Intent versus Impact

You probably have an organisation where a fair number of managers intend doing a great job, in fact, the majority will believe that they are. Actually, you might also BE one of them.

I have met a lot of managers over the last 30 years in business who genuinely think they are doing a FABULOUS job, but they don’t hear what people say about them when they are not in the room, and whilst their INTENTIONS are great, sadly, the impact they are having is not.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the busy-ness of business that we simply don’t have time to notice, sometimes when we are acting under stress and in high pressure environments, we have less control over our mood and behaviour and perhaps don’t realise that our behaviour has changed or how it is being received by those around us.

Over the years I have seen a lot of examples where there was definitely a gap between what was intended as leaders and how that action or decision or behaviour was perceived by others.

For example, we might think we're being assertive when giving feedback, but our team members might interpret it as harsh or critical – we see our communication style as clear and to the point, they feel it as abrupt, arrogant, rude even. It's moments like these that highlight the importance of understanding the impact our behaviour has on those around us and being more consciously aware of the behaviours that we need to be using to generate the response and outcomes that we truly want.

If you have managers in your organisation OR YOU ARE A MANAGER – who intends to be inspirational, motivational, supportive and engage a high performing team and you want to be sure you are moving as close to that as possible, I am running a free online session on 22nd May at 1pm entitled “Does the room light up when you enter … or when you leave?” – this is based on my experience of so many team members who have shared stories with me like ….

When I pull into the car park in a morning, if HER car is there, I know we are in for a crappy day ….

Others tell me “When I see HIS name flash up on my phone screen, my heart sinks ….

Or “When he asks me “Have I got a minute?” – I dread what’s coming next!

What do your people say about you?

There are 10 essential behaviours that managers and leaders need to practice daily, consciously, so that the busy-ness of business does not knock you off track – and I will be sharing them with you on the 22nd May.

We know that managers play a pivotal role in fostering an environment where teams can flourish and thrive, and making sure that you are cultivating strong two-way dialogue with channels open to receive, not just send, is crucial to that! Work on fostering trust and encouraging a culture of collaboration and teamwork also helps, as does creating a psychologically safe environment where it’s ok to innovate and have a go, without fear of negative consequences. It’s often difficult to get caught in the weeds and not realise that you have dropped down to a hands-on, too close role and are losing the benefit of the leadership perspective, but you need a team around you who have skills, competence, and confidence – you will be the most significant influence on that, make sure your influence is a positive one!

When you do get caught up in the busy-ness of business and are feeling under pressure, it can be easy to lose sight of some of the things that really should be a priority, but in failing to do so we risk losing the commitment, motivation and engagement of our people and in answering the question “Does the room light up when you enter or when you leave?” – chances are they are glad to see you go, if this is the case!

Stephen Covey talked about taking time out to sharpen the saw, if you wanted to be highly effective in your role and so my invitation to join us on 22nd May stands – take time out to sharpen your saw, take a look in the mirror, reflect and reset – 30 minutes over lunch is an excellent opportunity to make a commitment to being the best manager or leader that you can be!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Andrea Newton is a speaker, author and coach with over 30 years experience of working with hands-on managers and leaders within construction, engineering, retail, transport and more. Her practical, straightforward style appeals to those who get their hands dirty and enjoy straight talking learning opportunities. Find our more about her and the mirror-moment event on 22nd May at confidentconversations.co.uk