One of the characteristics top businesses share is a culture that encourages managers to grow as leaders within the company and the community. Excellent managers are reflective of the overall leadership of the organization and their value of developing people.
The reverse outcome resulting from a heavily micro-managed culture could be analogous to the kudzu plant. Kudzu is a climbing, coiling vine native to many parts of Asia that was brought to the United States around the turn of the last century and promoted to farmers in the 1930s and 1940s as a tool for halting soil erosion. The American South is now blanketed with this invasive plant that, beneficial properties notwithstanding, will smother nearly anything in its path including native vegetation, crops and structures.
Growing Managers Without Smothering Them
When it comes to leadership and management development, organizations must be vigilant to prevent smothering their growing managers. Creating a fertile environment for leadership development includes a number of factors including the following:
- Limited Micro-Management – New managers may need a lot of supervision at first, but they also need to be able to experience failure and learn from their mistakes.
- Goal Setting and Accountability – Setting goals for managers helps to clarify responsibilities and gives supervisors a set of pre-determined metrics by which to evaluate performance and assess accountability.
- Individual Authority – Managers thrive in cultures that empower them to make their own decisions based on communicated parameters.
- Vision and Values – Organizations that clearly communicate their vision and values develop managers who represent and perpetuate these concepts.
- Education and Project Management – It is important to provide managers with educational resources to enhance their leadership development as well as opportunities to apply this knowledge in real-world project management.
MiniCo wishes the very best to you and your families during this holiday season. We thank you for your business and continued support of MiniCo’s products and look forward to working with you in 2016. Mike Schofield President and CEO
