In my line of work as an audit manager for a firm that pumps out 4,000 audits per year, I have to coordinate double digit staff members for multiple clients at once.  Many of these staff members are what management level types like to call “damn millennials.” These people are extremely talented that just lack refinement and the fruits of experience.

I had a “light bulb” moment last winter near the end of busy season that actually came from poor management on my part.  All of my staff would tell you, I’m more of a “give floaties and throw you in the deep end of the pool” type of guy.  I’m good with that. I like to challenge my staff and push them to think through problems.  But there was a snag.  I was merely giving them answers along the way and provided ZERO picture of what I was looking for at the end of the engagement.  How could I expect to get a finished product that remotely resembled what we needed to deliver for our client?

This was a new project that was not a typical assignment for us that we could just throw in the assembly line (and our assembly line would make Henry Ford so proud it would give him goose bumps from his grave) but our people can also be very dependent on those processes. This engagement type was right in our capability space and one that our firm does regularly, but not daily.  Otherwise, I would be able to have just said, “You over there….here’s the assignment…go.”  It was not until after I was still putting in 65 hour weeks after busy season supposedly ended that it hit me.  Unfortunately, it took a direct negative impact on my time before I realized what I had done.  I had only been providing answers along the way.  I was teaching answers, not results.

To successfully guide your staff members that do not have the benefit of 5 years of experience, leadership will have to do only two things. (1) Know the picture of what you need in the final result.  If you can’t see it, how can your team? (2) Know the tools or at least the process of how your team goes about finding the needed tools.

These are opaque ideas.  They are a framework.  Transferrable to all problems, but frameworks will require different approaches, thought processes, and treatments on each problem your team takes on.  So while there will be thinking required on each project (how awful…), this framework is effective and flexible.

WHEN YOU’RE MISSING A PIECE

The problems that I’ve seen most executives and managers have is they’re missing a piece of the puzzle.  They may see the final vision but they aren’t providing tools. The idea is strong and the expected results will provide returns, but getting there will be impossible because the necessary resources are not in place.  I don’t love research, but I can usually find a team member that does.   There are many times I don’t try to provide every resource needed but just the path to allow my team to find their resources.   This creates independent thinkers that can actually problem solve. Your team members will develop more confidence in their work product as well.

Conversely, a grave mistake leadership can make is not having a picture of what the final result looks like.  Most people that have made it to leadership positions know the vision. They had to get to their place in line by having shown at least some ability to get results.  The bigger problem is getting that vision out of their fat noodle and communicated to their team.  I’m long winded, that’s cool in social situations because I can keep the conversation moving without much effort, but not good when teaching.  Keep things concise, specific, and clear.  This will open up more questions and your staff the ability to challenge (but only in a healthy way), engage, and be insightful in the project.

Communicating the vision is where relationships with your team really come into play.  Relationships do not always mean everyone is best friends; that is impossible.  But it does mean respect, awareness, and empathy. The teams with the balance to challenge each other but also enjoy being with one another at the same time is the dream.  If your team is close professionally and personally, then BOOM Baby (credit to Slick Leonard), you’re rolling. This is not a requirement at all, it just really helps.  Know your team’s dynamic.  Know people’s strengths and make sure team members know them as well.  A dose of self-awareness never hurt anyone. I promise.  If your team cares about the others and has awareness, they will be diverse and make up for missing technical skills in most situations.  Many teams rely on their ability to overcome team dynamic deficiencies.  I say change up the team.  Change can be good and reallocation of people assets can be really productive.  Know your team dynamics, get the right mix, and then go forward.

FIXING THE PIECES

Missing pieces can be deadly to teams.  Know where you are missing pieces on your team so you can fill them. Know where YOU are part of the missing pieces and assess if they can be patched or if a shakeup is needed.  Fighting through the brick wall is not the answer, especially when it’s the only answer. The other part of fixing the pieces is not babying your team.  Questions, concerns, and misunderstandings are going to come every day. Don’t let these hiccups rule the outcome!

At the heart of creating results-driven teams is pushing people.  If you give the vision and the tools then you are there.  Keep your patience and be okay with mistakes. If your team can “fail fast” and learn from mistakes, you will be capable of big things.  Everyone will benefit from the top down if challenges are accepted and not viewed as unreachable mountains. You will find your team solving problems that you were not even aware of and you will help them reach their own personal goals. Comradery will grow and everyone will begin to enjoy the work and not tolerate it.  Life is too short to not appreciate what you do every day and have fun!

I talk about win-win situations and avoiding zero-sum games at all costs.  The best win-win is helping people grow, develop, and evolve.  If you help others, they will help you, and many times unintentionally.  Peak performers on your team will help your image. You’ll enjoy each other and continue to get results.  You’ll get promoted as a great team leader and now you have taught someone how to do your job and keep the momentum going. Win-win.

Some managers (and not leaders because they would never consider this) may be thinking, “what if I lose top performers because I don’t have a promotion open for them?” Again, change is good.  Losing a top performer is not something you look forward to celebrate, but what if they go to a client? What if they pivot in their career? Would they have been happy in their current situation in the long-term anyhow?

You know what I’ve found? Some of my best referrals are from prior co-workers.  If someone takes another opportunity, it’s not personal; it’s that they are seeking a new challenge. They may open new business opportunities for you as a potential client.  Not challenging people merely to keep them contained as a working employee may be my most hated office dynamic. The idea that you would not try to create the best people as possible because they could go somewhere else is absurd. All this does is cap your organization’s potential.  Clinging to people without the drive are not worth alienating top performers just to prevent being temporarily short staffed.  Growing skills is a good thing and more times than not is going to lead to good results.

FINAL RESULTS

Let’s get to the final results of this post…Take a hard look at yourself.  How are you developing your team? Find the ways you can best provide a framework for success rather than relying on answering all your team’s questions.  They will learn far less by answering every question.

Look to challenge. Be open and upfront of what you’re trying to do with your team because if this is a change in approach for you, it’s going to be a huge change for your people.  Think through problems and obstacles so you provide clear visions of results.  Then get whatever resources you need in place and you’ll be rolling in no time.