Developing Smart Doers Into Smart Leaders

Developing Smart Doers into Smart LeadersAvoiding the “My Way” Trap

Diana ZarnochTechnical Talent Practice Leader

Fraser MarlowVP Marketing

29 October 2009

2 | © 2009 BlessingWhite, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BlessingWhite Research

All research mentioned in this presentation can be downloaded from the BlessingWhite website. Click on ‘Research and Articles’ on the homepage.

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This session will begin at 7:00 p.m. GMT / 3:00 p.m. EST / 2:00 p.m. CST / 12:00 p.m. PST

Also: Mark your calendar for the November session! Uncertainty's Antidote:Three Leadership Imperatives19 November 2009, Three leadership imperatives to condition the environment for future success & specific strategies for turning worried and unsettled employees into engaged employees.

Also: Mark your calendar for the November session! Uncertainty's Antidote:Three Leadership Imperatives19 November 2009, Three leadership imperatives to condition the environment for future success & specific strategies for turning worried and unsettled employees into engaged employees.


BlessingWhite – Who We Are

• A global leadership consulting firm dedicated to creating sustainable high-performance organizations

• Aligning Organizational Culture to Strategy

• Leadership

• Engaging Employees


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Today

• Who are your “smart employees”?

• What do they want?

• What can happen when they are promoted into leadership roles?

• What do you need them need to do?

• How can you develop “smarter” leaders?


Diana ZarnochBlessingWhite

Consultant &

Technical Talent Practice Leader


Who are your “smart employees”…

…and what do they want?


Experts, highly educated and skilled individuals

who work in a

wide variety of functional disciplines and industries.

They have strong views

about how their work should be done

and prefer a high degree of control in how they perform their jobs.


Scientists, analysts, software developers,engineers, mathematicians, accountants…


PollWho are your “smart doers”? (Pick all that fit)

• Engineers

• Scientists

• Creative/Designers

• Software developers, IT specialists or programmers

• Financial analysts or mathematicians

• All of the above

• Something different than the above


Needs of Smart Employees• Achievement

• Autonomy

• Professional Identification

• Participation in Mission and Goals

• Collegial Support and Sharing

• Keeping CurrentLeading Technical Professionals © BlessingWhite, Inc.


Implications

“It takes deft leadership, not supervision, to unleash and align their

energy and talents to deliver what your organization requires.”

−Christopher Rice, “Smartest Employees Most Difficult to Manage,”

Talent Management


What can happen when they…

…become leaders?


They Stay in Their Comfort Zone

… and never quite getting

around to leading.


They Manage Everyone’s Projects

….or not!


They Experience a Tug-of-War

Develop themselves or their team?


They Micromanage

Because they are still the experts


Implications of the “My Way” Trap


Poll

Which trap do leaders in your organization fall into most?

• Staying in their comfort zone, not leading

• Managing everyone’s projects, not people

• Developing themselves, not their team

• Micromanaging


What’s required…

…for them to lead successfully?


Competing Dynamics of Leadership

Competence Connection

*Source: BlessingWhite

Business Aptitude Trustworthiness

Internal Attunement External Attunement

Clarity Depth

Responsibility Empathy


What Matters Most?

(6) Empathy(5) Trustworthiness(1) Business Aptitude(8) Depth(7) External Attunement(3) Clarity(2) Responsibility(4) Internal Attunement

PERSONAL CONNECTION

*Source: BlessingWhite

High

Low


Leadership = Relationship

You cannot be a leader without followers.

Give followers:

• Community

• Authenticity

• Significance

• Excitement

Relationship trumps skills.


are the deliverables?is the schedule?is the budget?results are desired or expected?

“What ideas do you have?”

Sticking to the ‘what’

not the ‘how’.

Delegation


What can you do…

…to develop “smarter” leaders?


1. Provide Alternative Career Paths

• Professional vs. managerial track

• Development for all paths

• Tools to support career decisions

Don’t force fit for the wrong reasons.


2. Expect Them to Be Leaders & Coaches

• Define leadership and coaching for them.

• Hold them accountable – and reward them.

• Beware player/coach role assignments.

• Challenge them with fundamental leadership questions:– What inspires you personally? – What are you a leader for?– Why should anyone be led by you?

What gets measured and rewarded gets done.


3. Provide Development Opportunities

• High-potential tracks

• New manager on-boarding/transition programs

• Training or stretch assignments

• Executive coaching

• Social networking

Focus on competence and connection!


4. Expect Them to Remain “Smart”Challenge and satisfy their needs as “smart employees”:

• Achievement

• Autonomy

• Participation in mission and goals

• Collegial support and sharing

• Keeping current

• Professional identification

Engage them emotionally.


If You Remember Only 3 Things…

“Smart” leaders of “smart” employees need to:

• Be just enough of an expert to lead, not do.

• Be leaders of people, not managers of projects.

• Understand and address what makes their teams tick.


Questions? Thank You!

Diana Zarnoch1.908.904.1000 x8162

[email protected]

Fraser Marlow1.908.904.1000 [email protected]

www.blessingwhite.com

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Education

Developing Smart Doers Into Smart Leaders