Winning Manager eNewsletter Feb/Mar 2002

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THE WINNING MANAGER - Putting People First
Vol. 5 No. 1, Feb/Mar 2002 *******Copyright 2002 by Wolf J. Rinke mailto:WolfRinke@aol.com ************* http://www.WolfRinke.com ###################################################
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IN THIS ISSUE
1. NEWS YOU CAN USE
2. REVERSE DELEGATION: HOW TO STOP THE "MONKEYS"
3. WINNING ACTION STEPS
4. HUMOR BREAK
5. ABOUT THE EDITOR
6. CONTACT AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION =================================================== REALITY CHECK "Treat all employees as if they are volunteers." -Wolf J. Rinke Source: Make It a Winning Life, Perpetual desk calendar, Feb 15. =================================================== 1. NEWS YOU CAN USE =================================================== THE NEW ECONOMY IS ALIVE AND WELL
Productivity increases in the US remain robust. Economists, even the conservative ones, admit that the output per hours worked has averaged a solid 1.8% growth during the first two full quarters of the official recession. (Compare that to an average of 0.14% in the previous nine recessions.) And is expected to grow at an annual rate of 2.24% for the next 10 years. That's just a trifle lower than the 2.36% that fueled the "new economy" from 1995 to 2000.
ACTION STEPS: Be extremely conservative in laying off your highly skilled employees. (See below.) Instead take advantage of this slowdown by training your people so that they and you are ready to benefit from the economy when it turns around-as it will. Source: Wall Street Journal, 1/7/02, p. A1.

LAYOFFS RESULT IN DECREASED CUSTOMER LOYALTY
A recent study revealed that 62% of company executives who have laid off employees expect that layoffs will result in decreased customer loyalty and encourage business customers to seek other suppliers.
ACTION STEPS: When times are tough resort to employee layoffs as the absolutely last resort. Instead tell employees how tough things are and ask them for their specific input and suggestions for how to improve the bottom line. Source: News Release, InsightExpress, Stamford, CT

MISTREATING EMPLOYEES KILLS
In an independent study two Princeton University professors have found broad and consistent evidence that tires made at the Decatur Firestone plant during a period of serious labor unrest were more likely to fail than tires made at the same plant at any other time, or at any other Firestone plant. (The labor unrest came about when Firestone management pressed employees for wage cuts and 12-hour shifts. Workers struck and management brought in replacements. After more than a year, labor capitulated and returned to work at lower wages and 12-hour shifts alongside the replacements.) The result: "tires made during the labor strife were 376% more likely to prompt a complaint to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration [and] customers with tires made during the labor dispute were more than 250% as likely to seek compensation from Firestone for property damage or injury blamed on faulty tires than were customers of tires made there [the Decatur plant] during more peaceful times." Plus the researchers estimated that "…40 lives were lost."
ACTION STEPS: Always treat employees the way you would like to be treated. When uncertain, impose two tests: #1 Would you like it if someone did this to you? #2 Would you feel proud if your actions were reported on the front page of you local newspaper? If the answer is NO to either question, don't do it. Period! (If Enron executives had imposed these tests, Ken Lay would not be testifying in front of Congress.) Source: Wall Street Journal, 1/10/02, p. A1. =================================================== DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION, SUGGESTION OR A SUCCESS STORY? We are getting some great success stories from our subscribers, and would like to hear what's working, or not working, for you. Mailto:WolfRinke@aol.com =================================================== 2. REVERSE DELEGATION: HOW TO STOP THE "MONKEYS" =================================================== Are you working harder and longer than the people who report to you? If you said yes, this article is for you because you may be experiencing the frustrations of reverse delegation. This is what Oncken and Wass popularized as the "monkey on the back" analogy in their famous Harvard Business Review classic, "Management Time: Who's Got the Monkey." In the analogy, "monkey" refers to the responsibility for performance and the initiative to act. An example will best illustrate what this is all about. Let's say you are walking through your organization, and one of your direct reports, Bill Good says to you, "Boss we've got a problem. The order for the special project did not come in." You discuss it further, but because it can't be immediately solved you say, "Thanks, Bill, for letting me know. This is very important to me, so I'll look into it when I get back to my office." Let's take a look at what just happened. When the two of you met, the "monkey" was on Bill's back. Where is it now? That's right, it's on yours. If you continue your rounds through your entire operation, you will probably pick up a bunch of other monkeys before you return to your office. Now, here is an important question: Who works for whom? That's right, you are working for the Bill. After all, you accepted the responsibility for solving his problem; plus, like a good "subordinate," you even promised to give him a progress report. Back in your office you have a meeting with your assistant, whom you had asked to evaluate your production equipment and to come up with a recommendation for new equipment purchases. You sit down with Mrs. Productive, and she gives you a report of all that she has done to get the information together. Among other things, she tells you that the trip to the annual equipment meeting in Chicago was very informative and she got a lot of good information from it. While you are talking with Mrs. Productive, Bill pokes his head in the door and asks whether you have had chance to figure out a solution to "our" problem. (As you well know, that is called supervision.) After the interruption, Mrs. Productive concludes by saying that because of the trip-a perk paid out of your budget, for a trip to a city you would liked to have visited-"I got most of what you wanted, but because I got so far behind, I just haven't had time to sort it all out." With this she puts a four-inch thick folder on your desk. You don't know what to say, but you want to be a sensitive boss. So, after swallowing a couple of times, you say, "Thanks, I appreciate all you've done. Let me look at what we've got so far." OOPS, another monkey just made a move. To make matters worse, upon leaving your office, Mrs. Productive says, "Thanks, boss. If you have any questions, let me know." Now, if Mrs. Productive is a dedicated employee, in a couple of days she'll be asking you how you are coming along with the new equipment project. I won't even ask who is working for whom at this point. But you haven't learned your lesson yet. When you stop by the purchasing office, the supervisor, Mr. Ontime, says, "Boss, we're having difficulties with the new computerized perpetual inventory system." Because you are on your way to an important meeting, you ask him to e-mail you a memo detailing the problems. A couple of days later you find the memo in your e-mail box and are impressed with how dedicated Mr. Ontime is. Are you watching the monkey? Has it made the leap onto your back yet? You skim the memo, but just don't have the time to dedicate to it because the problem is much more complicated than you thought. The next day, Mr. Ontime gives you a call to find out how you are coming along. You feel badly because you don't have an answer yet, but you've been delayed because you have all these other monkeys to carry around. Of course, you still have all of your own responsibilities to take care of, plus you've got to keep your boss happy. If you don't do so, you might as well start looking for a new job. In the meantime, Mr. Ontime is wondering what in the world you do anyway and is getting frustrated because he has to wait for you-and you sure appear to be taking your sweet time. Of course, the story probably doesn't end here if you have more than three people reporting to you. But let's stop because by now I hope you are getting a clear image of yourself being buried by your team members' monkeys. As a result, you work incredibly long hours, become totally frustrated, are unable to sleep, increase your use of antacids, neglect your family . . . do I have to go on, or do you get the picture? (Is this making you uncomfortable because it describes your current situation?) At the same time, the people who are working for you have no problem getting home on time and are sleeping soundly. Occasionally, they check to see what progress you are making. The only problem is that they are not very productive, because they have to wait while you take your "sweet time" getting your act together.

HOW TO KEEP THE MONKEYS WHERE THEY BELONG
So what to do about all those monkeys on your back? Here are some suggestions:
* Clarify that there is no such thing as "we" have a problem. The problem is almost always the employee's. It is theirs to solve; that's what they are getting paid for.
* Insist on complete work. If it is not complete, give it back.
* Clearly define who will make the next move. In virtually all cases it should be the team member; otherwise the problem will become yours.
* Attain a mutual and clear understanding about the level of initiative you want your team member to exercise. These levels, from lowest to highest, are:
1. Wait until you are told.
2. Ask what I want you to do.
3. Make a recommendation, then act.
4. Act on your own, but let me know what you have done.
5. Act on your own and give me feedback during regular meeting times.
* Operate at the highest level of initiative to the maximum extent possible. Seldom use level 1 or 2, because it will result in you collecting lots of monkeys.
* Avoid relying on written communication when dealing with problems. Once a problem is in your in-box-electronic or otherwise-you have no choice but to adopt and feed the monkey because the next move will always be yours.

HOW TO KEEP MONKEYS OFF YOUR BACK
Now that you are familiar with "monkey business," let's go back to our hypothetical examples. In the first example you should ask Mr. Good what he plans to do about his problem. If he comes up dry-which he will if you have been solving all his problems in the past-you might suggest that he consult someone else on his team who has dealt with a similar problem in the past or suggest several ways for him to solve the problem. You conclude your discussion by expressing confidence in Bill and ask him to let you know by a specific time how he handled it. In our second example, you tell Mrs. Productive that she is to complete the partially finished report by no later than a specified time and date. Review your expectations with her again by firmly letting her know that you do not accept incomplete work. You should take the opportunity to answer questions, but also make it very clear that your time, as well as hers, is too valuable to spend on half-finished projects. The answer to the third problem depends on what you know about Mr. Ontime. If in the past he has been able to independently solve problems, you might tell him to fix the problem with the inventory system and be prepared to make a report at the weekly management team meeting. If not, you should ask him to evaluate the problem and come up with three possible solutions for consideration at the next management team meeting. =================================================== For FREE articles, inspirational messages and money saving offers on books, audio and videotapes that will help you and your organization succeed FASTER visit our website: http://www.WolfRinke.com or call 800-828-WOLF (USA); 410-531-9282. =================================================== 3. WINNING ACTION STEPS =================================================== FOSTER INDEPENDENT ACTION
When team members bring you their problems-especially those who complain all the time-ask them to bring you 1-3 options or solutions for every problem.
GROW PEOPLE Assign at least one of your "pet" responsibilities to someone else in your organization every month for the next six months.
ESTABLISH A "WINNERS CIRCLE" Make team members who solve problems and readily assume new responsibilities into heroes by publicly recognizing them. =================================================== 4. HUMOR BREAK =================================================== Flight attendant: Would you like dinner? Passenger: "What are my choices?" Flight attendant: "Yes or No." =================================================== 5. ABOUT THE EDITOR =================================================== Dr. Wolf J. Rinke, CSP is an internationally recognized management and motivational keynote speaker and seminar leader who delivers customized presentations that combine story telling, humor and motivation with specific "how to" action strategies that participants can apply immediately to improve their management and personal effectiveness. He is also a highly effective management consultant, executive coach and author of 12 books including: Winning Management: 6 Fail-Safe Strategies for Building High-Performance Organizations. To take advantage of his services call 800-828-9653 or mailto:WolfRinke@aol.com to =================================================== 7. CONTACT AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION =================================================== Dr. Wolf J. Rinke, CSP President Wolf Rinke Associates, Inc. P.O. Box 350 Clarksville, MD 21029-0350 USA (410) 531-9280, Fax (410) 531-9282 For orders in the US (800) 828-WOLF (9653) Email: Mailto:WolfRinke@aol.com Website: http://www.WolfRinke.com If this was forwarded to you and you would like to receive your own FREE subscription mailto:WolfRinke@aol.com and type the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject box. To remove yourself from this mailing list, please type the word UNSUBSCRIBE WM in the subject box. PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not make your name available to anyone. Period!

Welcome to Wolf Rinke Associates, Inc.

Welcome to
Wolf Rinke Associates, Inc.