Photo by Daniel R. Blume

One of the recurring dilemmas for the Managewich is the balance between managing up and down.  Today we’re going to examine the phenomenon of  having to produce worthless crap that adds no value simply because the boss says so.

Take my friend Breeze. Her boss, Hoover, continually asks for this spreadsheet or that report, all of which demands that Breeze and her team drop whatever [productive] work they are doing to deliver this new requirement ASAP.

Breeze is stuck in the middle.  She views saying no as disappointing  Hoover or seeming uncooperative, so she almost always accepts the work.  So, she chooses to manage down (although it looks more like pulling rank than managing or leading).  She’s frazzled, and she doesn’t see that her team often sees her as ineffective.

Breeze’s behavior is ineffective, and worse yet, it isn’t serving her or her staff.  Her team has no problem pushing back on her, and this usually ends either  in her telling someone on her team to “just do it” and that person resentfully sulking off to their cube to half-heartedly complete the task or her doing the work just as resentfully herself.   And, when something else is necessary and urgent, that good-will in the bank’s already been spent.

There also comes a point at which the deadline for the “real” work is missed, and then, she’s held accountable.  She tries to mitigate that by working herself and her team longer hours to get it all done.  Her team resents that she doesn’t protect them from Hoover’s whims.  And, Breeze won’t be promoted this year or any year.  She’ll get a review that looks much like last year’s – hearty praise for her work ethic, vague criticism about her maturity as a manager (as evidenced by the late work) and a mediocre score.

As a coach, it’s my job to help her understand this pattern which is holding her back and help her create a vision of what she really wants for her group.  This empowers her, and is the cornerstone for the strategy that gets her there.

I made a request to Breeze that she not accept work until one of three circumstances occurred. We’ll look at one today.

The best scenario is that she fully understands why this spreadsheet or report is important and urgent.  This strategy helps in a few ways.  Nine times out of ten, Hoover has pulled this request out of his Flame Trap Hose in response to something that’s come up.  He’s come up with this new report or spreadsheet as a response, and oftentimes, what he’s asked them to do won’t get him what he wants anyway.  Breeze and her team may have a better way of getting what he needs.  After talking it through with Breeze, he may realize this isn’t the direction to go.

Hoover views questions as challenges, which is partly why Breeze has never asked questions except for clarity.  We’ve worked on her approach a little bit.  When Hoover wants to know why she’s asking,  she’ll say something along the lines of, “You and I aren’t the closest to this information anymore.  Susie-On-My-Team may have a better path to get you exactly what you want.”  Or, “I want to be able to give you what you want, and if I understand what you’re looking for and how you plan to use it, it helps me do that.”

Breeze has been able to find a way to ask questions that Hoover doesn’t find threatening.  As a result, Hoover views her as more of a partner and involves her earlier.  Breeze also understands a little more about the challenges facing Hoover, the largest being he hasn’t found an effective way to manage his larger group which has necessitated his need for data.

Still, Hoover’s a pretty tactical guy and Breeze remains sensitive and reactive to his mood.  Next post, we’ll explore Breeze’s next move to regain control and get out of the middle.

Be Your Best You Today,

Carolann