Leadership framework matters, systems matter, people matter more!
Understanding your unique role in the organization with absolute clarity is key to effectively executing in any role. Clearly defined organizational vision, mission, and values are the foundation for effective managerial leadership, as they enable sound decision-making and positive outcomes.
"Clearly defined organizational vision, mission, and values are the foundation for effective managerial leadership, as they enable sound decision-making and positive outcomes."
-Jeff Rogers, CPMBC
The difference between managerial leadership and executive leadership
Managerial leadership is distinct from executive leadership in one primary way. In simple terms, executive leadership establishes the Vision, Mission, and Values, while managerial leadership is responsible for profitably executing it.
For many managers, the hardest part of this execution is understanding how your leadership style affects someone else’s actions and behaviors. The key to success here is clear communication.
Elements of Leadership
I write a lot about the JRCI Managerial Rule: Systems drive 80%, and we manage the variables.
These documented systems should be continually trained upon and perfected. To do this, a core part of the managerial framework that we describe below, is to measure these systems for productivity with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Managers are responsible for ensuring these systems get built, executed and optimized well; the executives can assess the KPIs to ensure your managers are held accountable for the systems they own.
If managers are successful, the JRCI Business Triangle will be satisfied in the process, hence, proving that good systems make all the difference.
How do we form these integrated leadership systems?
Often, supervisors and managers rely on others to develop systems if they do not exist. They might even blame senior managers or others for them not existing in the first place. I personally cringe when I hear and see this develop.
Instead, I suggest creating the appropriate system by engaging your team with who does the tasks. Outline the process, bring this idea to senior leadership for approvals or amendments, and elevate the process along with the department. The result may or not become as intended, but you know you did your part to the fullest.
Remember: How you act and behave as a manager impacts how your team will act and behave.
A Leadership Framework for Success
So, let's dive into it. As a leader in an organization, how can you set your team up for success? Follow the 5 element framework below.
1. Clearly Define Your Organizational Structure.
All organizations require a good simple flowchart diagram to visually describe the workflow and whom to go to for what. Yet most organizations lack such visual descriptors, or they are outdated. This simple step will eliminate confusion, and I strongly recommend that this be done in your organization if it does not exist.
2. Develop Key Performance Indicators.
Your KPIs should tell the critical story of your business goals and status. We all know that we can measure anything for purposes unknown to look important, and many do. But quality managerial leadership develop strong KPIs which keep the team interested, informed, involved, and inspired.
As a manager, you must have clarity in the desired outcome to understand what metrics are essential at any given moment. Otherwise, like many managers, you will measure the wrong $#&!, and then wonder why you are getting garbage results, missing desired thresholds, and lacking profitability.
What gets measured is what gets done, right? So measure the right stuff!
3. Explain 'Why' It's Important.
Most managers omit the 'why' behind systems, resulting in box-checkers often missing boxes that need checking. This promotes errors downstream based on simple misunderstandings and misinterpretation, not necessarily lack of care.
The most errors occur due to employee ignorance of the big picture; if they knew the why, they could extrapolate and make better process decisions. Make sure solid written systems for processes exist in your area, train on them regularly, and share why they are doing it. Understanding 'why' will mitigate downstream frustration and error.
4. Support Your Team.
Now that we have taken the appropriate initiative and ensured written training systems exist with solid measurements to ensure success, we must support our team to achieve their goals and complete their work.
Supporting the team is key to supervisory and managerial success for a number of reasons. Security in career path, well-being, mental and emotional, and the meaning of work make a real difference for anyone. Often overlooked by managers and supervisors. This is the human side of the equation. This is managerial leadership.
Managerial leadership requires your attention and care. Your team does not always care how much you know; they do care about how much you care. Specifically, how much you care about them.
There is an art to this – I am not talking about absorbing all your team's problems. Remember the JRCI Emotional Backpack. I am suggesting they know you have their back. That internal sense that you care about them goes further than you will ever know. Studies support this concept. This single point will dramatically improve your team's performance if it is authentic. Do NOT fake this fundamental, or you WILL be exposed quickly.
5. Show Appreciation and Gratitude.
Genuine appreciation goes a long way. Again, studies support this concept. Even further, studies prove this appreciation does not require financial compensation.
A simple "Thank You Joe, for going above and beyond on this project. You made a difference, and we all feel it!" changes everything!
Leadership Framework
Following this framework should allow you and your team to earn the desired results with profitability. This is short by design because if you engage the above, you will earn the results and be profitable, and it is that simple.
So, how does your managerial leadership style affect your team's actions and behaviors? I hope you can now begin to answer that question!
