Be Consistent

The mark of a good manager is commitment to the team. Managers that can guide and motivate a team have the ability to drive bigger efforts and achieve higher levels of impact - for longer - than an individual can. But only if your team knows what to consistently expect from you.

Which brings me to today's Monday Mantra: Be Consistent.

Every manager has a different style. Some thrive on collaboration. Others expect independent operation with minimal engagement. Some like structured time lines and detailed documentation. Others pay limited attention to daily activities and are event driven, expecting teams to pivot at a moment’s notice. Whatever the style, most people will adapt and accept an approach – even an annoying one – if it is applied consistently.

If the approach changes though, staff may react unexpectedly. They may become irritated or resistant to action – even if you were justified in your change of approach. To avoid this, it is critical to analyze and document your approach to being a manager. This includes:

1. Frequency of Engagement: How ‘present’ will you be in your team’s efforts, and when do you expect them to share work in progress: When formulating approach (start)? At check points (middle)? Before go live (end)? Is this for everything or certain items? 
2. Reporting Expectations: How often do you want efforts to be documented – either for you or for your management chain? What format do you want it in (this is huge!). What level of detail do you want? Don’t ask for it if you can’t relate it back to your staff.
3. Temperament: How will you handle minor infractions (e.g. instructions not followed)? How will you handle major issues (missed deadlines, totally botched projects)? How will you reward success?
4. Leadership Style: How will you engage with direct reports – as a friend or semi-detached? What about indirect staff (favoritism doesn’t play well, nor does engaging and then disappearing)?

All of these are critical for creating a ‘workplace framework’ where your team operates – physical or virtual. And as I said, even questionable behavior will be tolerated, if the behavior is expected. If you’re interested in why this is, take a look at studies on personal relationship dynamics – especially those that consider how comparison levels are developed / how people invest in relationships. If you want to look at it from the lens of personal image & career path development, check out the MasterClass by David Axelrod and Karl Rove. There are direct ties to why candidates win or lose elections. And, ultimately, being a manager is a lot like being an elected official.

To be clear, I’m not saying you should use your style to allow spotty behavior, but it is a reality every manager needs to recognize. It explains why some people will tolerate managers that assign projects at 6 PM on a Friday, expecting results by 8 AM Monday, but ‘ghost’ another manager who loses their temper one time - even if justified! So do yourself, and your team, a favor and build a consistent approach to managing your team.

With that said. Have a great week and be the leader your people need you to be.