Learning from Managers

Today’s post is one of my favorite strategies for success.  I formed this strategy in my late 20s.  It may seem obvious, but I think it falls into the category of things that people do instinctively rather than actively.  By changing that approach and doing it actively I think there are huge benefits.  Simply put the strategy is to identify at least one stand-out strength from every manager you work for and then work out how you can incorporate that strength into your own approach to work.  Looking back on this now I think what I was doing was establishing mini apprenticeships for myself and I believe it accelerated opportunities in my career and helped with the transition to management.

A manager should always tell you what needs to be done.  If the manager was to tell you how everything should be done, it would be helpful at the beginning of your career but would quickly stifle initiative and curiosity if it continued.  Rather than learning how to do a specific task, it can be more rewarding to study how a manager is effective.  Unless the manager has done plenty of self-reflection, they are unlikely to be able to tell you this information. A third party perspective can be much more valuable and managers may be unaware what they do that motivates their team to do their best work.  Instead, by selectively observing the areas of the business that your manager is at their most effective, you can fire up your curiosity by trying to determine for yourself what makes them so effective.  You don’t need to copy exactly what they do, but instead tailor their approach so that it works for you or fits your objectives.  You’re learning how to be more effective from someone who is more effective, its one of the greatest sources of free training that exists.  But it all starts through active observation, a curiosity of mind and a willingness to embrace and learn from others.

This can be expanded further.  In my late 20s I tended to focus on my managers’ positive qualities and was passively aware of areas where my managers may be less effective.  In later years I discovered there are plenty of lessons to be learned from weaknesses too.  For a start, if your manager is doing something that makes you or the team less effective, it would be worth noting how it feels and what you would do better.  If the environment is conducive, then providing that feedback in a respectful manner may be a win/win scenario.  Alternatively, positioning yourself to support the areas where your manager is less effective could result in building a formidable team.  At the very least, making sure you don’t repeat these things when you become a manager yourself would be a good outcome.

It is worth considering at this point the variety of managers you have had exposure to.  If you have worked for one organization and one manager and the organization tends to promote from within, then the pool of experience for your mini apprenticeship is quite limited.  If you have opportunities to work on cross-functional projects with other managers, this will provide further opportunities to explore and learn.

When I look back at my career I discount the first three years as an auditor.  My experience of audit work was joining new teams on limited engagements before moving to the next assignment.  My exposure to managers depended on the client and was often quite limited.  The managers all tended to have worked their way up through the organization, so there was a degree of homogeneity.  I do remember one manager who had left the firm to work in the commercial world and had returned as a senior manager hoping to become partner.  Their management approach was different and more interesting, and I enjoyed being on their jobs.  But other than concluding I didn’t want to be an auditor; I didn’t learn that much from managers in this initial phase of my career.

When it comes to variety, aside from those years as an auditor, I have only worked for three different companies.  One of those companies I have worked for twice.  In those 22 years, I have had twelve direct line managers.  Of the twelve, seven were female and this included my first two managers.  Those twelve managers include seven different nationalities.  By my calculation five of those twelve could be said to have been long-term employees who had worked their way up through the ranks.  The remainder had infused the company with knowledge and experience from other organizations.  Add to this the experience of working with and observing my managers’ managers or dotted-line managers.  I have used these all of these experiences of being managed and tried to shape them to my advantage.

My first job after audit was where I probably learnt the most.  I was a willing sponge and much of my approach to work today has been formed from those four years.  The fact that my first two managers were female was also a significant benefit.  I am not going to draw any stereotypes between male and female managers as in my experience they don’t hold true.  But there was a clear benefit of avoiding a male dominated team that helped me focus on a broader range of skills and concepts of effectiveness that I wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to. This was at a time when I was determining who I wanted to be in the workplace. 

Let me know your thoughts.  I suspect the counterpoint to this, if there is one, is the desire to carve one’s own path or perhaps an admission that there isn’t enough time to focus on others’ behaviors.  In response I would argue that the quickest route to being successful is to build on what already exists and if you don’t have time to focus on the behaviors of those around you, it will be very difficult to be a good manager.

Next week’s blog is on reasons to be expansive when you consider who is in your team.  Everyone plays a role and treating everyone as a valuable member of the team usually helps deliver on your goals.