Avoiding the 5 Common Pitfalls of Managing Others - Part 2
Avoiding the 5 Common Pitfalls of Managing Others
The Managing for Impact Blog Series – Part 2 of 5
A Managing for Impact Participant Experience.
This blog series illustrates several best practices of being an effective people manager, as covered in our award-winning 5-part Managing for Impact development program.
Pitfall 2: Not Being an Inclusive Leader
I was looking forward to session 2 of Managing for Impact because I had never taken the Everything DiSC® assessment. I had some knowledge of the DiSC® model and I was certain I was a C (Conscientious), a leadership style that aligned around precision and accuracy. I loved data and had a keen eye for quality so I would have bet my paycheck on the fact that my natural style was a C. I was surprised to learn that I was actually a DC (Direct and Conscientious). My natural style still prioritized quality and accuracy but was combined with an urgency for speed and results. That wasn’t my biggest surprise though. More surprising was to learn about how my natural DC leadership style impacts the quality of my team’s experience with me and with each other.
Building upon what I learned in session 1, I understood that although a focus on quality and accuracy was important, so too was the need to slow things down when appropriate to make sure I was bringing a wide variety of perspectives into discussions and the decision-making process. I know that as an individual contributor my focus was primarily on productivity, and that focus played a role in my recent promotion. However, as a manager I now needed to balance productivity and results with the inclusion of my team members so that they felt visible, appreciated and valued – all factors that foster engagement.
The big takeaway for me from session 2 was the self-awareness I gained as to when I was less likely to be inclusive and how to build an action plan to mitigate the adverse impacts of those circumstances. For example, I now know that when my stress level is high and I’m feeling pressure to deliver I am more likely to isolate myself and make unilateral decisions to move the work forward. There are times when this action would be appropriate, but I have made a commitment to check that assumption more often so that I’m putting my people first. I know it won’t always be easy but my team deserves opportunities to thrive.
To watch a brief video about the MFI program, click here.