I\u2019ve been in a few conversations lately where middle managers who appear lost as they find themselves confronted with a major change. Command and control with 21st Century is out the window. So is the concept of \u201creports\u201d. How do you measure performance when it\u2019s the team who succeeds or fails? How to you calculate compensation and bonuses? How do people get promoted? How do you lead teams, when they are leading themselves? How do you set goals, when the customers end users or the team defines them?<\/p>\n
Their questions and concerns expose how deep many transformations reach, Following a strategic plan to \u201cgo all in\u201d has given many companies a huge competitive edge. However, change adoption is often restrained by managers who insist on techniques inconsistent with Agile values<\/a>. A middle management reformation is well overdue. Here are some thoughts which I hope will encourage the discussion.<\/p>\n Instead of giving direction help your teams discover their way. By this I don\u2019t mean becoming a better salesperson able to make a convincing argument. Remember we are not trying to convince or find consensus. We allow the group to discover the best way forward. Guide the discussion. When a solution is suggested, question it in as many ways as is appropriate. Don\u2019t give answers. Ask questions.<\/p>\n Accountability is often used to threaten. A team is not empowered when they hear, \u201cI\u2019m holding you accountable.\u201d The premise for \u201caccountability\u201d is an underlying assumption the team is irresponsible. They understand failure will be met with punishment. If the manager can\u2019t trust their team, then a much larger problem is afoot. Trust must be assumed. All the manager needs to do is help the team find and remain on their path.<\/p>\n While discipline comes from the word disciple (follower of a teacher), a disciplinarian leads using sticks and carrots. Even though there are usually guidelines against management abuse, it still occurs. Always reminding the\u00a0team they could lose their job at any time, or the manager not taking the blame when the team fails are signs Agile values have not taken hold. An agile leader is expected to inspire the team to greatness, not throw them under the bus. When times get tough and failures occur, the manager steps up to guide the team to success.<\/p>\n One amazing item in the Agile manager\u2019s toolkit is the A3 Root Cause Analysis<\/a>. This process requires the manager to be both mentor and coach. While mentoring focuses on the individual coaching focuses on the team and its strategy. Both are required to get the most out of A3 efforts. As the improvement goals surface and target conditions are clarified, the manager keeps the big picture in mind. They help the team understand when an experiment should be abandon and guides toward adopting those which succeed.<\/p>\n When a company needs change due to new economic or market conditions collaboration from every level of the organization is required. While many managers agree, few know how to leverage the wisdom\u00a0of crowds<\/a>. The legendary industrial engineer Taiichi Ohno<\/a> said, \u201cStandards should not be forced down from above but rather set by the production workers themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n The manager or organization should define the problem at a high level. The team will clarify the lower level issues and come up with solid solutions. You can bet your business on your team\u2019s ability get you through troubled times.<\/p>\n In his book \u201cManaging for Fun<\/a>\u201d, Jurgen Appelo<\/a> recommends replacing the yearly bonus with \u201cMerit Money\u201d. Points are awarded by team members who wish to recognize the contribution of another team member. This process gives each team member the chance to award team mates with a set amount of merit money each month. This merit money is collected until bonuses are paid out. Bonus payouts are not scheduled, but based on the role of the dice. When a randomly selected team member\u00a0roles a six, merit money is cashed\u00a0out\u00a0for real money as a bonus payment.<\/p>\n Instead of the manager setting individual goals, Jurgen Appelo<\/a> likewise recommends team members define their own goals. Once individual goals are set, the manager creates a weekly set of metrics which represent progress. Creating a dashboard shows how well the team is doing. If some are having problems, mentoring may be required. Reaching individual goals means advancing to the next level of compensation. It may also mean the team member is ready to take on more responsibility in the form of a promotion.<\/p>\n Middle managers are often seen as a hinderance to Agile adoption. By promoting a middle management reformation from control to mentor based management, middle managers have an opportunity to play a key role in creating and maintaining an Agile Organization. The role of the middle manager is being rewritten. It’s an exciting time to become an\u00a0Agile Manager!<\/p>\n Moving from Command and Control Management I\u2019ve been in a few conversations lately where middle managers who appear lost as they find themselves confronted with a major change. Command and control with 21st Century is out the window. So is the concept of \u201creports\u201d. How do you measure performance when it\u2019s the team who succeeds<\/p>\nCommander OUT\u00a0Mentor IN<\/h3>\n
Accountability OUT\u00a0Responsibility\u00a0IN<\/h3>\n
Disciplinarian OUT\u00a0Coach & Mentor\u00a0IN<\/h3>\n
Demanding Change OUT\u00a0Allowing Change\u00a0IN<\/h3>\n
Yearly Bonuses OUT\u00a0Merit Money\u00a0IN<\/h3>\n
Promotion Based Reviews OUT\u00a0Personal Goal Setting\u00a0IN<\/h3>\n
Get on Board!<\/h3>\n
Additional Information<\/h3>\n
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