{"id":3420,"date":"2016-07-20T21:37:03","date_gmt":"2016-07-20T20:37:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.small-improvements.com\/?p=3420"},"modified":"2016-07-20T21:37:03","modified_gmt":"2016-07-20T20:37:03","slug":"4-manager-challenges-and-how-to-overcome-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/blog\/4-manager-challenges-and-how-to-overcome-them\/","title":{"rendered":"4 manager challenges and how to overcome them"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>This article explains 4 of the biggest manager challenges and how to deal with them<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Understanding what\u2019s expected of you: Clarify manager expectations in a playbook or SLA<\/li>\n<li>Keeping people motivated and engaged: Master your coaching, feedback, prioritization, and 1:1 meeting skills<\/li>\n<li>Having difficult conversations: Request a GBU (the good, the bad and the ugly) report from each employee<\/li>\n<li>Bringing the best out of people:\u00a0Get to know them, be selfless, ask the right questions, and lead by example<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Tips from Grovo, Soundcloud, Lifelabs Learning, and Recruiting Inferno<\/h3>\n<p><span>Nobody said managing and leading a team would be easy. In fact, being a good manager is one of the most difficult responsibilities a person can take on. According to <\/span><span>Gallup<\/span><span>, only about <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/businessjournal\/167975\/why-great-managers-rare.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>one in 10 people<\/span><\/a><span> have the talent required to manage. But why is it so hard and how you overcome the most common manager challenges? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>To find out what it takes to be a great manager, we sat down with: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/joris-luijke-1692754\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>Joris Luijke<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><span>VP of People at\u00a0<span>Grovo<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/stevenmlevy\"><span>Steve Levy<\/span><\/a><span>, blogger, recruiter and Principal at <\/span><span>Recruiting Inferno<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/neil-wilks-4293271\"><span>Neil Wilks<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><span>Soundcloud\u2019s<\/span><span> Director of People Partnerships<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/taniadluna\"><span>Tania Luna<\/span><\/a><span>, Co-Founder of <\/span><span>Surprise Industries<\/span><span> and leadership consultant at LifeLabs Learning<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span>There is a\u00a0video recording of the whole panel discussion below and we\u2019ve also distilled four manager challenges, and suggestions for tackling them, that arose during the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Challenge #1: Understanding what\u2019s expected of you<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3427 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/nyc1.png\" alt=\"Joris Luijke on overcoming manager challenges\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/nyc1.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/nyc1-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/nyc1-1024x567.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/nyc1-768x425.png 768w, https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/nyc1-1536x851.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span>A \u201cgood\u201d manager may look different depending on the organization. How do you know what\u2019s expected of you as a manager and what \u201cgood\u201d looks like in your company? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Many organizations don\u2019t have outlined expectations or requirements for managers. For example, how often should you have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/1-on-1-meeting-essentials\/\">1:1 meeting with your direct report<\/a>? When is a good time to discuss career growth and development? <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Manager Service Level Agreement (SLA)<\/h3>\n<p><span>At Grovo, the leadership team decided to clarify manager expectations at a company level, in what they call the \u201cManager Service Level Agreement (SLA).\u201d The Manager SLA includes all of their defined, basic expectations for managers. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWe know it\u2019s a good idea to send a first-week plan to new hires before they start,\u201d said Joris Luijke. \u201cSo, we add it to the SLA and give any financial or educational resources necessary to support it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Training programs<\/h3>\n<p><span>Training programs are another excellent way to help managers understand what\u2019s expected of them. At Soundcloud, Neil Wilks said, \u201canyone who joins, or is promoted, as a manager goes through a leadership and management program.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>This program is open to all people leaders and walks through key manager challenges to help them grow. \u201cWe put a big emphasis on letting new leaders know that they\u2019re not alone and we\u2019re here to help and support them,\u201d said Neil.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;Put a big emphasis on letting new leaders know that they\u2019re not alone&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>People Leader Playbook<\/h3>\n<p><span>Ever heard of a football playbook? How about a \u201cPeople Leader Playbook\u201d? Tania Luna conducts leadership training at Lifelabs Learning. She developed a \u201cPeople Leader Playbook\u201d for a company looking to help their managers be successful. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In the playbook, you\u2019ll find 12 behaviors that they expect from people leaders. This playbook creates a language of shared norms across the organization and gives managers a guide to success.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Whether it\u2019s a guide, a training program, or a playbook, clearly defined standards will reduce ambiguity and act as a supporting foundation for manager growth in your organization. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Challenge #2: Keeping people motivated and engaged<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3430\" src=\"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/nyc2.png\" alt=\"NYC2.png\" width=\"2312\" height=\"1014\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span>It\u2019s said that employees don\u2019t leave companies, they leave people. \u00a0According to Gallup, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/services\/190118\/engaged-workplace.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>87 percent of employees worldwide<\/span><\/a><span> are not engaged. Yet, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/businessjournal\/183098\/report-separates-great-managers-rest.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>managers have the greatest impact<\/span><\/a><span> on employee engagement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>At LifeLabs Learning, Tania and her team focus on training managers \u201cTipping-Point Skills.\u201d These skills, once mastered, open up the door for greater employee engagement. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>A few of the skills required to overcome this and other manager challenges include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Coaching skills<\/b><span>\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Learning the fundamentals of what it means to be a good manager, how to empower employees and what types of questions to ask.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Feedback skills<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Learning how to give and receive feedback.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Prioritization skills<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Learning how to effectively manage your time and that of your direct reports.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>1:1 meeting skills<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Learning what an effective 1:1 looks like and techniques for success.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>Google&#8217;s Project Oxygen <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2013\/12\/how-google-sold-its-engineers-on-management\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>team research<\/span><\/a><span> highlights similar skills. They found, \u201cthe number one trait of a good manager is that they are a good coach.\u201d This is followed closely by a manager&#8217;s ability to empower their team and not micromanage.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;The number one trait of a good manager is that they are a good coach&#8221;\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span>Managers who take the time to learn these identified success traits will have a much greater chance of engaging their employees. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Challenge #3: Having difficult conversations<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span>We\u2019ve all had to have those tough conversations that we\u2019d rather avoid. How can we help managers master those difficult conversations, instill an environment of openness, and encourage honesty within their team?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>You\u2019ve probably never thought of Sergio Leone\u2019s film, <\/span><i><span>The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, <\/span><\/i><span>as a resource for managerial advice. But, for recruiter and consultant Steve Levy, it\u2019s the inspiration for his weekly check-ins. Every week, Steve requests a \u201cGBU\u201d or \u201cthe good, the bad and the ugly\u201d from each of his employees. This report helps to highlight problems and maintain an open, honest environment. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Neil uses a similar technique for this called the \u201ctraffic light.\u201d One of his favorite managers would say, \u201cgive me a traffic light of how you\u2019re feeling at work and outside of work. Then, tell me why.\u201d This strategy helps to unlock employee emotions, get a feel for where they stand, and tackle any issues. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>HR can help with these tough conversations as well by pushing managers and employees to have regular check-ins. Joris found that when managers have a more frequent, open, and honest dialogue with their reports, those difficult discussions come up naturally.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;When managers have more frequent, open and honest dialogue with their reports, difficult discussions come up naturally&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span>Tricks like these help to solidify the relationship between manager and employee. They keep conversations flowing, uncover issues earlier, and create a foundation for the tough conversations. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Challenge #4: Bringing the best out of people<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span>Great managers help people find something within themselves that they hadn\u2019t seen or didn\u2019t know was there. But especially for new people leaders, helping employees shine is one of the most important manager challenges. Joris recommended the book, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/8310410-multipliers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i><span>Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter,<\/span><\/i><\/a><span> by Liz Wiseman. In the book, she explains that great managers are able to extract out an individual&#8217;s full capacity. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIf you add up all your passion, intelligence, and energy,\u201d he said, \u201cthat combined together is your 100 percent capacity. But, if you ask an employee how much capacity they\u2019re using at this given moment, it\u2019s probably closer to about 60 percent. The job of the manager is to help people use as much of their capacity as possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;The job of the manager is to help people use as much of their capacity as possible&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span>How does a manager do this in practice? Here are a few starting points:<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Get to know them\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><span>How well do you know your direct reports? What does a good day look like for them? What are they passionate about? Where do they want their career to go? Take the time to learn who they are and you\u2019ll discover opportunities to help them grow.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Be selfless\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><span>The best managers have arrived at a selfless place in leadership. One where they no longer think about themselves first. At that point, they only think about helping people reach their maximum potential. \u201cIf you\u2019re constantly focused on helping people be their best, regardless of team or organization, that\u2019s when you grow from good to really great,\u201d said Joris.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ask the right questions <\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><span>\u201cA little trick that we teach managers in training is to ask open-ended questions,\u201d said Tania. \u201cInstead of asking \u201cwhat do you think?\u201d ask, \u201cwhat are your thoughts on?\u201d This tiny tweak opens up the door for conversation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lead by example\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Lead in a way that will make others want to follow you. Steve quoted <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/greatgame.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>The Great Game of Business<\/span><\/a><span> by Jack Stack, where he says, \u201cshit rolls downhill.\u201d If the leadership team isn\u2019t doing what you expect managers to do, you\u2019ll have a snowball effect and struggle to get everyone on the same page.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The end-goal of overcoming manager challenges<\/h2>\n<p><span>As a leader, a mentor or a manager, the end-goal is the same \u2013 but the journey to get there will differ for everyone. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;As a leader, a mentor or a manager, the end-goal is the same \u2013 but the journey to get there will differ for everyone&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span>Ultimately, it\u2019s about overcoming challenges and obstacles to build lasting relationships and creating an environment that facilitates growth, encourages honesty, and promotes continuous learning.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Watch the whole discussion here:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Panel Discussion: New York\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/190167215?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nobody said managing and leading a team would be easy. In fact, being a good manager is one of the most difficult responsibilities a person can take on. According to Gallup, only about one in 10 people have the talent required to manage. But, why is it so hard?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":3427,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[80],"tags":[141,12,119],"class_list":["post-3420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership","tag-coaching","tag-hr","tag-manager-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3420"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3420\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}