Jeff McManus's Blog, page 15

To Delegate or Not to Delegate

“You always hear about delegation, but people make the mistake of delegating and not following up. I give authority, but I stay in touch. Otherwise it doesn’t work.”  ~Wayne Huizenga

The success of our industry, depends on two things: 1. That we have well prepared leaders in the field and, 2. That we are brave enough and smart enough to delegate to them. Delegating is difficult for most driven leaders and yet it is the ability to delegate that is the mark of a true leader.

When is the righ...

Boss vs Leader

It is said that most industries are made up of 80% bosses, but only 20% are leaders. This may be why so many industries struggle for they are perceived as non-professional and lose so many good people.

A boss, a manager and a leader title may not matter in your organization, but the style you use to lead does matter. I am keeping it brief here. I have been called all 3 titles at some point in my career, but let’s focus on boss vs leader. A boss tends to be someone who has a command-and-contro...

How to Separate from an Employee

Using kindness when you let someone go or if they quit historically increases their chances of returning to you once they have matured and figured out life.

The leader’s approach to someone leaving will determine if the company is building up a reserve of employees who want to return even after they quit for greener pastures.

Be as kind to them when they leave as you were when you hired them, and they may return with a better big-picture view of work and a new appreciation for your organiz...

Putting Out Fires

“Stamping out fires is a lot of fun, but it is only putting things back the way they were.”

~W. Edwards Deming, American Engineer

We are two weeks into 2023. Have you taken a moment to examine any lessons you may have learned in 2022? For instance, what did 2022 teach you about your people? Any drama among your employees on the ground? Were there moments when you wished your leaders were stronger and better able to problem solve without you? Maybe you remember a few instances in 2022 when ...

Always On

M anaging Gen Z Workers

Recently, I got a question about managing 21–23-year-old workers who are in the habit of staying connected to their mobile phones 24/7. Gen Z (or Post-Millennials as some call them) started entering the workforce in greater numbers in 2022. Born after 1996, this generation will make up over 1/3 of the workforce in the next 8 years. Right now, it is not uncommon to have as many as 5 generations working together. How we manage the expectations/needs of all our workers can...

Goals = Purpose

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”

~Tony Robbins

Each year our department issues out a custom-made calendar specific to our department. Each employee receives one. The purpose of the calendar is two-fold. One, to communicate clearly to the team what our work game plan will look like month to month, and second, to give us a plan for departmental growth and change.

A few years ago, I added seven blank goal lines for our employees to fill in their ...

The Heart of the Giver

“The heart of the giver makes the gift dear and precious.”

~Martin Luther

That little baby in the manger came years ago and was greeted first by the service industry workers of his day, the shepherds who were working the fields. That really is special when I think about it. As it was in those days so is it today; the front-line workers are the ones making the first impressions, greeting others, and assisting behind the scenes. As the small baby took front stage in a humble local stable, it...

To Meet or Not to Meet

“My biggest issue with MEetings is that, despite their name, they are rarely about ME.”

~humorthatworks.com

A newly appointed department head walks into their first full department meeting….and no one was there! Oh dear. Meetings have ceased to be funny, informative, engaging or, some would argue, even necessary. One department leader I worked with shared that the employees complained the meetings were a waste of time and spent their early morning hours avoiding him, fearful they would be ...

Standing for Something

creed noun: a set of fundamental beliefs

~Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary

Terry Johnson, a former Green Beret, now motivational speaker, introduced me to the power of having a creed. He had memorized the Green Beret Creed back in his days in the service and recited it word for word to our staff when he came to speak. It was powerful. It gave me goosebumps.

Each United States Military special forces unit has a creed. So do faith-based organizations and universities. Creeds have become pop...

Checking the Alignment

“The purpose of a team is not goal attainment but goal alignment.”

~ Tom DeMarco, Author, Teacher & Speaker

Recently, I read about an outdoor supervisor who started the morning by setting the expectations for the day in front of his entire crew. The supervisor’s expectations were in line with previous workdays – in fact, they were fully staffed for the first time in a while which was a big advantage for production expectations. But immediately he got pushback from one of his subordinate cr...