group of african penguins

Follow the leader

Being a manager is a tough job. Every day as a manager is filled with a surprise – good, bad and even ugly. Being a manager can be incredibly rewarding, though, particularly if you created your team from nothing.

I am not a perfect manager. I know this because I have been taken to task on more than one occasion by either a direct report or a peer in terms of something I have said or done. It has been a while since I made any major missteps that someone felt needed . I have worked for a number of very good managers though and they have taught me different things and I have learned a lot.

It has been a while since I made any major missteps that someone felt needed ‘a word’ with me. I have worked for a number of very good managers and they have taught me different things and I have learned a lot – sometimes what I have learned is what not to do because it was something my manager did or said that irked me or rubbed me up the wrong way.

I’d like to share some of the lessons I’ve learned accordingly.

the manager imperfect

Yes, you may have  worked hard to get to where you are now, and it seems you may have proved your worth in the company, but don’t for a moment think that you’ve made it! Organizations and the people that make them up, are constantly transforming and evolving.

Part of development into a management or leadership role means recognizing that there is always more to learn. The best leaders I have worked for were straight talkers or at least seemed to be.

They were very directed and driven without being obnoxious, and communicated the most important facts about what was happening or needed to happen – fast – they weren’t wafflers!

The good managers articulated the pressures that were being applied to them and instead of making the proverbial ‘shit roll’ – would take the fall for stuff that happened downstream from them but made efforts to ensure it didn’t happen again or could be explained or remediated.

For me, the best managers were those that cleared hurdles that prevented me from being effective. Job title alone doesn’t mean much, especially in the revolving door of corporations where a job title could suggest being a big cheese but you’re still an individual contributor.

So take a moment and ask yourself, what can I improve on in my own style and communication method? How do I get better at this?

Published by

Clinton Jones

Clinton has experience in international enterprise technology and business process on five continents and has a focus on integrated enterprise business technologies, business change and business transformation with a particular focus on data management. Clinton also serves as a technical consultant on technology and quality management as it relates to data and process management and governance. In past roles, he has worked for Fortune 500 companies and non-profits across the globe.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *