Navigating the Complexities of People Management

During the Lunar New Year gathering with a few friends over the weekend, our conversation turned to career growth and development. A friend who aspires to step into a management role asked me, “What is the biggest challenge of being a people manager?” My initial response was, “Everything is related to people,” but I wasn’t entirely satisfied with that answer. However, it prompted me to reflect more deeply on the question.  

Reflecting on my journey as a manager, I’ve come to understand that the major challenge is balancing two essential elements: maintaining team motivation and engagement while driving toward collective success. This involves nurturing individual growth and development while ensuring the team meets business objectives. In my earlier blog post, "My Reflections on Leading a Function Team", I discussed strategies for sustaining team motivation amidst repetitive tasks and handling varying workloads. This post will delve into the vital human aspect of team success, sharing my insights and the tools I've found effective in managing people.

How to Know and Understand People Well  

In my previous blog post (link), I emphasized the importance of understanding each team member's strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, and working styles as a foundation for strong relationships and trust. Beyond transparency, honesty, and consistency in team interactions, another powerful tool has helped me gain a more holistic view of myself and my team: PRISM. This neuroscience-based tool helps individuals understand their behavior and interactions with others, explaining why people approach situations and individuals differently. My current employer provides PRISM to managers and all team members. I've found it invaluable for understanding both myself and my colleagues, and more importantly, it has informed how I communicate and interact with each individual. This understanding allows me to tailor my leadership style and approach to meet individual needs and preferences and to provide feedback or manage conflicts more effectively. I highly recommend the PRISM assessment for anyone to gain deeper self-awareness, whether they aspire to be a manager or a more effective team member. To foster better understanding among my team, I organized a happy hour where each member shared their PRISM portrait summary. It was a fantastic team-building experience, providing a relaxed setting for everyone to learn more about each other’s strengths, preferences, and working styles. Effective leadership starts with understanding your team. Numerous tools and resources can help analyze team dynamics and individual behavior.

Managing Performance

As managers, we understand the importance of setting clear expectations, giving regular feedback, and celebrating big and small achievements. The most challenging part is dealing with performance issues, having tough conversations, and taking necessary actions. No one enjoys having difficult conversations, but they are crucial to the role. I believe that establishing clear expectations from the beginning is essential. This is why the first 90 days of onboarding are pivotal in determining if a new hire will succeed or fail (I will share my notes on the book "The First 90 Days" by Michael D. Watkins in a future blog). This period is crucial for establishing a strong foundation for the new team member's success by promptly addressing any initial questions or concerns. I've learned (often the hard way) that dealing with underperformance requires a timely, straightforward approach combined with empathy. You might be familiar with the "sandwich method" for feedback, commonly used in places like Toastmasters meetings. While it can help evaluate a speech, I've found it ineffective for tackling performance issues. Mixing praise, criticism, and more praise can confuse the recipient and may even seem insincere. While it may ease the impact, I believe a more direct approach is preferable. I recommend a three-step process: First, recognize what the individual is doing well. Second, the areas needing improvement should be addressed clearly and directly. Finally, work together to identify the root cause and create an actionable, trackable improvement plan. Empathy is another crucial component of effective feedback, which I'll explore further. It's important to remember that the ultimate goal of these conversations is to support the team member's personal and professional growth.

Engage in Active Listening

At the start of my management career, I believed that providing clear instructions, regular updates, and feedback was enough for effective communication. However, I soon realized that communication goes beyond just sharing information; it involves active listening. Active listening means hearing what your team members are saying and also understanding what they aren't saying. This requires paying attention to verbal and nonverbal signals, such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, which can indicate underlying emotions or concerns. Practicing active listening involves asking clarifying questions to ensure understanding and reflecting on what you've heard to prevent misinterpretation. Engaging in active listening without interrupting or rushing to provide solutions helps build stronger trust-based relationships. It also promotes open communication and creates an environment where people feel heard and valued. It's a skill I'm constantly working to improve, and I encourage you to do the same. The advantages of genuinely listening to your team are invaluable.

Lead with Empathy

Empathy is fundamental to effective leadership. It involves understanding and sharing others' feelings, extending beyond simple sympathy. By seeing things from your team’s perspective, you gain a deeper understanding of their challenges, motivations, and emotions. This insight enables you to address their needs thoughtfully and impactfully. Additionally, empathy helps manage difficult conversations gracefully, whether offering constructive feedback, resolving conflicts, or supporting someone in a challenging situation. Leading with this mindset fosters a supportive environment where people feel valued and understood. Ultimately, leading with empathy goes beyond kindness; it's about creating a culture where individuals feel encouraged to grow both personally and professionally. When your team understands that you genuinely care about their well-being and achievements, they are more inclined to be engaged, motivated, and dedicated to reaching common objectives. Thus, empathy is not merely a leadership skill but a potent tool for promoting collective success.

Managing people involves various challenges, including resolving conflicts, leading remote teams, managing limited resources, and managing time and tasks efficiently. Being a people manager is an ongoing learning experience. It is complex, demanding, and sometimes exhausting, but also very rewarding.  

Suppose you're a new manager or hope to become one. In that case, my advice is straightforward: genuinely get to know your team, engage in active listening and open communication, and lead with empathy. Remember, it's alright to make mistakes—what's important is how you learn and develop from them. 

What is the biggest challenge you face as a people manager? I’m eager to hear your insights and experiences, share and learn together!

Photo source: https://www.surepeople.com/prism