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A Strategic Manager is somebody who has the complete buy-in of their team. They always look calm, cool, and collected, because they seem to know what’s coming and how to handle it. When a fire erupts, they immediately turn into the fire chief, rather than a firefighter. They organize the team’s command center (literal or metaphorical) before fires even start for strategy and response, similar to how emergency teams prepare for and respond to crises.

On a day-to-day standpoint, Strategic Managers spend a lot of time connecting with their teams, which builds a level of trust between those individuals that just doesn’t exist with an Exhausted Hero (aka. firefighter). Strategic Managers hold one-on-ones with individuals on their team, and check in on projects without diving in and being involved in the projects themselves. They don’t spend a lot of time in extra computer systems; they don’t even pull their own reports. They spend their days primarily in meetings and communicating via email.

If this sounds horrible to you, and exemplifies what you hate about leadership, you must realize that all these emails and meetings a have singular, powerful purpose: to mobilize.

Communication is the only way to mobilize teams. When strategically mobilized, a team can always achieve better results than a solo Exhausted Hero. That’s why Strategic Managers invest so much time and energy into connecting with their team, to mobilize efficiently and effectively.

When not mobilizing, Strategic Managers spend their days looking ahead, seeing what’s coming, and brainstorming how to influence the coming weeks and months. “This project is going to miss a deadline. How do I get that in front of the people that need to know about it now?” Or, “We’re going to need more resources on this project. Who can make time to help us?” Or, “We’re going to need to shift this to another plant. How do we do that? Let’s start thinking about that now.” They don’t wait until there are twenty-four hours left to address issues, because they see them coming in advance and can anticipate needs and resources.

If you are managing an Exhausted Hero who needs to elevate their skills to Strategic Manager, consider hiring an Executive Coach or implementing a Leadership Development Program for your company. They most likely will not figure it out themselves. Invest in your team today!

The Ideal Strategic Manager

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to meet a handful of individuals who truly exemplify what it is to be a Strategic Manager.

Very early on in my career, I worked with Rick Maguire,  senior vice-president of inventory management at Target. Rick always amazed me when a fire came up: either he already knew the answer, or he was quickly he able to frame the problem and move the team forward.

Because Rick spent so much time analyzing what was going on, analyzing what the future could be, and checking in with his leaders, he was able to see clearly where others just saw fog.

He had checkpoints in place to make sure that what he was expecting was happening. He “inspected what you expected.” Rick definitely had his moments when he would get upset or angry when something didn’t happen, but it was usually after the plan was in place and somebody dropped the ball—not because something happened that he hadn’t thought of.

As a senior vice president and a Strategic Manager, he was able to be forward-thinking and have his managers underneath him keep a clear understanding of where things were.

And Rick was one of the biggest supporters of the development of his team, investing in large leadership development programs, mentor programs, and executive coaching to get his team ready to take on more and more.  

For our team, Rick’s foresight and clear expectations resulted in a happy, engaged, and productive work environment. It was challenging work, but I still think fondly of that experience today.

I learned from Rick that you can achieve it all by not doing it all.  His ability to lead a clear vision, influence change, and coach his team created results that he could have never reached by doing it all himself! 

Leadership Development is more than On-the-Job

I’ve spoken to thousands of executives who today are the top of a company, and I’ve asked them all the same three questions. First: Earlier in your career, did you experience leadership coaching and/or management training that significantly impacted your elevation from manager to executive? In response, the vast majority of older executives I’ve spoken with said yes.

My follow-up question: Are you investing in your employees with the same degree of leadership and management coaching and training? The vast majority of older executives said no.

My final question: How do you expect your employees to learn the leadership skills and tools that you possess if you’re not investing in similar formal training and coaching? The vast majority of executives blinked once or twice. I almost could see a lightbulb go off in their head.

When talking about their development, most executives point to a mix of sources that spurred their rise from manager to executive.  A training program, tied in with some mentorship and coaching, plus some big responsibility from their supervisors who delegated to them a handful of challenging projects, is the usual mix.

As we look at training’s place in today’s world, we see it’s a shadow of what it once was in defining leadership and developing talent.  And here is why.

The 70-20-10 Model for Learning and Development is a common formula based on studies of effective learning experiences.  The model states that individuals get 70 percent of their learning from job-related experiences, 20 percent from interactions with others, and 10 percent from formal training or workshops.  The model was created in the 1980s by three researchers and authors working with the Center for Creative Leadership, a nonprofit educational institution in Greensboro, N.C. The three, Morgan McCall, Michael M. Lombardo and Robert A. Eichinger, were researching the key developmental experiences of successful managers.

Although I highly agree that 70% of learning experiences happen on the job, it doesn’t mean throw new leaders into the deep end and see if they can “learn it on the job”.  I think the 70 20 10 model illustrates the need for blended learning. Take 10% of your time and take a formal learning experience to learn the new process, skill, or behavior. Then through a mentor or manager (20 percent of learning), and 70 percent of learning on the job, it blends together for effective learning.  By throwing them in the deep end without the 10 percent formal learning, does not result in effective learning.

As we continue to cut costs and streamline the business, management training programs are often what’s cut in budgets, because most executives believe it’s a priority for tomorrow, but outweighed by other of-the-moment priorities. And executives lie to themselves that their learners will learn 70 percent by just being on the job, and then they cut the training budgets eliminating leadership development programs.

Luckily, helping your employees develop is an investment much less costly than burnout and turnover. Time for executives to invest in the coaching and development of the next gen leader.

Did you hear this summer that the World Health Organization included burn-out as an occupational phenomenon that has factors influencing health status and influences the frequency of contacting health services?

WHO defines burn-out as a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.  It is characterized by three dimensions:

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
• Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
• Reduced professional efficacy. 

When I read this definition, I think of the Corporate Exhausted Hero.  That leader that tries to take it all on as an individual contributor, a manager, and a leader.  They are focused on getting tasks completed themselves, while also trying to pull themselves up to the big picture to build a strategy for the future.  They try to keep their team happy but rarely can focus more than a week or two into the future. 

Burn-out will continue to drive turnover in corporate America, especially with these Exhausted Heros.  As the Exhausted Hero continues to take on more work, takes less vacation, and works longer hours, their burn-out becomes overwhelming and these high potential employees will continue to be faced with the choice to leave or just try to hold on. 

Exhausted Heros need to focus on elevating to a Strategic Manager.  By focusing on these core skills, they can pull themselves from the brink of burn-out:

• Create a Vision:  This forward thinking skill allows both the leader and the team a roadmap to the future that sidesteps major roadblocks.
• Influencing Others:  By identifying who needs to be aligned with the plan and take intentional steps to convince them  to get onboard, leaders can eliminate additional roadblocks and keep the work going
• Leading Change:  By staying ahead on the change curve, leaders can communicate to the team, leadership, and key partners where projects are in the process of change.  If people understand where they are and where they are going, change is way less daunting!
• Coaching & Delegating:  Strategic Managers pass ALL individual contributor work to the individual contributors through delegating projects and tasks, and by coaching their teams to success. 

Many Exhausted Heros struggle elevating to Strategic Manager on their own. If you are an Exhausted Hero or manage an Exhausted Hero, consider hiring a Leadership Coach or building a Customized Leadership Development Program.

Today, I had the great pleasure of facilitating a culture transforming workshop at QuinStreet, a global digital marketing company. This awesome group of women reminded me that leadership development is a multiple choice game.

Women’s Development – At QuinStreet, a female senior leader created a women’s program that includes culture transforming workshops, informal mentors, and networking.

High Potential Development – With the State of Colorado, I am co-creating a leadership development program focused on high potential talent. Through facilitated workshops that occur every quarter, one-on-one leadership coaching, and a 360 degree feedback tool, this organization is focused on developing this important and influential group.

Leadership Expectations – At Streamline Brands, a national swim school company, we have created a series of customized leadership programs focused on defining the expectations for leaders in the organization. Every month, I facilitate a workshop focused on a new defined leadership expectation.

Executive Development – At Advertising Production Resources (APR), I am working with the top 20 within the organization to define leadership and they continue to grow.

Executive Coaching – Some organizations are focused one leader at a time, providing executive coaching with extra support to elevate their leadership. I am currently working with executives in energy, government, retail, manufacturing, information technology, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship.

No matter the method, it is critical to create dedicated leadership development programs for your organization. This not only creates leaders, improved productivity, and elevates effectiveness, it also ignites employee engagement and value.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2019/09/17/burnout-is-not-what-you-think-it-is-how-leaders-can-confront-the-three-faces-of-burnout/#34fd46313169

This article is awesome! It speaks to the challenge of Burnout in corporate America.

“Just this year, the World Health Organization upgraded its assessment of the threat posed by burnout. The condition, says the WHO, is a “syndrome” involving a range of symptoms related to chronic stress.

The WHO statement explicitly ties burnout to the workplace. According to one recent survey of Human leaders, burnout is blamed for up to half of employee turnover. The Harvard Business School estimates that stress-related burnout may impose a healthcare cost of $125 to $190 billion a year in the U.S. alone.”

And the article does a great job talking about the impact that the organization’s culture has on burnout.

But I also encourage people to be introspective about Burnout. Are you a corporate Exhausted Hero because you are choosing to be?

• Have you set a clear vision for you and your team? Are you a fire fighter and need to be a fire chief?
• Have you learned to delegate tasks and projects so you can remain high level and focus on the fires coming down the path?
• Are you spending time with your team and superiors to lead change, influence next steps, and coach them through challenges?

So many leaders that I coach are exhausted and looking for help! Make the choice to get help, learn to lead, and make the choice not to be burned out!

The greatest management book ever written is the One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey by legendary Ken Blanchard.  Old book, same great tips!

This week, I was strategizing on an upcoming leadership development project with someone who came to a leadership class of mine over five years ago.   When I brought up this book, she said she distinctly remembers me giving her this book years ago and it was life changing!  I agree, I received this book at a management training workshop at Target in 2001.  And I have read it at least eight times in the last eighteen years   

The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey is all about monkey management.   Ever heard the term “monkey on your back”? It means you have work to do, work that’s saying you down, and work that you take ownership.   

As a manager, you often have direct team members who stop by your office to drop off monkeys.   They disguise their monkeys as questions.   They need these questions answered so they can get their work done.  But when they ask a question, we often say, “let me get back to you.”  Or “let me ask”.  Or “let me research that.” And the monkey has been effectively dropped off in your office.

Leadership development programs often focus on delegation.   Delegation fails when you let the monkey back into your office.  Instead my leadership programs focus on delegating and managing monkeys.  Help your team members think through problems and point them in the right direction, but don’t let them leave the monkey with you.  Management development can not exclude this important concept.  Executive coaching often ends of discussing this too!  If you can figure out how to manage monkeys, you can define leadership for yourself in a whole new way!  Define leadership by actually leading and not doing.

How do you know if you need to work on it?  If you look at your to-do list and you owe many people things or if your team is frequently waiting for you to get them information, go read the One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey by Ken Blanchard.  It is the start to moving from a Corporate Exhausted Hero to Strategic Manager and from Fire Fighter to Fire Chief.

I work with a lot of executives who think they are superheros. Well, maybe they don’t think they are superheros, but they sure try to act like superheros!

Many define leadership and their value by what they accomplish. They drive results themselves by taking everything on. When goals are set, they put on their capes and try to take it all on. When projects are assigned, they sign up for as many as they can. When things go sideways, these heros try to put the entire team on their back and save the day.

It all starts positive and with good intentions, but eventually, the superhero becomes an exhausted hero! To define leadership, superheros need to turn in their capes and trade it in for a coaches whistle.

Defining leadership as a coach means actually leading, not doing. Think about a sports coach. Many of them didn’t even play the sport at the level they are coaching. They can never go on the field and throw the ball, put on a jersey and shoot a free throw, or grab a racket and jump on the court. A coach helps maximize the skills, talents, and power of the team. A coach provides a clear vision, clear direction, and unwavering support when things get tough. They know how to approach a problem with the solution of several team members, instead of just one of themselves.

So, choose the whistle and be a coach. Retire the cape and stop trying to be a superhero. As a coach, build the Game Plan and help your team score!

Andrew Luck made a choice.  It was a hard choice.  If you listen to his retirement news conference, it was a choice for his physical and mental health.  He didn’t enjoy what he was doing anymore because he wasn’t able to do it the way he wanted to. Injuries just wouldn’t let him

So many people that I coach these days have to be reminded that they have a choice too. A choice to enjoy their work. A choice to decide what to prioritize and what to push out. A choice to have a difficult conversation with their boss. A choice to quit.

Just like Andrew Luck, many people are in jobs that are detrimental to their health. Many have ulcers, anxiety issues, trouble sleeping, or high blood pressure. Is it worth it? You don’t have to sit in it. Make the choice to do something about it. Start by having a transparent conversation with your supervisor about changes you want to make!