Manager Effectiveness: Do What Is Right, Do What Works, or Something Else?

The Manager’s Dilemma

It has been said that there are two types of people in this world: those who do what is right and those who do what works. As a manager, which type of person are you? Think hard because the answer may determine your success or failure as a manager. Good luck!

(Tick-tock … tick-tock …. DING!)

So which one did you choose? What …? You didn’t like that question? You thought it was a bull … poop setup? Ok, here’s the same question to you but through the lens of a real-world scenario. This example is taken from the personal blog of one of my go-to gurus, Dr. Ichak Adizes. He kicks off his blog with this scenario:

“As a manager, from time to time, I’m confronted with a dilemma: Some of the people who work for me might ask for compensation that doesn’t fit the compensation format or policy of the organization. However, these individuals may be producing incredible results or managing well and wish to be duly compensated.”

So now, how would you respond?  (Tick-tock … tick-tock … ) 

For some of you, the choice is easy.  For others, not so much; and for you … yeah, you … the one with the “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right” coffee mug who said, “I would turn this over to HR or my manager.” That’s actually not a bad answer, but just know that managers face scenarios like this ALL the time. Scenarios like:

• The project manager on my team wants extra time off and has been working hard, but she’s already used up all of her paid time off, and it’s against the policy of the organization to allow her more.

OR

• The top customer service rep is absolutely loved by our customers, but that same rep ignores our processes, and he’s creating headaches and more work for our support teams downstream.

If you try to turn all these types of “process vs execution” situations over to HR or your manager, you’re not going to go very far in your career.  So, how should you handle it? 

Do What Is Right or Do What Works?

The scenarios we’ve been talking about essentially involve managers deciding between doing what is right and doing what works. Doing what is right refers to following policies and procedures that have been put into place to achieve long-term success for the business. Doing what works refers to finding resolutions or courses of action that get the results you need right now – short-term.  And as a manager, you’ll find that sometimes the two don’t line up.  So, are you willing to give up the short-term gains for what’s going to help you in the long run?  Or should you focus on what’s going to benefit you right now and put into question the long-term success of your business or team?  Welcome to the life of a manager …

Do Something Else: Adopt a Manager Effectiveness Mindset

So, let’s start off with the fact that there really are only two ways to deal with these kinds of situations – either follow the proscribed policies/procedures or not (ok, there’s a third … ignore the situation, but that won’t get you far).  

The next fact you should understand is that there isn’t a “RIGHT WAY” or “WRONG WAY” to respond to them … period.  Now HR, your manager, or your direct reports may think the choice you made was right or wrong, but that’s based on how well the outcome of your decision aligns with the outcome they wanted.  So let me repeat, there’s no right or wrong way, just the way that most effectively gets you the outcome you want.

So, if your goal is to most effectively get the outcome you want, the first step in tackling these types of scenarios is assuming a “Manager Effectiveness” Mindset.  If you don’t know what that is, you can check out my blog here, where I define it.  If you don’t have time for that, in a nutshell, “A manager effectiveness mindset, at its root, is about continually evaluating the results you’re getting from your efforts and assessing if there’s a better way to get them.” 

Get your “Manager Effectiveness” Mindset turned on … the one that says “it’s not about being right, but about being effective,” and let’s figure out how to go after your objective.

Do Something Else: Begin with the End in Mind

Speaking of objective, that’s the next step.  Another one of my go-to gurus is Stephen Covey, creator of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (if you haven’t read his book or taken his course, I highly recommend them).  The second habit in his seven habits is “Begin with the End in Mind,” which is exactly what you need to do when confronted with these types of scenarios. Pause … and ask yourself, “what is the outcome that I want/need? What will success look like to me?” Is it:

• (in the compensation scenario) keeping the high performer who wants more money with the company, or is it ensuring consistency and fairness in pay for everyone?  Or
• (in the customer service scenario) making the customers happy upstream versus ensuring all employees follow a roadmap that enables all roles to provide great service?

Knowing what your ultimate outcome is will help clarify what course of action will most effectively get you the result you want as you think about what you want to do.

Do Something Else: Consider Your Options

Next, figure out what’s important to take into account when making your decision. Now, there are tons of things you could consider, but let’s keep it simple with three key factors:

Risk – Let’s face it, any decision you make in these scenarios is going to tick someone off. You need to uncover and understand the what’s the risk of the project manager not performing if they don’t get the time off, or if the customer service rep is held to following the processes, what’s the impact. Maybe you’re taking a big risk by enforcing the policies, maybe you’re not. It’s up to you to decide and evaluate.

Consequences – You can’t predict the implications of a decision with 100 percent accuracy, but you can think through the possible short-term and long-term consequences of the decision you choose. Again, you’re probably not going to make everyone happy, but that’s not your job … getting work done … through others is your job.

Feasibility – Lastly, you should stop and consider the realistic and implementable nature of your options. You should take into account any constraints that may affect your ability to execute a decision; for example, can you realistically, on your own, offer an employee a pay increase? Or is it within your area of responsibility to change the process to make it easier for the Customer Sales Rep and meet the needs of folks downstream? This last step seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many times managers don’t take this into consideration.

Do Something Else: Do it

You’d think this last step wouldn’t be necessary to call out.  It’s a no-brainer, huh?  Yeah? Well, how many of you have ever either got stuck on making a decision because you overanalyzed it, “analysis paralysis,” or ignored the situation hoping it would go away.  What?  None of you?  Whatever …  This step is equally as important as the previous ones.  You can have made the best decision, but if you don’t do anything … So what?  So, take action.

Dealing with Tough Decisions

As a manager, you’re faced with difficult decisions on a daily basis. Some of those decisions require you to choose between doing what’s right and doing what works. While there is no easy answer, applying the three steps above should help you make the decision that gets you the outcome you want.

• Adopt a “Manager Effectiveness” Mindset
• Once you have that mindset in place, take a step back and “Begin with the End in Mind” by asking yourself what outcome you want from any given situation.
• Last, once you know what you want, use three factors – risk, consequences, and feasibility to determine your course of action … and then act.

If you want more tips and techniques to help you become a more effective manager, check out my other blogs or reach out to sign up for a one-on-one Manager Effectiveness coaching session.