Middle managers – the emerging leaders of a business – are increasingly feeling overwhelmed, stressed, deluged with stuff that needs to get done and people wanting more and more of their time. One of the experiential activities integrated into our 12 month leadership program brings this out beautifully and as a result our debriefs have been fiery, defensive, enlightening and at time people have left feeling helpless.
We eventually bring realisation to what middle managers need to change if they want their “lot” to change. They need to:
· Delegate in a way that brings accountability
· Challenge the requests of their existing leaders
· Clarify expectations of others and themselves
· Stand up for what they believe in and what’s important to them
· Step into their courage and stop avoiding conversations.
When delegating with the intent of bringing accountability make sure your team member feels the consequences of non performance. If you keep fixing things they’ll never learn to be accountable. It’s YOUR responsibility!
You reap what you tolerate – so if you don’t challenge the requests of your existing leaders – your silence represents conformity. Again, it’s YOUR responsibility to speak up!
Without clarity of expectations it is difficult for you and others to deliver at the right time to the right level of quality and to delight your customer – be they internal or external. Again, make this YOUR responsibility – engage in the conversation to clarify expectations with your boss, your team members, your customers………because YOU are the person who stands to reap the greatest benefit – so take responsibility and engage in the conversations.
Standing up for what you believe in is invigorating, energising and inspiring. Take responsibility to do it more often and feel the benefits.
Stepping into your courage and having the conversations you know you need to have means you free up thinking time, free up emotional energy and remove feelings of stress. Again you need to take responsibility to engage in these conversations because you reap the benefits.
Once you swallow the bitter pill and realise it is all within your control, you can then start taking action to change your “lot”.
