Managers: Let's Call a Spade a Spade!

My father was a construction worker and he always said, "A man's got to know his limitations. If you don't know yours, somebody else will."

I cringe when I hear other managers quote their fathers as the justification for why they have created a "flat" organization with no formal hierarchy. Admittedly, my father was not necessarily the most enlightened of men; more often than not he could be found spouting racist rhetoric and complaining about how rich people were getting an unfair shake in life. But for all that, my dad knew what he knew and what he didn't know - and so do I.

I'm not an economist, but I understand that as a result of the industrial revolution - and the rise of huge capital intensive organizations in which wealth is concentrated in the hands of less than one percent of the population - we are now living in a different world from that which my father inhabited. The world has changed and so too must we. And to be clear, this is not about change for change's sake; it's about shaping a new world that benefits all parties involved. One such change is this idea that "a manager's role is to manage" (i.e., employees) rather than do work typically associated with "management. "

This idea has crept into our consciousness and made its way into the lexicon of management literature. It is, after all, easier to phrase a response in this way - "we need to create a more fluid organization in which no one has clear roles or responsibilities" - than it is to say that we are not being effectively managed and the organizational environment requires serious changes. It's helpful, however, when the situation calls for it to identify the stark difference between wielding power and working as an officer. The first is an act of domination while the latter is simply a role that one assumes voluntarily; although similar in concept, power and leadership cannot be confused with each other.

We all have power and although some of us do an admirable job keeping it in check, others wield it like a weapon. Managers are agents of change at the behest of their stakeholders; they are not dictators or rulers. This is not only because they are bound by laws and regulations but because above all else they recognize that their real job is to facilitate the smooth flow of work between those who actually do it. When we consider that hierarchy - the traditional vertical organization chart with boxes and arrows pointing up to a CEO and down to everyone else - was invented for just this purpose, our resistance to abandon it should be clear.

The immediate problem that confronts most organizations is the rampant over-promotion of managers. To give credit where credit is due, I'm pretty sure that I've said this exact same thing in the past - but like many things in life one must give credit where it's due. In this case, however, we need to identify our blind spots; I cringe at how frequently I see "manager" and "leader" used interchangeably and on so many occasions have heard the expression "the boss."

When we make these mistakes we leave ourselves open to criticism for not anticipating what working as a manager actually entails. It's not simply a matter of deciding what needs to get done, deciding how to do it, and then getting it done. Instead, management involves two distinct steps: (1) identifying the individual or individuals who can get the job done and (2) empowering that person or those people to take action. As strange as it sounds, this means letting go - not trying to make all the decisions yourself.

I know that if I can have direct control over every aspect of a project from its inception through its completion then I'll feel in total control; but there are always variables beyond our control and one should expect that at any point everything about a project could change for any reason. When I see a team of people who are working on a project and listening to their ideas, I know that we are far more likely to succeed than when it's just me deciding what to do.

I know that there is a place for middle management, but in my opinion it doesn't exist either inside or outside of the traditional vertical organization chart. There is no role for helping others succeed if you're also trying to decide whether they should be doing something else. Rather than providing assistance, micromanagers are primarily interested in deflecting blame and therefore care primarily about themselves and not those whom they ostensibly lead. When micromanagers have power (i.e. are in a position to make decisions for others), then the result can be devastating to a team's sense of well-being.

And although this might seem like a trite point, I know that managers are only as good as their people. If they're not doing their jobs then they're not entitled to tenure. From the start of any project through its completion, I expect to work with my people and be supported by them; instead of polishing my own reputation or trying to impress those "above me" by always having the right answer and solving every problem immediately, I'm going to focus on how we can do our best work together.

Ultimately, none of us want to work for someone who doesn't share our interests and I know that I am not alone in wanting to work with those who share similar aspirations. A few years ago we all were focused on seeking out the next big thing - but now it's time to aim high and use the resources at our disposal to improve what we have. In my opinion, it's time that we move away from thinking only of ourselves and instead focus on working as a team in a way that ensures everyone gets what they need or want.

The bottom line is that a manager's role is not to manage; it's to get other people working together in order for us all to do amazing things. I know that this isn't the only way to think about management, but I believe that it is the best.

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Conclusion.

I know that this isn't the only way to think about management, but I believe that it is the best. When you have a team of people who are willing to work together to get things done on a project - and you're leading them by showing results, being transparent by sharing your ideas, and open by listening - then we all win.

I know that this might sound good in theory, but as with any new approach it's going to take some effort to see how it can be applied. I also know that change will happen slowly at first; but for starters I'm going to take a step back from being a micromanager and taking on more responsibility for studying and improving our workflow process.