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Managing Yo-Yo Style
Does being managed by others smack more of "Survivor" than Stephen Covey for you? Could there BE any more management styles out there-have you gotten to experience all of them yet? And what kind of manager are you-or should you try to be? If you're reading this, you're probably familiar with too many types of management and leadership styles-more flavors than months, for the most part. On the leadership, not so much. I offer to you now an additional insight into a newly designated style that you will recognize, and may even find funny. Or not, depending on life at work. And speaking of life at work, what could be more fun than children's toys at work? How about just the thought of them? No, wait-how about BEING them? Before I go on, I must tell you I am at work on a book on management styles, because we definitely need more fun at work, but this type of "leadership" stands alone, and was recognized and developed by a colleague and myself, with one disclaimer only: No alcoholic beverages were consumed in the making of this theory! Now back to our theory, which shall be forever called The Yo-Yo Style of Management?-which by the way, does not involve cellos or classical music. It is purely and simply based upon that amazing device that delights and mystifies one and all-the yo-yo. Three Rules There are only three rules in The Yo-Yo Style of Management: 1. You are the Yo-Yo 2. You are the Finger 3. You are the String Let's look at these components: 1. You are the Yo-Yo-this means that you are the doer, the impacter, the thing that moves. It also means you are probably pretty low on the corporate food chain. In other words, you are done to. 2. You are the Finger-now here's where the power is! By mere pointing (either a true gesture or metaphorically), you control the yo-yo(s). All of them. Imagine the power of watching multiple yo-yos fly! You became an executive for precisely this purpose. Skill is a necessity-if you have it, great. If you don't, well, that's the String's failing. Of course, you can be the Finger at any level of the organization, as long as there are at least two levels "beneath" you. You know your place-and theirs. 3. You are the String-well, this means you are in middle (high or low middle, depending on how flat your organizational structure is) management, and you are conveying the Finger's commands. High, Low, Walk the Dog, Around the World! (That's for all you road warriors and commanders out there). You are a CONNECTOR, and hopefully a skilled one at that. You get things done, and MOVE those yo-yos, while making the Finger proud. On the other hand (or is it Finger?) lackluster Strings drop a lot of yo-yos. Be a STRONG String! Yo-Yoing your way to the simple life Now that this theory has been defined for you, could life BE any simpler? Because you can apply the Yo-Yo Style of Management? to personal life, too. In which case, it becomes more of a principle. (And if you want to have any type of relationship, you may want to go light on the Management.) Do you realize how simple your life at work will be now that you know this theory? Now that you know what you want, are you ready to put your best efforts into your current position, and then, and only then, determine what you must Yo-Yo for? You can even be all three-Yo-Yo, Finger, and String-all at the same time, with only one caveat: Keep in mind that to become a national champion, you must practice, practice, practice! And then, maybe, just maybe, you can BE the Finger. Can you feel it? You can? Good! It's as simple as Rocking the Baby. © JoAnne Scalise JoAnne Scalise has served in multiple levels of healthcare and business management at local and national corporate levels, and has gotten to play at all aspects of the yo-yo as a healthcare professional in both hospitals and national organizations. Her goal, as was that of a mentor, is "Work has to be at least 51% fun". Her collaborator on recognizing the Yo-Yo Style of Management? is a business leader and is also a healthcare professional committed to fun at work. JoAnne is currently at work on an information empire-with a majority focus on fun-that will first include a book examining management styles and offering strategies for your success-no matter the environment in which you swim. Think Stephen Covey meets Leona Helmsley meets Jacques Cousteau, and you'll be there. If you would like to be placed on a mailing list to learn when The Moody Manager? website is complete, please send an email to MoodyManager@msn.com and in the meantime, Grab Every Opportunity For Fun!?
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When a report is late because the employee in question and their spouse went to a movie instead of completing the assignment, a NICE manager understands. After all, it's important to balance work and home. When the presentation lacks clarity, or the conclusions aren't supported by the facts, a NICE manager thanks them for their efforts and doesn't dig any deeper. And when the production numbers for the month are down for the 3rd consecutive month, a NICE manager clearly understands the reasons that are causing the problems and knows that they are not the fault of the employees. A NICE manager avoids the controversy and confrontation that goes along with employees who are not quite performing up to par. A NICE manager defends their employees regardless of the situation, because there are always extenuating circumstances. And that's the problem with a NICE manager. They always understand and always relieve the employee of the responsibility. What does it mean to be a NICE manager? N - Nothing I - Inside C - Cares E - Enough Nothing inside cares enough to hold the employee accountable for their own actions. Nothing inside cares enough to tell the employee when they are falling behind or failing. Nothing inside cares enough to be willing to upset the employee even if it is for their own good. Nothing inside cares enough to help the employee achieve everything that they are capable of achieving. Frankly, being a NICE manager doesn't really help the employee, because it leaves them without any accountability, and it does no good for the manager either, as they now have more work to do. Being a NICE manager is a "lose - lose" scenario. As a Manager, it is your responsibility to the company and to your employees to see that peak performance is achieved. You also have a responsibility to your employees to maximize their talents and growth, to see that they are ready for the promotions that may come their way, and to ensure that they learn the skills to achieve and succeed at higher and higher levels. You owe it to your employees to give them honest feedback on their performance so that they can develop their own skills and prepare for their future. And you can do it all in a positive, reinforcing manner. That's the difference between being a nice Manager versus a NICE Manager. Instead of being NICE, I suggest that you CARE. A Manager who CAREs will coach an employee on a problem, not assume the work for him. A Manager who CAREs will communicate with an employee when their work does not meet expectations and coach them until it does. A Manager who CAREs will identify the talents in their people and help cultivate those talents to even greater levels and coach them in areas where they can still develop. What does it mean to CARE? C - Coaching A - Allows R - Real E - Excellence So you have two clear choices. You can be NICE to your employees, or you can CARE. Which will you choose?
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