As a manager, changes in your team are inevitably going to come about, whether you cause them or someone working for you does. The most disheartening experience for a team leader is to hear an employee whom you value and admire tell you they are considering a new opportunity. I’ve seen too many instances where the manager reacts in a selfish “how could you” fashion, which, instead of inflicting the intended sense of guilt, do nothing but drive the employee away.
If you’ve done your job as a manager (mentored, pushed, developed and improved), your employee is going to be anxious talking to you. They are going to appreciate all that you’ve done for their career and you may be the one thing that makes their decision even remotely difficult. In my opinion, there can be no greater compliment to your performance than this scenario. This situation is also where a manager’s true colors show.
A manager’s primary obligation is to serve the interests of their company (as it is for any employee). Your agency’s interests are best served by dedicated people. Getting dedication from your team can only happen if they believe you have their best interests (i.e. growth & well being) at heart. Often times, when one of your employees is presented with an opportunity, it’s in their best interest to take the job - regardless of the temporary damage it might do to you.
The next time someone from your team approaches you with news that they’ve been recruited, try answering these questions (in order)…
1) Does this new opportunity present a step up for my employee?
2) Is there an equivalent opportunity within my agency I can offer?
3) Does the employee’s value to me merit taking steps (financial or otherwise) to keep him or her on staff?
4) Has the employee measured all of the pros, cons and realities of their new offer?
5) What could (or should) I have done to prevent this scenario? Nothing can sometimes be an acceptable answer, by the way.
Answering these questions will give you a clear picture of how this scenario came about and what your retention options are. You can then have a candid discussion about what’s best for them and then allow your employee to make an educated decision.
If you do it right, you’ll garner even more respect from your employee (regardless of their decision). Don’t be surprised if you also get calls from this employee down the line seeking your advice about new opportunities they have in the future. Not only will you feel honored by their reaching out, you’ll find your innate obligation as a manager never dies. That’s how lifelong professional friendships are built, and they are worth more than their weight in gold.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
A manager's ultimate compliment
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2 comments:
“We are in a replacement business gentleman.” - Bill Parcells
As a manager, it should be your goal to develop staff to replace you. I believe what holds some managers back is the fear that they might not be needed, but it should be your objective to have your staff to replace you. If you are able to develop staff to do things that you do, you are only freeing up the time for you to do the things that only you can do. I am the only member of our staff who meets with Executive Staff, so the more time I have to prepare and plan to better off our unit its. If the managers below me are effective in operations and planning, not only are the improving our organization, they developing the skills to replace me.
I also believe that if a staff member does develop and they leave for new positions, that departure should be celebrated immensely through the organization. I believe entry level staffers who see managers who leave for great opportunities will see that dedication and development is rewarded. While I know staff turnover is a real concern at times, giving staff the opportunity to develop and leave will always pay higher dividends.
The five questions you listed are great questions to ask, but I would also add a sixth, “If this employee leaves, will our core services/function/product be affected?” If the answer to six is yes, then you have managed your organization into a bad situation. While losing a key employee may hurt, you should develop depth and coverage in your organization to overcome any employee departure.
Thanks for your post. I couldn't agree more. Continuously building your bench strength not only increases the current and future productivity of your team, but it also fosters a healthy sense of competitiveness amongst your team. Nothing wrong with that.
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