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3/06/2008 08:50:00 PM
One simple way to look at doing work is to divide it into three pieces:
The manager's first job is to determine, "What are we going to work on?"
The manager can, and perhaps should, invite employees to provide input, as that will often drive buy-in to the final decision. But the "what" is clearly the province of the manager.
Managers also must understand that it is highly likely that no answer to "what" lasts forever. The manager must continuously ask the question, "Are we working on the right stuff?" If the organization is continuously striving to improve its results, the answer to "what" will change over time.
How
Once "what" has been determined, the organization must determine "how" the work is going to be done. Here there should be sharing in the decision between manager and employees. Two primary reasons for this are:
Once the "what" and the "how" have been decided, it is time to actually do the work, according to a schedule and a budget.
The manager may play a minor support role, but the bulk of getting it done should be borne by employees. The manager has other, very important work to do, such as the above business of "what."
It is often all too easy for managers to get trapped in the doing. When that happens, the critical work of "what" falls off and the results of the organization suffer. The manager must stay after the "what."
One last point. Leading by example is a great concept, but it should not be construed to mean the manager will do the work of the employees. The manager has an important job to do, that only he or she can do. What the manager owes employees is to do the management job the very best he or she can.
Mike Hulser
Source: The BizMD
- What: What are we going to do?
- How: How are we going to do it?
- Do: Actually doing the work, getting it done.
The manager's first job is to determine, "What are we going to work on?"
The manager can, and perhaps should, invite employees to provide input, as that will often drive buy-in to the final decision. But the "what" is clearly the province of the manager.
Managers also must understand that it is highly likely that no answer to "what" lasts forever. The manager must continuously ask the question, "Are we working on the right stuff?" If the organization is continuously striving to improve its results, the answer to "what" will change over time.
How
Once "what" has been determined, the organization must determine "how" the work is going to be done. Here there should be sharing in the decision between manager and employees. Two primary reasons for this are:
- The sharing will drive a greater level of buy-in, commitment and ownership on the part of employees. When employees are really bought in, they will do whatever it takes to make the decision successful.
- The employees are closest to the work. Like it or not, they are the experts in what work is actually taking place, in what manner, right now. Their insights can be invaluable.
Once the "what" and the "how" have been decided, it is time to actually do the work, according to a schedule and a budget.
The manager may play a minor support role, but the bulk of getting it done should be borne by employees. The manager has other, very important work to do, such as the above business of "what."
It is often all too easy for managers to get trapped in the doing. When that happens, the critical work of "what" falls off and the results of the organization suffer. The manager must stay after the "what."
One last point. Leading by example is a great concept, but it should not be construed to mean the manager will do the work of the employees. The manager has an important job to do, that only he or she can do. What the manager owes employees is to do the management job the very best he or she can.
Mike Hulser
Source: The BizMD
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