear about your team?

Having an external gauge of how you are going is crucial.  As the leader you will probably be caught up in the busy-ness of the tasks at hand that you are required to do and can very easily fall into the trap of not making time.

My primary strength as a manager and leader (I like to think) is my ability to assess, create or change the culture of a group of people.  And so that is what I attempt to work on above all else.  Before the budgets, marketing plans or strategic anything.  It all comes back to the culture.  Culture ultimately determines execution.

For a fantastic blogpost on this topic I recommend you read Micah Solomons article here entitled – ‘The future of leadership is already here’.

 

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