Friday, January 30, 2004
Sailing & Management - Navigating Through the Management Maelstrom
I must admit, work is usually the last thing on my mind while trimming the sails and gripping the rudder as the wind drives my 13 foot sailboat rental around Boston Harbor. Interestingly enough, I also find myself thinking about sailing while sitting at my work desk (maybe I should just get a job on a sailboat?) Ironically, I've realized that managers like myself can learn many lessons about management by understanding sailboats and their crews.
Planning for Change:
William Arthur Ward once said, "The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." Bill is trying to point out that despite our best intentions, we all need to plan for adjustments in our strategy - things rarely go as planned. The client just changed his mind for the third time? Don't be alarmed - just adjust the sails, set your new course, and keep on sailing along to your destination.
Measurement:
Much like a sailboat captain leverages measurements (wind direction, tides, depths and tacking angles), a manager must use measurements to ensure his crew is on track and heading toward key objectives and goals. Without adequate metrics and continual measurement of progress, the chances of succeeding are slim, at best. Sailing without a compass or measurement of wind direction, tides and water depth is like managing a team without a plan or list of objectives. I've seen too many managers "set sail" on important projects without first knowing their destination, or end goal. Needless to say, many of these "voyages" end in disaster.
Trust:
How many times have you seen the skipper race down from his perch at the wheel and start climbing the mast to untie the spinnaker? Never. Why? Because he TRUSTS IN THE SKILLS OF HIS CREW (not to mention he's probably scared of heights). Having trust in your team early on is critical because it helps build confidence and increase creativity. Everyone on the crew must have the ability to sail the ship on his/her own, because you never know when the captain and the rest of the crew will be swept overboard in a storm. Bottom-line: Create a climate that enables people to unleash their potential. Given the right environment, you'll be very surprised what people can achieve.
Accountability:
"A captain always goes down with his ship." In management terms, this is equivalent to acting as a buffer for your people and bearing the brunt of your client's impatience or occasional tongue-lashings. A good manager always takes the heat for his/her team, no matter what. Good captains don't force crewmembers to walk the plank, but they do make them accountable for their actions. It's a delicate balance that takes practice.
Putting Aside Ego:
In his book "It's Your Ship," Navy Captain Michael Abrashoff wrote, "Leaders must be willing to put the ship's performance ahead of their egos, which for some people is harder than for others. The command-and-control approach is far from the most efficient way to tap people's intelligence and skills. To the contrary, I found that the more control I gave up, the more command I got." Yes, it sounds ironic, but I couldn't say it any better myself.
I must admit, work is usually the last thing on my mind while trimming the sails and gripping the rudder as the wind drives my 13 foot sailboat rental around Boston Harbor. Interestingly enough, I also find myself thinking about sailing while sitting at my work desk (maybe I should just get a job on a sailboat?) Ironically, I've realized that managers like myself can learn many lessons about management by understanding sailboats and their crews.
Planning for Change:
William Arthur Ward once said, "The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." Bill is trying to point out that despite our best intentions, we all need to plan for adjustments in our strategy - things rarely go as planned. The client just changed his mind for the third time? Don't be alarmed - just adjust the sails, set your new course, and keep on sailing along to your destination.
Measurement:
Much like a sailboat captain leverages measurements (wind direction, tides, depths and tacking angles), a manager must use measurements to ensure his crew is on track and heading toward key objectives and goals. Without adequate metrics and continual measurement of progress, the chances of succeeding are slim, at best. Sailing without a compass or measurement of wind direction, tides and water depth is like managing a team without a plan or list of objectives. I've seen too many managers "set sail" on important projects without first knowing their destination, or end goal. Needless to say, many of these "voyages" end in disaster.
Trust:
How many times have you seen the skipper race down from his perch at the wheel and start climbing the mast to untie the spinnaker? Never. Why? Because he TRUSTS IN THE SKILLS OF HIS CREW (not to mention he's probably scared of heights). Having trust in your team early on is critical because it helps build confidence and increase creativity. Everyone on the crew must have the ability to sail the ship on his/her own, because you never know when the captain and the rest of the crew will be swept overboard in a storm. Bottom-line: Create a climate that enables people to unleash their potential. Given the right environment, you'll be very surprised what people can achieve.
Accountability:
"A captain always goes down with his ship." In management terms, this is equivalent to acting as a buffer for your people and bearing the brunt of your client's impatience or occasional tongue-lashings. A good manager always takes the heat for his/her team, no matter what. Good captains don't force crewmembers to walk the plank, but they do make them accountable for their actions. It's a delicate balance that takes practice.
Putting Aside Ego:
In his book "It's Your Ship," Navy Captain Michael Abrashoff wrote, "Leaders must be willing to put the ship's performance ahead of their egos, which for some people is harder than for others. The command-and-control approach is far from the most efficient way to tap people's intelligence and skills. To the contrary, I found that the more control I gave up, the more command I got." Yes, it sounds ironic, but I couldn't say it any better myself.
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Management & Motivation - From the Dugout to the Corner Office
Earl Weaver once said, "If you have a team meeting, then lose again, what do you do next?" Ah, the challenge of motivating your people to do their best. It's not an easy task, whether you're a manager of a professional baseball team, a middle manager at a high tech start-up or the head bookshelf manager at the local library. Luckily for us baseball fans, we can learn effective management techniques just by watching our national pastime and our favorite teams and managers.
You can learn about business management from watching baseball, you ask? Just another excuse to stay home and watch the upcoming Red Sox/Yankees series, right? Wrong. Management is management, whether you're in the dugout or in the corner office. Why? Because people are people, whether they're wearing a baseball uniform or an Armani suit. The fact is, regardless of profession or position, everyone needs a little motivation.
Everyone is motivated by something - the key to managing is understanding what those motivating factors are for each member of your team. In other words, everyone has a unique set of buttons that need to be pushed to help them do their best work. Taking the time to find out what those buttons are can work wonders for any manager. To Earl Weaver's point, some managers like to call the urgent team meeting and try their luck with lengthy motivational speeches. This approach can sometimes be successful, but unless you're Vince Lombardi, chances are you'll alienate your team rather than motivate it. The truly effective managers want to know what motivates each individual member of their team. These managers take the time to meet one-on-one with their people to monitor performance, find out where his/her "head is at" and, if necessary, boost confidence. These managers are also patient with slumping players who have potential, loyal to players who need someone they can trust, and fair to every player on the team regardless of position, importance or salary.
Sound mushy? Maybe. But nurturing the members of your team is as important as paying them. Just ask Joe Torre, successful manager of the New York Yankees. Joe takes the time to learn what motivates each and every individual player on his teams (baseball announcer Tim MacCarver once said, "Joe manages more in the clubhouse than he does on the field"). Joe Torre listens to his players, trusts them and butts-in only when necessary. Mushy or not, his winning record with the Yankees speaks for itself. As a jealous Red Sox fan, I know his success rate first hand.
So, next time you want to motivate your employees, don't call an urgent team meeting and make fancy speeches while standing on your arm chair. Arrange time to speak with each of your "players" individually to learn what makes them tick and what motivates them to do their best. I'm confident it will work for you - Joe Torre and Earl Weaver have already proven it works for them.
Earl Weaver once said, "If you have a team meeting, then lose again, what do you do next?" Ah, the challenge of motivating your people to do their best. It's not an easy task, whether you're a manager of a professional baseball team, a middle manager at a high tech start-up or the head bookshelf manager at the local library. Luckily for us baseball fans, we can learn effective management techniques just by watching our national pastime and our favorite teams and managers.
You can learn about business management from watching baseball, you ask? Just another excuse to stay home and watch the upcoming Red Sox/Yankees series, right? Wrong. Management is management, whether you're in the dugout or in the corner office. Why? Because people are people, whether they're wearing a baseball uniform or an Armani suit. The fact is, regardless of profession or position, everyone needs a little motivation.
Everyone is motivated by something - the key to managing is understanding what those motivating factors are for each member of your team. In other words, everyone has a unique set of buttons that need to be pushed to help them do their best work. Taking the time to find out what those buttons are can work wonders for any manager. To Earl Weaver's point, some managers like to call the urgent team meeting and try their luck with lengthy motivational speeches. This approach can sometimes be successful, but unless you're Vince Lombardi, chances are you'll alienate your team rather than motivate it. The truly effective managers want to know what motivates each individual member of their team. These managers take the time to meet one-on-one with their people to monitor performance, find out where his/her "head is at" and, if necessary, boost confidence. These managers are also patient with slumping players who have potential, loyal to players who need someone they can trust, and fair to every player on the team regardless of position, importance or salary.
Sound mushy? Maybe. But nurturing the members of your team is as important as paying them. Just ask Joe Torre, successful manager of the New York Yankees. Joe takes the time to learn what motivates each and every individual player on his teams (baseball announcer Tim MacCarver once said, "Joe manages more in the clubhouse than he does on the field"). Joe Torre listens to his players, trusts them and butts-in only when necessary. Mushy or not, his winning record with the Yankees speaks for itself. As a jealous Red Sox fan, I know his success rate first hand.
So, next time you want to motivate your employees, don't call an urgent team meeting and make fancy speeches while standing on your arm chair. Arrange time to speak with each of your "players" individually to learn what makes them tick and what motivates them to do their best. I'm confident it will work for you - Joe Torre and Earl Weaver have already proven it works for them.
