Stop Expecting Your Boss to Be the Expert

Your boss isn't the maven in the task you're working on.?

They may have previously been an expert. They likely have a solid understanding of how to do what you're doing.?However, now that you're working on it daily and you have access to AI, your skills should be sharper than theirs, and if they aren't, work harder.?

When I was first promoted to the role of manager, I believed what made an effective manager was their ability to provide profound knowledge and insight into "how-to" do something.

However, after teaching thousands of leaders in the Accelerate Leadership Program and studying 65,000 organizational leaders, a manager's real job is to be a leader by connecting meaning to the work and elevating others.?

A manager's primary job is to be a leader by connecting meaning to work and elevating others.?

H.S.M. Burns backed me up, saying, "A good manager is a man who isn't worried about his own career but rather the careers of those who work for him."

The simplest and most effective test of knowing if you have a good manager is asking, "Do they care deeply about my success?" So much so that they are willing to challenge, coach, and have difficult conversations with you.

Decoding the Managerial Role

Unfortunately, many managers took a promotion without understanding what they were signing up for.?It's like marriage.?That doesn't mean that what you are signing up for is terrible or that you should avoid it. In fact, it's the opposite. While being a manager is challenging, it's a noble vocation.

Knowing the basics will help you be a more effective manager.?To decode the managerial role, looking at six key elements is helpful.

1. Meaning: Making mundane work meaningful is a responsibility that leaders take seriously.? Connecting purpose to the daily hustle and commitment that employees give of themselves daily is a learned skill.??
2. Direction: Clear goals and a compelling vision are paramount to leading a team.?By definition, a team is a group of people working together to achieve a common goal.? Achieving goals is motivating, and people need things to achieve.?
3. Performance: Establishing and measuring team performance is a part of the job that too many managers shy away from. Setting performance standards, inspecting behavior, monitoring progress, and conducting regular 1-1 are a significant part of the job.?
4. Development: People rarely get better by themselves. That means managers must develop authentic relationships with team members and play the role of coach. Get to know their goals, strengths, and weaknesses, then coach them to higher performance levels.?
5. Resources: Allocating resources is essential to improve the odds of delivering results. This could come in the form of money, time, people, or scheduling.?
6. Teamwork: Creating a culture that fuels teamwork and healthy conflict is often a hidden part of the job.? It doesn't show up as a line item on a spreadsheet, but it fuels the behavior that delivers the results on the spreadsheet.?

What Team Members Should Expect from Their Manager

An expectation is a belief that someone will or should achieve something.? Often, team members have wildly high expectations of their manager, and when that expectation isn't met, they are disappointed. So much so that it caused them to leave their jobs or even their careers.?

While you might expect me to lower the bar for leaders, I refuse.?With being a leader comes great responsibility. If employees can't look to their leaders for character, emotional intelligence, and competence, the leaders shouldn't be in the role.??

Leaders shouldn't be in their role if their team members can look to them for examples of character, emotional intelligence, and competence.

However, no one is perfect, and leaders deserve grace too.?So what is the bare minimum you should expect from your manager?

• Communication: Someone who has a clear communication plan that includes standards, values, goals, and a 1-1 cadence.
• Resources: Someone who provides or fights for resources to help you perform your job efficiently and effectively.?
• Positive & Safe Culture: A positive and safe culture that allows you to perform at your best.?
• Accountability: Someone who leads by example and takes responsibility for decisions and outcomes.?

Closing

Your boss isn't the expert in the tasks you are working on.?Now is not the time to blame them for not showing you exactly how to do something.? You work specifically, and they work broadly. However, having a baseline expectation for your manager is more than acceptable.??

If you have a manager who communicates, provides resources, creates a positive culture, and holds themselves and others accountable, count yourself among the lucky stars. If you don't have a manager like that, take notes. One day, when you are leading, it will be your turn to live up to those standards.

What do you agree with most in this column? What do you agree with least?

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About the Author: John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft and The Sales Infrastructure. He was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices. John is also the author of Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success. You can follow him on Instagram @johngeades.