I implemented a stupid policy. In my defense, the intent was to help my managers better plan their days, weeks, months, etc., but it ended up just wasting time. I had discovered the managers were not very deliberate with their time and there was confusion among the workers. To help them, each morning I asked the lead to sit with me and go through their plan for the day. Yes, it is micro-management, but it was designed to be so I could teach them. Plus, I had a deliberate plan to pull back once I started to see the results I had envisioned and allow even more autonomy than before.
Making a mistake, when we do it, can be one of the hardest things to admit. But when leaders admit to mistakes it can keep us all from making more errors in the future or at least help keep us humble. More than anything owning up to a fault will build trust between you and your people.
I’m sure many of you have drilled holes in my plan and have already guessed what the result was. But for those who have not, it did not go well. The managers did not plan better, they did not organize their people better, and it did not help them implement actions to better align them with the organizational vision I have established. What my decision did do was force the manager to prepare for the meeting with me instead of making sure their supervisors were given proper directions. They were spending too much time worrying about how favorable I would judge their plans, and their focus shifted to pleasing me instead of focusing on their people and the organization’s operational needs.
Once I realized the decision did not have the desired effect, I put a stop to it. And here is the important part. Instead of telling the managers I saw what I needed to see and they had improved, that they were now organized like I wanted them to be and my idea (like all my ideas) was brilliant, and it worked just like I expected it would, I told them the truth. Although the idea was an attempt to improve performance and my intentions were good. The effects of this policy were mostly negative, and even the positive effects were small and insignificant. In this case, the juice was not worth the squeeze.
Instead of forcing the managers to come to me and be scrutinized about their plans, I go to them. I observe their operations more and engage them in discussions that are as non-threatening as I can make them. The intent is still to teach and make things better. There are drawbacks to this approach, but the manager’s people appreciate a leader that takes an interest in their daily lives and the managers know I’m right there if they need clarification or guidance. I still get to hear about their plans and how their plans support the organizational vision, but we are much more agile because we have these conversations in real-time. Everyone has a preference for how they lead, but admitting to mistakes is great. Your people will not lose confidence in you over a few mistakes. But if you are making many mistakes they will, and rightfully so.
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