The Happy Burro

This is my last post of 2007. The team at The Happy Burro will be back on Wednesday, January 2, 2008.

January 1, 2008 marks the first anniversary of this blog

A special thank you to the following people who were instrumental in supporting my writing this past year:

• Dawn, my wife, who understands my need to write
• Marcia Hyatt, executive coach, (and mother-in-law) who knows just what to say to keep things in tune
• Seth Godin, who provides me a new lens on marketing, and life, most every day
• Valeria Maltoni, who has provided untold encouragement
• Jim Stroup, who continually teaches me to remember the classics
• Steve Roesler, whose change series changed my views on workplace issues
• Robert Smith, who continues to provide intellectual stimulation on many topics, and great friendship
• The “Friday Email” group, for your feedback, ideas, and dialogue
• Wendy Marx, PR expert, who understands my storytelling
• Donna Karlin, who has given me a better perspective and collaboration opportunities

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A special “thank you” to everyone who takes time out to read this blog. I know you have many choices and I appreciate your time and attention.

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May you embrace everything new in the New Year.

- Joe

Joe Raasch :: Dec.31.2007 :: Life, Personal :: 3 Comments »

(third in a series titled Issues Managers Face in the Workplace)

You have choices as to how you manage your team. When you combine your experience with the views of your boss and colleagues, leadership books, conferences, blogs (just like this one!), unsolicited advice from friends, and the random newspaper article, it is no wonder managers are overwhelmed by choice! Each has their pros and cons. No matter what you choose, there needs to be a consistent thread. Each of these resources should provide you support or guidance - not necessarily be your prescriptive plan.

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It’s never too late to choose optimism, to choose action, to choose excellence. The best thing is that it only takes a moment — just one second — to decide. - Seth Godin

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Here are three tenets of management choices for your review:

Choose Optimism

The culture and mood in your department/team are set in large part with how you approach things. Are you typically a ‘the sky is falling’ type that is so risk adverse you lose out on innovation and are blindsided by competition? Do you approach the celebration of goals with how little was missed, not how much was accomplished? Is the look on your face one of excitement and optimism, or one of brooding ‘focus’ and uninterested smirking? Set the tone, be the leader. Don’t you like it when your boss smiles and is optimistic?

Choose Action

You cannot rely on indecision and inactivity as a management style. Getting 100% commitment to a good idea/decision is more preferable than 50% commitment to a great idea. You get manager compensation for making decisions. Spending too much time in analyses paralyzes you and your team from reaching your goals. You want to be more strategic? Make a decision.

Choose Excellence

You should expect excellence from your team and provide it as well. No need to say, ‘great job’ if you don’t mean it. A passive/aggressive approach to managing people is not productive, not fair, and not ethical. You hire, promote, and fire your people based on results and behaviors. If you set the expectation of excellence, you will be surprised at how well people respond. Your employees want to do their best on the job. Sometimes they just need you to ask them for it.
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According to his official biography, Seth Godin is a “a bestselling author, entrepreneur and agent of change.” If you have read any of his books or posts, you know that his thoughts run wider and deeper than just change agent or marketer. Want to know more about choices? Check Seth’s blog post titled, “Two More Years.”

Joe Raasch :: Dec.28.2007 :: Leadership, Performance Management :: No Comments »

(second in a series titled Issues Managers Face in the Workplace)

Managing people is not easy work. The pressure from those higher up to perform and reach goals, customer issues, and employee issues is relentless. Your days are harried, complicated, and busy! Many companies give their managers a certain amount of autonomy in how they run their teams. This is great in that you are not going to feel too micro-managed. The down side? You have to choose the right path for your team. You have your own style. That only gets you just so far.

One Way To Operate

One way to operate as a manager is Cuius regio, eius religio (Latin: Whose the region, his the religion). Your company, your department, your team - your way! This is empowering and at times intoxicating. You finally get to do things your way. You have control, budget, and resources. Let’s go here! Not so fast. There are goals from your senior leaders to meet. The team needs your guidance and direction, not your iron fist. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Many instances require you to lead from the front - to take charge and show your team that you are leading, taking care of them. After all, you are the boss.

Another Way To Operate

Humility. According to the dictionary, humility means, “a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness.” Notice the definition doesn’t say meek, quiet, or a low view of one’s skills or confidence. The focus is on “importance.” You’ll find plenty of opportunity to be in the spotlight as a manager. Your willingness to give the spotlight to your team early and often will show you as a strong, confident leader. Humble.

The Situational Approach - Art Not Science

Your basic style will not, probably cannot, change. You are who you are. There are times that call for more humility, other times that call for you to lead from the front and ‘take charge.’ Each of these alone is a scientific approach. Knowing how and when to apply each way is art. This means practice makes perfect. It may be easier to hold to one approach versus another under the guise of consistency or confidence. Reality doesn’t work that way.

Be yourself - and try an artful approach to working with your team!

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Merry Christmas from The Happy Burro! I wish you all the peace and joy of this great season.

Joe Raasch :: Dec.24.2007 :: Employee Engagement, Leadership :: 2 Comments »