Managing or Leading As The Ringmaster

An age-old discussion has been about the difference between management and leadership. John Kottter, author of Leading Change and an expert on organizational change, probably best defined the two when he said, Management is about coping with complexity. Leadership, by contrast, is about coping with change.

With that distinction in mind, where are you spending most of your mental time in your "rings" at work? Efficiency and effectiveness are needed for an organization to run smoothly. A constant focus on getting better results is also needed to stay relevant in today's workplace.

Our tendency when we are juggling elephants is to focus on management-take care of the crises, work through the problems and get things back on track. Today, try spending a little more time asking yourself, "How could we do things better as a department, organization or family?" You may find that those answers take care of some of the "management overload" you are experiencing now.

But Do Your Performers Trust You?

Anytime I watch a circus I am amazed by the level of trust that must exist between the performers in a trapeze act. To let go of a rope or bar in mid-air and have confidence that the other person will be there to catch you is fascinating to say the least. Even an animal trainer has to develop a high degree of trust with their animals...or they may be their next meal.

While controlling animals or flying through the air may not be a part of our day, having a high degree of trust with other people is critical to our success in working together as a work team or family. To see how trustworthy you are, reflect on your answers to these questions:

• Do you consistently meet deadlines-or miss them?
• If you will have to miss a deadline, do you have valid reasons, or weak excuses?
• When decisions are made as a team, do you more frequently think about the "greater good" or mainly focus on a solution that will only benefit you?
• Do you tell people what they want to hear, or share with them (in an appropriate manner) what they need to hear?
• Do people come to you seeking your input because they know you will be honest?
• Do your daily activities consistently align with what you say are your priorities?

Remember, trust can take years to build, but only seconds to break. And when the stakes are high (and they always are), you don't want to be the one dropped...or eaten.

Being A Wreckless Ringmaster

Susan Arnold was the first person to lead a global business unit at Proctor and Gamble. In an interview she made a powerful statement: Leaders who don't set priorities can burn out their organization.

When I read her statement I got the picture of a ringmaster running wildly around the rings, shoving one act into a ring only to pull it a few minutes later because they think another one will work better. They just keep performers moving in and out of the rings and rarely take time to discuss the "Why" behind the "What." Performers aren't working at their best, and the audience is certainly not pleased with what they are seeing.

If you are a leader or manager, take this test to see how you're doing communicating what's important to your team. Imagine that a complete stranger were to ask each employee to list the top three priorities they see of the organization-and how their current work correlates with it. What would the results tell you?

Moving Your Circus More Efficiently

One of the amazing aspects of the circus is how it can pack up, move to a new location and then reset to perform at a new location so quickly and efficiently. Why? Repetition of action is probably the most obvious reason, but a close second is that everything has its place. Each rail car, storage box and canvas bag has designated contents and a designated location.

Why not try that same tactic to improve your efficiency to stop those juggling elephants moments of not being able to find something? Some items and ideas might include:

• Keys
• Phone when not in use and charging
• Chargers for all electronic devices
• Planner/Tablet
• Bills/Checkbook
• Put instructions for devices you don't frequently use as close to the device as possible

Most importantly, if others will be using the item, communicate the "home" location for this item and make it mandatory that the item be returned to this location. If someone doesn't return it to the designated location, take the time to work through the value of having the item in its proper place. And celebrate success when people make the effort to put things back in their place.

Work Life Balance Is Still A Priority

With a slow economy and job opportunities limited for many people, we sometimes hear that work/life balance is not a priority for many employees. As an employer, don't get too comfortable with that perspective.

In the 2012 Keep Good Going Report from New York Life shows polling of American workers about their attitudes toward work and families. Findings include:

• 71 percent would be happier with more pay, but only a small percentage would be willing to trade between their financial situation and their families
• For a 50 percent pay raise, only 11 percent of those polled would exchange reduced time with their children (Ironically, 54 percent WOULD exchange working at night)

Time with families is still among the highest priorities of most workers. How does your workplace recognize and support that priority? If you want to retain and grow your best talent, it might we worth looking at-instead of getting too comfortable with the perspective of "They aren't going anywhere."