All that can be expected of people at work is to do their best; no more, no less.
The Work of a manager is to serve the staff in doing their best.
Coaching a Manager the other day his name is Frank, reviewing his goals for 2011.
One goal was to have “all employees operating at a level 3” – I asked Frank to explain what a level 3 employee is.
His response was, “A level 3 employee is one who can complete any and all necessary tasks within the department. Is able to trouble-shoot, and know how to solve all customer needs, essentially a level 3 employee can complete the task work off all the necessary jobs.” There was also a list of skills for the department, and I will save you from those.
- Me, “Frank is anybody at a level 3 right now?”
- Frank, “Yes Margaret is, she is a real help I can count on her to take care of challenges when I must be gone, and everyone knows that she is the person to go-to.”
- Me, “Frank, do you feel all your staff have the same capability as Margaret?”
- Frank, “What do you mean?”
- Me, “Alright you have 22 subordinates – right now rank them in capability."
- Frank, “What, I can’t do that!”
- Me, “Yes you can take out a piece of paper and start, you said Margaret is at the top, who is at the bottom, who is in the middle – make a list and rank them in order of your judgment. Judgment being capability and your expectations of their work.”
Frank went to work making a list, ranking the people who work for him. He changed some people in order although nothing significant.
- Frank, “Hmm I never thought it would be that easy.”
- Me, “What was easy about it?”
- Frank, “I intuitively judge their work already, putting them in a list of capability and my expectations shows me all the staffs level of work.”
- Me, “Do all of them have the capability of being a level 3?”
- Frank, “No…and if they all were much of the work would not get done.”
- Me, “What would happen if they all were level 3, according to your Role Description?”
- Frank, “Those who just cannot think like that, will become frustrated and the people who can operate at a level 3 will think their work is valued less.”
- Me, “So what can you do?”
- Frank, “Now that I have this ranking order I can coach and set goals with each person individually so they can work to fill their capability based upon my expectations.”
- Me, “What is so great about that?”
- Frank, “If each person is working as well as they can, meaning they are at their full capability – they are doing their best, and that is all I really want as a manager is people to do their best!”
All that can be expected of people at work is to do their best; no more, no less.
The Work of a manager is to serve the staff in doing their best.
Contact Mike…to do your best; and Coach others to be their best.
michael cardus is create-learning
image by Editor B