The senior management team (MD, Chief Exec, Senior Board members, etc) should be spending a large proportion of their time working on strategy and vision. These are the people who drive the organisation, ensuring the plans are in place for the business to go forward. They create the vision for others to follow. They build the strategy for the business to run forward. They develop the values that everyone in the company lives by. They ensure everyone has confidence in the future. And they commit to the mission that will make the business profitable.

The middle management team consist of the people who apply the strategy, vision and values.They link in with the senior team to drive the mission forward, working to ensure the ideas generated from the people who hold the purse-strings are applied effectively. They provide the leadership for the teams working for them to actually carry out the work.

The final layer are the producers, the people who ensure the work is carried out, motivated and driven by the leaders above them who set the guidelines and ensure continuity of business.

Effectively, each layer should be ensuring they make it easy for the layer below them to carry out their jobs. By providing the correct vision, top management provide the tools for middle managers to lead the producers effectively. If the producers (the people actually going out there and selling, giving customer service, answering the phones, building the customer relationships, etc) don’t feel adequately led, they will feel unclear about their roles and responsibilities, and maybe not tap into their full productive capabilities.

If the leaders don’t feel their senior team have set the right vision or direction for the business to follow, they will not have the full commitment and positivity to drive producers forward to achieve.

It’s like a well-oiled machine that gives great performance when maintained properly, and causes alarm and distress when ignored and neglected.

Ask whether the Vision, Leadership and Production within your business is in complete harmony. If so, you have a smooth-running engine. If not, maintenance is needed to ensure its continuity.

Thanks again

Mark Williams

Head of Training

(Image by Renjith Krishnan)

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Launched during a by-gone age (1985!), it became an object of media and popular ridicule during 1980s Britain and was a commercial disaster, selling only around 17,000 units, although according to Sinclair, it was “the best selling electric vehicle” until November 2011 when the Nissan Leaf had sold over 20,000 units.

Ah, 1985. What was management like in those days? Well, many managers could get away with what today would be decidedly un-PC behaviour and get rid of people almost on a whim.

How have management techniques changed over the years? That was the subject of our discussions after we had had a few giggles at the C5′s expense.

And we reckon we have come up with today’s management ideas in a nutshell.

Your job as manager today is to create a climate that encourages and values the contribution of each person to the team effort. Your people’s energies should be directed towards problem solving, task effectiveness and achievement of your goals. Your energies should be directed at providing the best possible conditions that allow your people to contribute effectively.

Quite a change, I’m sure you’ll agree. Better, as well? We think so.

How do you encourage people? How do you make sure their energies help you achieve your goals? How do you provide the conditions for people to grow and thrive?

Today’s manager simply has to be a good leader as well. Management skills refer to the hard skills that are necessary to get the job done. Leadership involves the softer skills that builds on the ideas people have, deals with the resistors they come up with, and gains the buy-in that is necessary to allow people to motivate themselves to achieve the goals you need to hit.

A far cry from those halcyon days when Clive Sinclair ruled the electronic vehicle world. Tell the truth, not sure if I could actually have fitted in one!

Thanks again

Nick

Nick Hill

Training Director

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The question came from a new manager who had been promoted from among his peers and was now managing people who were much more knowledgeable and experienced than he was. His question was how should he manage such people.

My reply was…”Don’t!”

By that, I meant don’t try to manage them. Managing someone who has more ability, experience or knowledge than you do has its pitfalls and its benefits. By managing them, you stifle their creativity and innovation. I asked the manager why he felt it necessary to actually manage the knowledgeable ex-peer. That opened up a new topic as to how much autonomy and responsibility the person should have, and if he should be managed at all.

The group suggested that he should lead the other person, allowing him to show leadership qualities himself. Trying to ‘manage’ wouldn’t work.

Instead, the leader should:

* Discuss what roles and responsibilities the person should have, and agree on how those should be carried out

* Agree any targets that should be set for the subordinate

* Give them the freedom and authority to achieve those targets themselves, with the manager holding the resource purse strings and the accountability

* Set parameters for the ex-peer to work to, but allow them to control it

* Concentrate on results rather than methods

* Use the experience of the ex-peer to drive things forward, supporting their decisions and allowing them to create further opportunities

* Encourage them to share their experiences and learn from them

* Ensure you, as manager, take full responsibility for their results, and help them achieve higher goals if possible

What you’re trying to do is create the environment for the ex-peer to still contribute to the success of the department without feeling that he has been overlooked or that his experience is of no value. On the contrary, it is of great value and should be seen to be that way by all team members.

So, don’t try and manage this kind of employee…keep their motivation and creativity going by showing excellence in leadership.

Thanks again

Mark

Mark Williams

Head of Training

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 (Images by Renjith Krishnan)

Many companies we visit to consult with have their visions on display, often in the reception or boardroom. But, whenever we ask how they are being applied within everyday interactions, we are often disappointed by the replies. The visions and missions are lofty aspirations, but the quality of the integration into the workplace leaves a lot to be desired.

So how can you turn the vision into reality, so it isn’t just left as a set of platitudes, dreamed up in some long-forgotten directors’ away-day?

To establish an effective strategy to make the vision work for your people, ask yourself these questions:

* What does the vision mean for what we do and the ways we behave in our part of the company?

* If it’s a centrally-located or international vision, how can we give ourselves a local sense of mission and commitment?

* What can we do on a daily basis that contributes toward achieving the vision?

* What do we do in our daily work that impedes us in achieving the vision?

* What feedback can we as a team give to management about how we can improve the application of the vision?

* How can I personally set the example to others about how to live up to the vision?

The answers to these questions require you to be prepared to commit in practical and behavioural terms to the applications of the vision. You must share the elements of the vision to all team members to make sure it really means something, and isn’t lost in the ether. You must put it across in an inspiring and motivational way, so your people want to commit to it. And you must constantly re-inforce the vision.

Make sure you involve the team in these discussions. Resist the temptation simply to tell them what they should do. To get buy-in, they must be involved in all the discussions so they really feel involved in the way forward.

The vision is the forward-looking direction the company wants to go. If it’s inspiring to others, it drives momentum and motivation. So if it’s a good vision, it’s worth investing your time into making it become reality.

Thanks again

Mark 

Mark Williams

Head of Training

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I cam across this quote that is typical of the man, and would like to share it with you.

“It’s not enough to make your offer or performance great, it should be INSANELY great. Incremental improvements over your competition’s offers, or even your own previous offers, don’t cut it. You should shoot for TEN times better.”

To Steve, being outstanding means redefining existing standards of performance, and challenging existing paradigms of best practices.  So what do you do if your performance is not currently
superior to everyone and everything else around you? Easy. Decide to deliver outstanding results, and deliver them – starting right NOW!

Think about it. Every opportunity offers a chance to perform in an outstanding manner. No matter what your business, you must be able to engineer your performance so that is PROFOUNDLY superior, thus separating you from everyone in the marketplace. If you are simply just a little better than the competition, you run the risk of being overtaken as they improve faster than you.

In Formula One racing, winning is often measured in hundredth’s of a second. If you are just a few hundredth’s behind someone else in qualifying, you start yards and yards behind them. That could make the difference between being cut up and out of the race at the first corner, or flying away in front of all the trouble.

In business, we don’t measure success in hundredth’s. Steve Jobs was talking about becoming FAR superior than that. If you aim for OUTSTANDING, you may fall slightly short but you will still be better than the rest. And if you become better by far, you create pain for the competition and a future that gets better and better.

So, thank you, Steve. Thank you for giving us all something to aim at. And thank you for showing us a mindset that makes a real difference in the real world.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
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You immediately slow down, gripping the steering wheel tightly. If you are traveling with someone, conversation is abruptly stopped. You switch on your lights and peer through the murk to get your bearings. You scan ahead for road markings or kerbstones. You quickly check your mirrors, hoping your rear lights are bright enough to alert any drivers behind you. The longer it goes on, the more tired you become. Your attention and concentration changes your perception of time.

It’s also likely that, at times, you have worked in a fog. Work is slower than normal, teamwork suffers, stress levels increase, you get disengaged and productivity suffers. Team-mates who see the problems looming, want more information.

In response, overwhelmed, multi-tasking managers work overtime “communicating”.

However, like driving in a fog, managers can find themselves creating messages rather than meaning, because there is no far-reaching strategic vision and direction. If you can’t see very far, everything is a struggle. In business, more information is sought when under pressure, desperately seeking meaning to the current desperation.

What has to happen is the fog must clear first before progress is made. In the fog of business disillusion, vision is required to search for meaning. Then strategy is needed to search for business advantage.

Team members expect managers to lead as well. Through the rocky waters of change, they require consistency and direction. The manager’s job is to provide a shared image of the future, generate commitment to the goals and ensure alignment of activities. Without these attributes, the fog will descend thick and fast and people will not know the direction they need to travel.

Cut through the fog of indecision by providing that guidance people require. This involves knowing the lay of the land yourself and having the vision to share in the first place.

With that vision comes confidence to determine the route ahead and support from those following, who recognise you have the character and ability to drive through the obstacles. So much depends on you as the manager during these turbulent times.

Are you equipped to take the team forward, creating the strategies and actions required to achieve your objectives? Put your lights on, and let others see the direction you are traveling. Their support will encourage you to keep moving forward.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
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Harvard Business Review commented that ‘Redford’s multi-faceted approach to change includes developing grass-roots initiatives, earning credibility and success leverage, practicing the art of persuasion in order to get projects completed, gathering support along the way and demonstrating persistence’.

Redford is quoted as saying, ‘A better way to change a system is to work through it bottom-up, quietly chipping away at standard procedures, creating small opportunities to do what you really want to do, until you achieve real success. Then you can break out your agenda in a larger way.’

‘ I learned that the corporate powers that be aren’t going to be interested in the fruits of your labour and passion unless you are able to understand their agenda and speak their language. You can’t be forceful, loud or confrontational. You have to sell what you have on their terms. Once you have earned credibility and are in a position to get what you want, you need to strike a series of bargains. I concluded that if you want to crack the system, you have to work behind the scenes.’

Interesting words from someone who has seen a lot of the world. Can we identify what that means for us in the business world?

Well, as he says, others are not going to be interested in you, your labours and passions if they don’t see it working to their agendas. Everyone is going to have their own ideas of how things should work and that isn’t going to change unless you speak their language and identify what’s in it for them.

Hollywood might be a strange place to gain management ideas, but sometimes golden nuggets leap out and impress you. You can’t deny the value of Redford’s words. Good on you, Sundance!

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
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I believe leaders play a vital role in each and every business today, and no business can afford to carry passengers. So, I believe the top characteristics that a leader must have are: the ability to recognise and develop employees’ talents, the know-how to make teams work and the ability to communicate at every level within the organisation.

Phew, quite a lot for the leader to do, then! Here are my ideas for a great leader

1. Good communication is the key for developing good business relationships. If he can’t establish a good business working relationship, he is not going to be that leader, that team player. He will not be able to communicate how the teams can add long-term value to the company. The modern leaders must therefore be equipped with good communication skill and use new ways to effectively communicate

2. Honesty The most valuable asset of a leader is honesty. He must be honest with his employees, suppliers, customers and stakeholders. If not, the integrity that leaders need will be undermined.

3. Vision
Leadership qualities are different for different positions. For a Chief Executive , stabilising and running the business today is vital, but so is looking to the future .He has to be able to look beyond where we are today, know where the business is going, and be able to use that vision to move the company forward. We pay a lot for those skills.

4. Action speaks louder than words
What a manager and leader does will speak louder than what they say. If the words and actions don’t match, the people will believe the actions. It’s vital that all the team understand the value of the leader’s example.

5. Ability to motivate people around
A good leader must always keep motivating his team mates for good work and should maintain a healthy environment. That environment must be seen by others as motivational and accurately reflect the direction they all need to go.

6. Consistency
Without consistency, people will not know where they stand. Have integrity and variety in what you do, but have the values that are driven by positivity. People will look to you as an example, and your consistent approach will do wonders to get people on your side.

You may or may not agree with those ideas, and I’d like to hear your views. I’m sure we could between us write a book on leaders’ qualities, but one thing is sure…the way we lead businesses today is vastly different to how we lead 10 or more years ago.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

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On the programme, we discuss that there are many styles you can choose from but it’s generally the situation itself that will dictate which style you should adopt. Here’s a resume of what we discuss:

1) Get to know the various strengths, weaknesses, development areas, wants and needs of each staff member who works for you. This will allow you to have a good personal business relationship with each one.

2) Don’t allow any past negative situations to control how you lead your people. Your attitude will become clear immediately if you bring baggage forward from any past experiences or management positions you may have held.

3) Each team member is an individual and should be treated as such. Provide closer supervision with those who need to improve their performance. Give greater freedom and responsibility to those who have shown ability and perform in a professional way.

4) Communicate your vision and goals and objectives to all in the team. If you play your cards close to your chest, you run the risk of alienating the team and they will become suspicious of your motives.

5) Practice good communication skills and respect for the team no matter what type of day you are having. Consistency is one of the key attributes of any leader, and if you show yourself to be moody or up-and-down in your demeanour, you are less likely to encourage others to approach you with honesty and openness.

By choosing the correct style of leadership with your team, you create the best opportunity to get them behind you and firing on all cylinders in their work.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
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Well, after we discussed who they were, we jotted down what set them apart as such inspirational leaders, and I offer this list from my scribbled notes:

1) The vision they have for their and the company’s future is inspiring and absorbing. This means their co-workers choose to follow the direction the leader is taking them, rather than feel they have to because they have no choice.

2) They are able to communicate that vision in a way that inspires. It’s one thing to have an inspiring vision; it’s another thing entirely to be able to communicate it in such a way that people follow regardless of your position.

3) They devote themselves to continuous improvement. They may have left school, but they have never left education. Whether it’s in the car, the plane or in their spare time, they are constantly either learning new things or putting those new things into practice.

4) They create a working environment that people look forward to coming to. The environment is the culture they develop every day within the workplace. A leader knows that fun and enjoyment at work are the results of the culture they encourage.

5) They create learning and growing opportunities for all staff, because they recognise that everyone is inspired by developing themselves in a way that makes them feel important and different.

No doubt you can add to this list, and I’d love to hear from you on this subject. Maybe you have found ways to set yourself apart as an inspirational leader and have reaped many rewards. If so, you set yourself apart from the masses and are a great model for others to follow.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

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