Comments

Maps perfectly to my experience in academia, Tom.

It's nice to know the dean, but you MUST know the Dean's secretary. It's nice to get the line-item on the budget, but you MUST know the payroll / billing / contracts clerk if you want that line item to turn into actual checks with which you can get your projects done. It's nice to have the hotline to the physical plant office, but you MUST know the plumbing manager and the groundskeeping manager and the janitor for your own building if you want things to HAPPEN.

Posted by Tim Walker at January 7, 2008 10:23 AM

Agree - It’s just tactics isn’t it? I managed to get an endorsement for my book from Sir Alex Ferguson through speaking to his PA. The same link got me a signed and much treasured photo as a leaving gift from the great man when I left the NHS. It now has pride of place in my office. When I talk to the people on the front line in ‘payments departments’ I get my invoices paid within days – when I leave it to the ‘system’ or the ‘process’ of the organisation I often find my invoices are not paid for 6/8 weeks. It just underlines my ‘front line knows best’ belief.

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 7, 2008 10:38 AM

I absolutely agree. I have found it to be extremely important to make the person actually doing the work to feel special. When the person doing the work (whether they are an administrative assistant, doctor's receptionist, or a management guru) feels special, they gain confidence and joy in what they are doing.

Recently a banker spent over two hours working with my wife's grandmother and answering questions about a relatively small account from the banker's perspective. My wife left a tin of toffee to show appreciation. After this exchange, all parties involved felt special.

Posted by H. Peter Schiller at January 7, 2008 11:23 AM

C(I)>C(E)....ABSO-FREAKIN'-LUTELY....(uh...I would agree with this point?)

If a customer is defined as a person who uses the product or service your job produces,any leaders/managers most important customer is those they lead/manage. Train them, coach/develop them, challenge and engage them, share with them, respect them, establish joint goals/expectations, make them accountable.....then get out of their way! Relationships are a powerful tool, build and nuture them with everybody and anybody....be they customers, suppliers, competitors.....
Yet when the topic was building and sustaining customer relationships a while ago, how many dismissed or didn't see "the frontline" as a customer, let alone one to take the time to have a relationship with? This relationship is the one that builds credibility. Credibiliy=trust. Trust = culture of teamwork/continuous improvement.

Posted by Dave W at January 7, 2008 11:46 PM

Dave – brilliant comment – I’m not surprised you and I agree internal customers are number one. 'Leader as coach' is my mantra. It’s a no brainer as far as I am concerned that the front line is where the power is. Thought this story may resonate with you. I remember one of the most profound learning experiences of my career. I was 22 years old (33 years ago) and had secured my first senior management job in a hospital. I THOUGHT I had arrived – you know – that youthful exuberance! Part of my job was to manage a team of 6 porters. These guys had been round the block a few times. They were all older than me - most of them more than twice my age and they had many years of experience. I managed to secure extra money from my bosses to employ 1 extra porter - on condition I introduced a night shift that would give 24 hour porter cover in the hospital. Those days were well before Excel spreadsheets so I spent many hours at home writing out 'long hand' various shift suggestions for the 6 porters to consider. Whatever I tried I couldn’t produce a satisfactory rota to even show them – in a nutshell I was stuck. George White – the senior Porter – about 58 years old came into my office and asked about all these sheets of paper covering my desk. I finally explained my predicament and George - trying hard I’m sure not to laugh - said he would have a try with the other porters. Within an hour or two he was back with 3 or 4 options that the porters liked- with a preferred option. Key messages I have remembered for my entire career:

• Being called a 'manager' does not mean you have a divine right to KNOW everything
• As a manager you don’t have to DO everything
• The staff who do the work KNOW the answers
• Don’t beat yourself up by battling alone - just ASK for help
• The best way to gain ‘power’ is to LET GO of power

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 8, 2008 4:59 AM

Totally agree that you need to cultivate these types of relationships for one off problems it can help no end

You do have to be careful how you use them however (sparingly!). I know people who rely on personal relationships to get basic stuff done all the time. It plays havoc with the efficiency of the department because they are not following process - eventually it starts to cause strain.

It can also leads to priority being skewed to relationship strength not to business need (old boy network).

I think this opens up a very interesting question about internal competition between managers. i.e. should I get my stuff pushed through (perhaps to the detriment of other equally or more worthy stuff) because I am good at relationships and can make it happen?

To me a really effective management team is one where the values are such that the you use the relationships you have to help your peers be successful not just your self.

Posted by PaulH at January 8, 2008 6:25 AM

I have been struggling with this notion of 'down the organisation' it doesn't feel right as a term.

I am not trying to be ultra PC, but aren't we all just part of the same team?

It is my aim day to day to treat everyone I meet equally, the 'up-ness' or 'down-ness' of them is not important to me, its the relationships I have and how we can help us all suceed that is paramount to me?

So we all have our stories to tell but it comes back to the treat as you'd expect to be treated, keep communication simple and above all listen.

This has been sent to my daughters current favourite sound track High School Musical and specifically the track 'Keep your head in the game' Feels apt! She is 5 after all what do I know.....

Posted by Patrick at January 8, 2008 11:40 AM

'I have been struggling with this notion of 'down the organisation' it doesn't feel right as a term.'

Agreed Patrick - spot on!

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 8, 2008 11:46 AM

Trevor- your five bullets are a mini-manifesto for developing and perhaps more importantly, retaining a "world class" team. To me, credibility is a leaders most important asset and your actions in this case banked you more trust and respect that your words alone could ever earn. "The best way to gain power is to LET GO of power".....an absolute truth in my experience

The best "leadership" advice I ever received was from a General I worked for who paraphrased Lyndon Johnson's quote about J. Edgar Hoover. His approach...."I'd rather have everyone inside my tent p!ssing out than outside my tent p!ssing in." Your team can be your allies or your enemies....it's your choice. Crowded but dry....that's my personal goal!

Posted by Dave W at January 8, 2008 11:57 PM

How about "across the organization" or "across the team"? Perhaps even better might be "up to my team members"?

Posted by s g at January 9, 2008 11:46 AM

I had heard the LBJ quote but I prefer your interpretation ... 'Crowded but dry' - hilarious thanks Dave :)

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 9, 2008 12:08 PM