Is being a good manager good enough?
Friday 23rd of August 2013I was asked recently 'what makes a good manager'? It is an interesting and important question. I replied - in the work that Innovations At Work consultant's undertake we think the more interesting question is: what distinguishes a good manager from an outstanding manager or what makes an outstanding manager?
Fortunately, the questioner was kind enough to accept the re-phrasing of this important question. What I choose not to say was that I was not being pedantic, but rather that the difference in the question was about - how high do you aim? My father used to say when I was growing up....aim high and you will get there, equally, aim low and you will get there....make a choice about your ambitions!
So what does distinguish a good manager from an outstanding manager? Here we agree with the Management Advisory Service (MAS) who say:
' good managers achieve a hard working, productive and effective workforce that punches above its weight in its performance'.
I agree with these sentiments but outstanding and / or exceptional managers have another ingredient that sets them apart. It's a crucial part of their management of their staff that is often overlooked. It is their 'equity intelligence'. We have heard of emotional intelligence but by this new term I mean how 'fairness, equity, trust, respect and levels of engagement' are demonstrated at work by outstanding managers in their actions and behaviours to their staff.
Where I see this overtly happening I also see these behaviours copied and demonstrated towards and amongst other managers and staff. People write books about this phenomena which are called Pro-Social Modelling, in my words it's the power of copying positive behaviours.
Interestingly enough we all have a sense of fairness, no one prefers unfairness at work, but isn't it strong when an outstanding or exceptional manager says 'this is my understanding of fairness - can I check it with you'. This is a strong collaborative invite and moves aside hierarchies and invites collaborative problem solving.
An outstanding manager will often follow this up by saying: once we have an agreement on what is fairness, equity, trust, respect and how best to engage with each other - can we move from agreement on principles, to demonstrating these as behaviours to one another on an everyday basis.
This is the beginnings of 'equity intelligence', in practice. What's really interesting are the by-products that arise, there are several: 1. Increased levels of satisfaction; greater sense of purpose; increased role clarification, enhanced collaboration, pride in teamwork - and often an improved bottom line; 2. Less bad treatment, less staff versus staff and / or manager conflict, and at its worst: less bullying, harassment / discrimination and victimisation; 3. Staff valuing their managers because they are human and don't hide behind their authority; 4. More outstanding managers who respect and connect with all their people on a human level with principles that inspire greater loyalty.
Of course the biggest outcome is that you move from outstanding or exceptional managers to building 'outstanding people' across the teams and the organisation / business. Everyone aspires to be outstanding and this is no longer an exception but a norm. You have also started moving your organisation or business from delivering good services to delivering outstanding services!
Equity Intelligence
What I would like organisations and business who set out on this pathway is to find practical ways to monitor, evaluate and capture the impacts, results and outcomes of 'equity intelligence'. Once they have started to measure the impacts of equity intelligence and to tangibly capture these benefits you will have evidence - that some change can be for the better!
If you have found this article of interest and you would like to take the first steps to learning more about 'equity intelligence' we would really like to hear from you. Please email or phone on roland.azor@innovationsatwork.co.uk t: 07879655877
Roland Azor, MD of Innovations At Work.