Five Star Blog

How do leaders get things done? They can’t do it all themselves. Leadership involves an influence relationship between leaders and followers, who work together toward a mutual purpose. Leaders in today’s modern workforce cannot ignore the critical “relationship” side of leadership. Successful leaders rely on strong, trust-based partnerships with employees, customers, and/or clients in order to achieve success. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to examine each of the four key behaviors of effective Relationship Leadership and define what a leader must do to build the kind of relationships that enable high performance.

Relationship Leadership Behavior 1 – Exemplify Personal Values and Integrity.

Each one of us has a reputation that is created by everyday actions. In other words, what you do, the way you act, and the words you say play a direct part in building your reputation. Have you created the kind of reputation that commands the respect of your peers and employees? Can they trust you?

A leader with strong relationship skills exemplifies personal values and integrity. A leader’s values and integrity, and his/her ability to remain true to those values, forms the foundation of trust in relationships. Leaders demonstrate integrity in everyday actions by staying true to their values, but this is never as evident as when they stay true to their values when met with opposition or adversity. We identify a leader by listening and watching for him/her to take a stand, particularly when times are tough. Leaders who are effective relationship builders understand their values, communicate them clearly to others, through speech, action, or inaction, and are able to generate passion for those values. It is this kind of courageous leadership that draws the attention and respect of others.

In his book, The Radical LEAP, Steve Farber differentiates “extreme leaders” from posers on the basis of authenticity, their ability to demonstrate their values as a means of “proof.” Extreme leaders prove their commitment to their values and their organization’s compelling purpose through their every day actions and decisions. They don’t avoid making waves or taking required risks if it means being true to their values. For true leaders, doing what is right is the only option.

If this description of a leader sounds exciting to you, then the message is clear: “Be the kind of leader you would want to follow.”

Visit our blog next week to learn the next key behavior for effective Relationship Leadership.

In our last blog, we identified five common mistakes made by first time managers. These mistakes included:

1. Failing to set and communicate expectations
2. Failing to revisit, re-communicate, and reinforce expectations
3. Failing to address people issues quickly before they become significant challenges
4. Overlooking your role as a coach
5. Underestimating the power of words

In addition to these mistakes, there are five additional common errors made by first time managers.

1. Taking everything personally
   Most people take an incredible amount of pride in their work. However, as one makes the transition from the role of individual contributor to a people manager position, he/she must understand that not every problem or challenge that arises is a direct result of his/her actions. Managers, especially frontline managers, are the face of the organization to their employees. Therefore, situations will arise where employees will feel and express opinions about their current situation even when you have very little involvement or direct responsibility. When these situations arise, remember to listen and ask how you can offer assistance within your sphere of influence. However, be careful not to take everything personally because there will always be situations outside of your control.
2. Taking accountability for actions
   As stated above, not every challenge is a direct result of your actions. However, there will be situations where your actions will have a direct impact on someone or something. As you transition to a management role, it is critical to understand this and quickly take accountability for your actions. In fact, the fastest way to lose the trust of your employees, peers, and boss is to fail to do so. As you transition into your first time management role, be sure to assess situations and challenges honestly and evaluate how your actions directly or indirectly contribute to them. Then, take immediate action.
3. Using a one-size fits all approach for handling situations
   People and organizations are inherently complex. In order to effectively manage these complexities, it is vital to acknowledge that using a one-size fits all approach to handling people and situations places one at a severe disadvantage. Although every person has a natural preference for handing situations, not every situation requires the proverbial “hammer.” As you transition into your new management role, take some time to assess how you naturally respond to situations, and then seek out additional resources that can help you adapt when you’re outside of your comfort zone.
4. Not asking for help
   As a manager, there will be times where you will feel clueless! Working with people and managing teams of people can be challenging for even the most experienced manager. In order to excel, you must ask for help. As you transition into your new role, seek out people who have experience, books and resources that can provide information, and colleagues who can offer advice and support when needed. You do not have to handle everything on your own; take advantage of the resources available to you!
5. Forgetting to realize it’s not about you anymore
   One of the toughest challenges first time managers face is moving from a position of individual contributor with direct responsibilities to a management role with direct responsibility for a team’s performance. Each of these roles is critical to an organization’s success, but ultimately each has its own set of unique responsibilities and expectations. The most effective people managers understand this and respond in such a way that places the success of their team at a higher priority than their own personal success.

If you have stumbled across this blog posting and are in the process of transitioning into your first management role, Congratulations! Your organization obviously acknowledges your competence and strong people skills, or else you wouldn’t be in this position. Switching roles isn’t easy, but if you enter your first time management position armed with the knowledge of what could happen, you set yourself up for success. Learn from the common challenges identified above, and let us know how it goes!

Frontline mangers play a critical role in every organization. They serve as the face of leadership for large segments of the workforce and are responsible for leading their direct reports in a direction that supports the overall strategy of the organization. Yet, frontline managers are often first time managers, people who are promoted into a management role as a result of their exemplary performance as an individual contributor. This scenario is very common, but it typically leaves most first time managers ill-prepared for the situations and challenges they face as they transition into a management role. Over the next two weeks, we will be identifying ten common mistakes made by first time managers and how to avoid them.

Here are the first five:

1. Failing to set and communicate expectations
   Expectations are the lifeblood of any relationship. They help establish the boundaries that guide the work that must be done, how it should be done, and when it must be completed. First time managers often incorrectly assume that their direct reports will inherently know what their leader expects from them. As a first time manager, be sure to invest the time to discuss your expectations with each member of your team and with your team as a whole.
2. Failing to revisit, re-communicate, and reinforce expectations
   Once expectations are set, they must be consistently revisited, re-communicated, and reinforced. By failing to do any or all of these actions, the value of setting initial expectations diminishes. Therefore, be sure to devote time for ongoing discussions with your direct reports to discuss expectations and any variations (both good and bad).
3. Failing to address people issues quickly before they become significant challenges
   The process of managing people can be incredibly rewarding; however there will be challenges along the way. Oftentimes, some of the most challenging situations for first time managers arise from the complexity of managing people. These challenges, if left unattended, can quickly turn into larger issues that have significant ramifications. However, the good news is that most of these significant challenges can be avoided if they are addressed early. As you move into a first time manager role, address people challenges as soon as they arise.
4. Overlooking your role as a coach
   To be a great manager, you must be willing to be a great coach. A great coach does the following:
   • Creates a safe environment in which people see themselves more clearly by listening, asking focused questions, and helping team members reflect on experiences.
   • Observes team members in action and helps identify gaps between where they are and where they should be.
   • Understands and anticipates potential obstacles and offers corrective feedback when needed.
   • Asks questions of team members to help them reflect on experiences and identify future agreed upon behavioral changes.
5. Underestimating the power of words
   As a manager, what you say to your team members can have long-lasting effects. Your words can serve either to motivate or de-motivate them simply because of your role. As you interact with your direct reports, be aware of both what you’re saying and how you’re saying it.

Visit our blog next week to learn the remaining five common mistakes made by first time managers and how you can avoid them.