| Managers fall into a trap, quite easily when the | | | | fails, just when it is critical to have someone |
| pressure is on, of doing more of the regular | | | | leading from the front. Respect is lost. |
| workload that their employees could. It makes | | | | Thirdly, the lack of development provided by a |
| them feel like they are achieving more personally, | | | | manager to each and every one of their people |
| as well as fighting the fires that crop up every | | | | generates a boredom with the job. With little |
| day. But this is not a sustainable solution, here's | | | | challenge, the job becomes repetitive. With little |
| why... | | | | time for their employees, even praise becomes a |
| Most managers are measured on tangible results. | | | | rarity. |
| It could be sales, or response times or production | | | | Finally, absenteeism and turnover increase. The |
| output. It is often number related and with this in | | | | hard working manager, doing their now 'day-job', |
| mind, many managers seek to beef up the | | | | is placed faces more tactical demands as he or |
| manpower delivering these numbers, by doing | | | | she puts the 'doing' work in, to just keep up. As |
| some of this work themselves. | | | | they have less and less capable people, inevitably, |
| There is nothing wrong with a manager choosing | | | | something falls off the cliff. |
| to get their 'hands dirty'. To chip in with their | | | | Typically the business starts to underperform and |
| people. In fact, when it really matters, it can be a | | | | the manager gets put under pressure from |
| valuable motivational activity, building team spirit. | | | | above, often failing under the strain of |
| But as resources get stretched and the manager | | | | self-imposed workload - but the wrong workload. |
| becomes an integral part of the workforce, the | | | | Challenging though it may be, a manager has to |
| business starts to get dependent on their tactical | | | | step back from much of this 'doing' stuff in the |
| input. | | | | workplace. |
| And this stops being a management role, but a | | | | Short-term, things may get worse, but for the |
| 'doing' role. At it goes on and on, with no time to | | | | longer-term growth of the business, the manager |
| develop people and strategies to make the | | | | has to manage their people effectively. Easy |
| business truly grow, develop and evolve. There is | | | | steps in this are spending time building |
| no time for the really important stuff which | | | | relationships, defining robust standards, |
| grows teams and individuals to improve and | | | | communicating effectively and managing |
| enhance their contribution. | | | | performance. |
| And so the problems start. | | | | Time spent here will be much more value-creating |
| Firstly, the manager becomes unable to spend | | | | for a manager in developing their people and the |
| valuable time with team members and understand | | | | business for which they are responsible, as well as |
| what they are feeling, or build credible relationships | | | | providing a fulfilling role for them. |
| with them. These are vital to develop an | | | | Manager or 'doer' - it is a choice and one which |
| awareness of issues that are arising in the | | | | can take some time and effort to master. With it |
| workplace and to get to know individuals' | | | | comes the maturity of realising where the future |
| difficulties and aspirations, for future team | | | | lies - and what it looks like. |
| development. | | | | At the end of the day, as an alternative, stepping |
| Secondly, employees begin to regard the | | | | back from management and becoming a great |
| manager as just another employee, at their level, | | | | 'doer', with the respect that brings is no failing. |
| and the discipline afforded to someone in seniority | | | | |