Go ‘Head On

One of the biggest challenges as a manager is to move people in the right direction. We share the vision with our staff, educate them, listen to their concerns, and then everything works out, right? Wrong. It seems people have their own ideas (imagine!) of what should be done and HOW it should be done. Those ideas are many times in direct conflict with management’s ideas. So now what?

One of the keys for engaging your staff is Emotional Intelligence, or EQ, and specifically, empathy. An empathetic leader seeks to understand why their staff may not agree with the course of action. That means the manager needs to actively listen, ask questions, and understand the rationale for the disagreement. Does it take time? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. I know, it may seem easier at first to ask that they become part of the change or start looking for another position. When you take that stance, you may lose people who may have a lot to offer. If you can find common ground and genuinely show a personal interest in your staff, you will begin to build trust and loyalty. Once you have that, you have an employee who is more than a “yes” person, who will tell you the truth, and who will become part of the change. Have I always had a manager like that? No. Have I always been that manager? No.

In my career, there have been challenges where I’ve had to decide to be part of the change or consider other options. Either way, it was my choice to make. I didn’t have to agree with my boss, but if I were going to stay, it was my job to support the change. In the movie Bridge of Spies, the Soviet spy, played by Mark Rylance, says to Tom Hanks, “Well, the boss isn’t always right, but he’s always the boss”. True.

The average tenure of an O.R. director is about two years. Many employees have seen 10 or more directors come and go over the years. With changes in management come changes in strategies and ideas. The consistent turnover and shift in strategies make it difficult for employees to follow and they sometimes feel,” I’ll just wait them out” meaning they’ll be here long after the director or manager is gone. This process can potentially be short-circuited by a leader who shows empathy. If that doesn’t work with the employee, you’ve done all you can do, and it’s time to encourage them to be successful elsewhere. Which takes me back to what Momma said.

Momma told me what was expected, encouraged me along the way, and helped remove obstacles, but sometimes she would just let me go ‘Head On. Whatever my choice, I was accountable.