An Annual Checklist for Managers
Friday was the last day at my organization for one of my favorite colleagues - he and I have worked together for 5 years, and I got the privilege to be his manager for much of that time. It's been amazing to watch him become a manager himself. I can't wait to see what he does next as he moves back home to be closer to family. I am confident that he will positively impact dozens (hundreds?) of more social change agents as a manager over the rest of his career.
All of this has me thinking about the importance of managers. The research is clear - Google's Project Oxygen is one of the most famous studies and efforts - managers are crucial for employee effectiveness and engagement.
Management is a practice. It requires intention to do well. Some people are more naturally talented at coaching and supporting others, but none of us is going to be a truly excellent manager by winging it. Putting in systems is an important start.
To be sure, excellent management is much more than a checklist. Being a great manager to human beings is an adaptive leadership challenge that requires vision, listening and coaching skills, empathy, judgment, hard conversations, technical skills that matter for your team, and strategic thinking. Creating a strong foundation of management systems helps create the space for the leadership you must bring.
Below are the practices I recommend for managers to build in service of supporting their teams' impact.
Regular Check-Ins: There has been much written about the importance of this practice. I recommend a weekly check-in for most managers, but in some situations checking in more or less frequently makes sense. The agenda is created not by the manager but by their team member, with the manager having an opportunity to add in items to discuss. The Management Center (I cannot more highly recommend their manager trainings - they're fantastic) has a great sample check-in agenda. Build time into your system to review their agenda in advance and get your thoughts together on what you want to ask about their work.
"None of us is going to be a truly excellent manager by winging it."
Reminders to Delegate: Great managers find ways to give their team stretch opportunities, and one of the easiest places to find those opportunities is on your own to-do list. What are you taking on that could instead be lead by someone on your team if you used smart delegation practices? Set up reminders for yourself to ask yourself what you could pass on to someone on your team. If you are struggling to think of what you can pass along, ask your own manager or one of your peers. They will help you think more creatively than you might be able to on your own. I use Asana for monthly reminders to think about this, but there are many options - iPhone reminders, recurring calendar appointments, etc.
Management Memo: The idea to create a written version of your management approach is not mine - but I heard the idea years ago and loved it. Here's the one that I use with my direct reports: http://bit.ly/JessManagementMemo. It lays out my work style, expectations, and hopes for my team.
Important Dates List: Great managers take care of their team as human beings. Part of this is remembering their birthday and their work anniversary. Make notes in your task management system or calendar to celebrate these days. A verbal or emailed note on birthdays and work anniversaries is a baseline, and you might also consider a gift or card. Gifts do not need to be extravagant - a bottle of wine or gift card for a night out at the movies are great easy options. Sometimes this means remembering other dates, too - you'll know whether these apply for your team or not. For example, my brother died unexpectedly a few years ago. I don't expect anyone to remember the day he passed or his birthday, but when people around me do remember those days, it means a lot to me and is very much appreciated.
Appreciation Reminders: The most engaged employees, according to research, are those that answer affirmatively to this question: "In the last seven days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work?". In fact, those who report not being adequately recognized are three times more likely to say they are planning to quit in the next year. Weekly praise matters, and some managers find this frequency easier than others. If you are less consistent than you want to be, set up reminders to appreciate good work and effort. Share specifics, and explain why it mattered. It can just be a quick, "I really appreciate how you just got that website update done earlier this week even though you were in the middle of other things when we needed your help - it was critical to the success we saw with the membership program," shared verbally. I often text my team members if I think of something about their work I want to appreciate when I am not near them physically. Public praise can also be great depending on your team's culture and your team members' preferences.
If your team member has a big project coming to a close, put a reminder for yourself to appreciate them in some way once it is finished up. A card and/or small gift on their desk the morning after their big event or after their budget got board approval can mean a lot. Some of my favorite easy thank you gifts are here, here, here, and here. You could even get some now to have on hand for the next time you want to celebrate someone.
Ask Directly for Feedback from Those You Manage: As I wrote about a few years ago, I love the 2x2 structure as a way to give and get feedback. I always schedule one of these 2x2 conversations six weeks into a new team members' tenure on my team, and then have them annually after that at a minimum. Your direct reports can give you great insight into your management practices that no one else can, and their feedback is crucial information for improving your management skills.
Deliberate Retention & Career Coaching Conversations: Some of the most important conversations you need to have with your employees most likely do not come up in the course of a regular business day or week. Schedule time to check in about their career. When you really want to retain them, spend time making sure they know that and supporting them so that they are able to stay in your organization. If you neglect this part of your job, you can get unhappy surprises with high-performing staff who let you know that they are moving on to another organization. I recommend asking questions like this:
What do you like most about working here?
What could I do to make your work more satisfying?
How is your work/life balance? How is your stress level?
Do you have any other concerns about your job I might be able to help address?
What would need to happen for you to stay happy and engaged with the company for the next 3 years?
What inspires you the most about working at this organization?
What parts of your current role do you enjoy most?
What strengths of yours would you like to use more?
What are the top 3-5 things you’d most like to get out of your current role?
What other skills might be helpful to you not only in this role, but also later in your career?
What other roles could you see yourself in? What other areas do you want to explore?
What else do you think is required for being a great manager? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
