The Manager - Edition 51 - Demonstrate the behaviours you expect - by Rob Lambert
Cultivated Management Newsletter
Hi all,
I hope you've had a great weekend and are looking forward to the week ahead.
One of the most powerful tools I deploy when I consult with teams, is the Job Role Behaviour Matrix. My word - it sounds corporate, but it’s really just a tool that clarifies what is expected of everyone in their role.
It's frighteningly powerful.
For example, let's assume you run a Development team - you'll therefore need a Behaviour Matrix for Developers.
My version has three levels such as Developer, Senior Developer and Principal Developer. Call them what you want, have as many different levels as you need, but ensure the behaviours expected for each level are indeed different.
Then create a whole load of categories that are important to your domain, business and role. Normally it’s pretty standard - communication skills, technical skills, mentoring and coaching ability, product knowledge, impact on product, impact on business, initiative, organisational skills etc. In a nutshell, a lot more than just being able to code.
I stick the different role titles across the top of a simple table, one per column header, starting at column 2. In column 1 I stick the different categories running down, a new one on each row. Then for each job role and category combination I list out the behaviours I expect for that category and role.
For example, a Senior Developer will be expected to demonstrate much better behaviours around communicating with stakeholders for example, than someone fresh out of school.
Always make it about behaviours, not just wishy-washy skills. Create one for every role you have, including management and leadership.
Trust me, HR will love this approach, but check with them first - they may have something similar in place. In my experience, even giant corporates have seen nothing like this - and they love it - because the clarity it provides for everyone is brilliant.
This tool is useful for these reasons:
You can talk to people about what is expected from them in the role they are in.
You can discuss actual performance behaviours with them when you need to. Both positive and negative.
Individuals know what is expected from them and work on modelling the right behaviours (constantly, not just one-off).
Individuals know how to progress through their careers as they can see what the next steps are, or where they are falling short.
Individuals can also hold each other accountable for their behaviours.
Honest, accurate, objective performance conversations can happen around behaviours when it comes time for promotion or exit or the dreaded annual review.
But when you roll this out, ensure your leadership and management team are demonstrating what is expected from them.
Leadership and management should be the gold standard when it comes to expected behaviours. If people in a leadership or management positions are NOT exhibiting all of the behaviours, then the matrix is useless. Throw it away.
“You lot all behave in this way, but we can do what we want”. Not good.
I’ve worked with too many leaders who expect their “people” to behave in a certain way, but they don’t demonstrate those behaviour themselves. This duplicity is poisonous. Throw away the matrix. Let any behaviour be the right one. Oh dear. Chaos and dysfunction will reign.
The best way to get brilliant, positive behaviours, is to demonstrate them yourselves. Constantly.
And don’t forget, when it comes to behaviours.
“You get what you tolerate, not what you expect”.
Go forth and nail your behaviours.
Rob
Cool Stuff To Click On
1 - A lot of tech companies create demos or product launches that are smoke and mirrors where functionality might not fully exist, or things that are supposedly automated are in fact hand-cranked by humans. But this Robot walking the halls of a tech company actually being a person in a suit is brilliant.
2 - The world of management is actually a world of branding. You have to remain on-side with people, earn trust through delivering on promises and communicate well. You also need to keep repeating your value and pushing your own brand in some companies. It can be tiring. But it's all about personal brand. And this guide here was a good read for me this week.
3 - Boundaries between phone and mind are getting blurred. That doesn't sound good.
4 - It seems there isn't a single day that goes by when Facebook isn't in the news for the wrong reasons - this one about fact checking being ignored. And this one about a bug that exposed photos to developers... How long until we stop hearing about how amazing Facebooks tech team, processes and culture are - and how they are the "must work at" company?
5 - So your star Developer is a moron - here's how to deal with it. Trust me, there is little place in any of my teams for an Arrogant Producer. A team of above average people working well together will output arrogant producers who bring the team down.
Thanks for reading this week's edition of The Manager.
Thanks
Rob..