On Why The Manager is Really the Problem

Life Lessons Comments Off on On Why The Manager is Really the Problem

 I do the very best I know how – the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what’s said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.” – Abraham Lincoln  

As I have observed various issues in the Harvard Business Review, and read more than my fair share of wonderful articles i have noticed something that they never talk about. There are many, many (oh so many) books and studies on how to get people to do what you want them to do. There are also many more on getting these same people to “buy into” a project, but i say here and now, that without accountability and following from the top, the project is doomed.  That seems obvious, but what about subtle self or internal sabotage?  Internal jobs suffer from this the most.  Improvements need to come from the top as well as the bottom.  A Boss is needed, not a Manager.  The signals are subtle:

Scenario One: 

Project A is an Internal Project. The Project Manager offers to get Project A off the Ground and get’s his Bosses Blessing.  The Project Managers seeks to make a certain deadline with Project A gets alot of people to go along for this deadline.  Everyone is on board, but it becomes more and more obvious that of the matrix style setting of the production, Project A will be delayed unless it’s moved up.   One day, The Project Manager is not there and the people working so hard and diligently decide to ask the Project Managers boss which of the two priorities to do; and are told that Project A is low priority. It’s nothing we’ve not heard before. Internal projects are low priority…, and before long the internal project is dropped. Why, the project manager cannot ever push project A back to the top. It’s never important enough.  It’s nothing we’ve all not heard, or seen, but what is amazing is that often times, project A’s purpose is to improve efficiency, or improve business practice or even to generate more business.  There are dozens of Companies selling processes, products, and services they do not do themselves and worse, should do themselves. 

Scenario Two:

A Product manager has an idea for an application which after working out a plan and presenting, all agree would be quite industry changing.  Clearly the Firm would be able to have a long term sustainable competitive advantage with this product.  The Product Manager is given the Go ahead!  As he maneuvers thur his company trying to gain multi-facetted input, he’s met with “busy people” they are not blowing him off, but they have ALOT of work to do.  Finally he gives up and works on the project by himself, still offering updates to his immediate boss.  When he turns in the project, it’s shredded because no one else had any input.  The product Manager is them blamed for delaying the project because now it has to go thur various rounds.  What’s the problem? The Project is hot, yet, a good boss or manager would force a meeting, even one, so that all feel they are involved; or at least given the opportunity to be involved.  The product Manager is confused, be cause he kept them appraised the entire way, yet here is this large backlash.  

The Point:

Both of these situation could have been helped along by an attentive, strong boss, instead each being subtly sabotaged. In both these scenarios buy in was there, approval was give and all were on board, yet at the crucial time when leadership was necessary it abdicated.  If you are a boss of others, these situations must be observed carefully and responded to quickly.  Public support, private withdrawal should be the key.  The job of most good managers is to be a ring leader, or more like the Pied Piper.  It is fine to delegate but also recognize when “everyone is busy” and need to be forced to coracle.  Internal projects are easy to dismiss, but when done, their improvements are immense and don’t usually repeat.  As for those trapped in this situation? a few words of advise. I bring these steps to the table: 

• There is a time in every person’s life when they have to stop being a  doormat.  You can explain, and wrangle and cajole but eventually one has to simple bite the bullet and be an ass to get something done.  Noone  will like you for it.  Get over it.
• Don’t give up on the Project just yet, just move past the people.
• Keep believing in your steps and tasks.
• Get roaring mad about it, quietly and privately, then take a deep breath and actively engage your boss back into the process.  If he does not want to back in, then see step one.
• Only repackage the pitch 3 times, after that, each time going back to step two, but after the 3rd time,

Accept the failure of the Project; just let it go but start looking at where your life is going.  If your frustration builds, it’

s time for a new job. 

OceansOfThought @ March 19, 2008