Pick a lane and try not to swerve.

In uncertain times, making wise choices is more difficult than ever. It is a perfect time to practice empathy and self-compassion.

Taking stock on what our role requires of us and being aware of who is filling complimentary positions is essential to our success. Once we recognize our unique role we must focus on staying in our own lane & building strong collaborative relationships with those who help us be effective. That is the only way we will be successful together . .

“Great leaders don’t set out to be leaders. They set out to make a difference.” — Jeremy Bravo

The 2020 theme of identity continues as this week focuses on roles we play. While the quote speaks to the role of leadership, managers also seek to make an impact. Today we explore the significant role each must play.

In the Kickass Koach podcast episode dropped June 29th, I argue that the most proficient responses to the pandemic was delivered in countries with the leaders and managers working effectively together. Effective governance requires competence in both roles.

For the newsletter, I discuss the different experience of being part of a volunteer board and setting direction for a paid management team and operating in the corporate world where roles are more established and respected. Regardless, I conclude, trust is the essential ingredient to ensure leadership and management work well together.

Finally, in this post I examine the integral connection between those in management and leadership and how when considered and respected as interdependent, trust expands and performance soars.

Why Pick a Lane 

In my observation when leaders and managers do not understand or appreciate the importance of their role, conflict ensues. When we respect the value of our role we recognize the value of the other.

For example, when a leader values their role as the keeper of the big picture, they seek to know enough and be curious enough to support the work of the manager. They check out the nuances of their direction and vision for the future and openly declare their priorities and values. Managers on the other hand must value their duty to execute on the vision of the leader. They openly outline barriers and challenges that may impact their ability to deliver.

When a leader drops the ball, they fail to see around the upcoming corners, ask the necessary questions. The manager then is likely to feel unsupported and aimless even. When the manager is incompetent or poorly suited to the role of manager, their execution is flawed and their problem solving is weak.

The leader who fails to do their part effectively, will find management constantly on their heels demanding attention. This is the result of poor communication or lack of vision. This leader will complain about the neediness of their team. The manager who falls down on their responsibilities will always feel like they are in a firestorm. This manager will complain about being micro-managed.

When we embrace the purpose of our specific role, we deliver with excellence and collaborate effectively.

Pick a Lane or Learn How to Shoulder Check

There are times we need to either shift our lane. Perhaps for  a different role or to put our self into the shoes of the other as a good team player. On the rare occasions where this is necessary, we benefit from learning how to shoulder check. In other words, to make the move effectively we must do the work to re-frame our perspective.

For example, a couple of years ago as Board President for a not-for-profit corporation, I realized the manager responsible for a huge project did not have the software skills to professionally design or use a spreadsheet or project management tools. The main stakeholder we jointly served was spending an exorbitant amount of money and my fellow board members agreed that this project required careful oversight. As volunteers, we needed crisp useful data to provide the leadership and decision making necessary to deliver effectively on the project.

I agreed to build and support the spreadsheet and project plan. In this case my shoulder checking meant inquiring with the manager on what data he needed to execute and outlining what the board needed in order to fast tract responsible decision. We also discussed his responsibilities to communicate with the main stakeholder. Additionally, I offered training on the use of the tools while making myself available for consultation frequently during the execution stages.

I notified the board my reservations about this manager. Not because of lack of skill but rather attitude. There was no desire to learn and grow or be challenged by the need to deliver on a job-well-done. You can’t teach this. We negotiated this project reasonably well and that manager is no longer in role. Interestingly, the manager has since referred to that $2M project as my pet project and complained that I micro-managed him.

Life is one big Experiment

So often people describe the roles in management and leadership interchangeably. Those who perform with excellence in either, are often people who have experience in the other. Just as life is an experiment, when we treat our career as one, we intentionally build our competency by learning a variety of roles. Experimenting with lateral moves expands our perspective and therefore, our influence.

Continuous learning and fresh insights are the goal of the experimental approach. What will the evidence teach us? Moreover, this approach is generative in addition to being iterative. With an experimental collaborative approach, we may find progress is faster and we go further.  In collaboration we can crack this, but only together with a willingness to learn and honour the data and the stories will we arrive where we seek to go.

We may be capable of more closely monitoring and learning from our choices and decisions and build capacity to adjust our actions to meet the current situation. Then, we may influence how things unfold. There’s a difference between wanting something and making something happen. With the mindset necessary to perform under pressure we’re able to influence results more deeply. This mindset that relies on clarity, curiosity and a resilient spirit we accept no excuses, only meaningful results. Furthermore, it’s essential we learn to evaluate the risk of any action, removing the very human emotions that cloud our judgment.

Walk with me.

Together let’s examine options consciously and authentically to make choices that move us strategically toward where we want to be. Strategy is a about choices. Execution on these choices requires masterful performance. Furthermore, a well-developed process allows us to enjoy the journey far more fully

Be part of the journey in 2020.

Start by subscribing to my mailing list . Subscribers receive:

1. My interactive exercise to begin reducing the impacts of stress and feelings of overwhelm will be sent.
2. My newsletter with the related podcast episode will be sent weekly.
3. Special offers will be available to subscribers monthly including: a random offer of a complimentary one hour coaching conversation, access to roundtable engagements and group coaching on identity and related subjects, as well as information on an initiative on which I’m collaborating: #FeMasCon.

Discover Your Preferred Lane with Bank Your Impact (BYI)

The Bank Your Impact (BYI) System is about both developing and embedding self-awareness. Furthermore, the benefits of expanded resilience, connections built on understanding the impact of belonging and an ability to bolster a professional and authentic presence are foundational. Perhaps more than the other two, developing a foundational resilience is critical to with standing that which moves us into burnout.

Walk with Me!