The Manager - Edition 28 - from Rob Lambert

Cultivated Management Newsletter - Edition 26

Hi,

I hope you've had an amazing weekend and looking forward to the week ahead. 

About 4 weeks ago my son broke his leg. 4 years old and with a plaster on his leg. He's been amazing about it. It's incredible to see how quickly he's adapted to mobility and just got on with life.

A side effect of his enthusiasm to play football with his older brother's friends is that he got injured. His enthusiasm hasn't waned though - he still wants to play football. He still wants to get back to being a little boy and getting stuck in. He's going to be wearing shin pads, knee pads and a helmet for every sport from now on :)

The point is I often feel like giving up, lying down, stopping everything and just hiding away for weeks - and I haven't got a broken leg. But I too have found that the more I get back up and back in to it, the more I thrive and regain my sense of value. As I watch him "just getting on with it", I'm reminded of how important following a routine and having discipline is to work success both in the workplace and our private lives.

As a manager, it's the essential element of success - routines and discipline. Not discipline to the extent of "controlling people:, but discipline to the extent of "doing what needs doing even if we don't feel like it". Good teams do that - they follow processes that work even if they don't "feel" like it. They stick to routines that lead to valuable outcomes. They do the "boring" work that comes with the good. 

So go forth and work out what leads to success - and help others see the value in following the process, even when they feel like lying down and having a rest :)

On another note - If you're on Flipboard, I've created a Cultivated Management magazine where I share cool articles I find at a higher rate than in this newsletter. I've also re-ignited my Facebook page!

Rob..

Here's what's I've been reading that I think will be interesting for you  :

1 - Part of your role as a manager is helping people to understand what they are doing, why and how this contributes to success. I cover this in my "Releasing Agility" approach (scroll towards the bottom for a useful diagram). It's essential to success. It's how people can overcome the stress, drama and pressure. When they know what they are doing and why and how this helps the company succeed - they can overcome obstacles with enthusiasm and persistence. When they have no idea what they are doing, why or how it helps the organisation - I can understand why people avoid work, give up or give it very little love. I've been there myself. This article is worth a read - it's about Profit and Loss and how people contribute. It's via Michael Roberto - link is worth reading.

2 - Apparently, the average worker spends about 4 hours a day on email! Insane. If you've been reading my work for a while you'll know I recommend only checking email twice a day, but it's clear email is a major challenge for many people. My advice - read it, delegate it or archive it or delete it or do something about the content. Then move on :) But here's an article on why email is stressful.

3 - There's a great meme heading around the web of people grabbing "Stock" photos from photo sites and applying captions of how they relate to work. It's a fun meme - what photo would you choose from a stock library to describe your world of work? 

4 - Listening is indeed the greatest compliment you could ever give somebody. It's also an unbelievably great way to excel in your career. Great managers listen lots. They take in and study and observe. They let people make decisions and they ponder rather than react. Here's some advice on how to listen well.

5 - The internet is designed for corporations. The very design of the internet is hostile towards everyday users - according to this article. Good read.

6 - Ten questions Developer's (and other technologists) should ask in an interview.

7 - UX structures, strategies and design - using stories to create a perfect UX plan. 

8 - Is your work killing you? Interesting article on how work is affecting our lives and health.

Thanks for reading this week's edition of The Manager. 

Thanks
Rob..