June 17, 2023

Not jumping

Puddle

When your people come to you and tell you they have a problem, it’s a problem.

And all of a sudden, it’s yours.

Don’t try to solve it for them, but you certainly should take it seriously.

Taking it seriously means not jumping in.

Listen, properly, as they lay out the situation, then ask questions that help them work out how to deal with things on their own. It’s manager as mentor; lending an ear and a little perspective, and pushing them to take action towards the solution they probably walked through the door with.

Sometimes though, a hop can help. A connection you can make, a reality check, a word in someone’s ear, making resource available. It’s manager as servant; playing your role a little better or a little more forcefully or a little more decisively.

The problem. The conversation. The hop?

Skippy strategy: Don’t jump straight away.

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Teams