FAQ — Technical Leadership and Management

Leadership/Management Style

This is an important question which I will answer on two levels, the general and the techie-specific.

Part 1 — Let's look at this question with the "Human Factor" in mind. There are those leaders who try to apply the same leadership or management style to everyone. This is a mistake. Human beings differ on many levels. If you attempt to apply a "one size fits all" approach to leadership, assuming your style is a good one, that approach may work well with many, but not all, of those you lead. What happens with those for whom your style is not a good fit?

Ask yourself the following questions:

•  Are you adapting your approach to satisfy individual needs?

Some of your people (whether techie or non-techie) may actually need direction (for example, those who lack experience or the ability to be innovative). While others require more freedom to act of their own accord and in their own way (for example highly skilled and experienced techies who don't need someone sitting at their shoulder every minute).

• Have you attempted to find out the needs of those for whom your preferred leadership/management style may not be a good fit? If not, why not?

If you haven't taken the time to find out what is important to them, what style works with them, you are doing them and yourself a disservice. As a leader, you can't afford to wait for them to volunteer the information? You need to be both observant and proactive about finding an approach that works for you both.

If you are expecting others to always adapt to your style, That's pretty arrogant. You may have a long wait, especially with techies. In point of fact, adaptation needs to happen in both directions: you need to address these individuals in a manner that best facilitates their needs, while they need to be willing to accept your leadership and trust that your approach is appropriate for the circumstances. In this way, you promote effective communication and collaboration.

• What sorts of people do you find challenging to deal with? How have you handled such people in the past? Was it productive, or did your approach add to the problems or confusion?

We all eventually run into people who "rub us the wrong way" — for example, people whose personalities clash with our own, people who grate on our nerves, and/or people who always seem to choose a course of action or position that is contrary to our own. (Personally, I find it difficult to work with "prima donas" whose actions fail to match their arrogance. Hey, I never said I deal with everyone perfectly!)

Just remember, you can't control how such individuals choose to act. You can control how you choose to respond to them. Staunchly refusing to facilitate their efforts (on principle) merely aggravates the situation and is fruitless. If you can't find a way to work with such an individual on your own, consult a mentor, a coach, or someone who has been successful working with that individual, either in the present or the past. If you run out of options, then you need to transfer the individual or fire them. Otherwise, the controversy you engender between you will negatively affect your group's performance.

In general, be prepared to switch your leadership/management style to better facilitate the people and situations with which you commonly come into contact. If this chameleon-like ability is not natural for you, consider how you might alter your approach to get the best results with each individual (think in terms of desired outcomes, not how you will accomplish the desired metamorphosis).

Part 2 — Now let's look at which styles do and don't tend to work well with techies. Traditional management structures are all about power, i.e., influencing the actions and behavior of others. In environments where a traditional management style is employed

• Each person is assigned a specific role and scope of job as well as a defined (or assumed) level of responsibility and authority within the organization.
  
  
• Decisions are often centralized rather than distributed or localized.
  
  
• Managers and/or group leaders usually establish group and individual direction, delegate tasks, set schedules, track progress, and evaluate performance.

This centralized command-and-control approach has proven to be ineffective with the innovators who work in technology. Techies tend to be mavericks - they resist authority and what they perceive as unnecessary control. The external incentives and pressure tactics that work well with non-techies are less effective with techies. This, in turn, short-circuits the traditional manager's leveraging power when attempting to control a techie.

Technology workers want to

• Be directly involved in planning and decision-making.
• Know the justification and need behind requests made of them.
• Know that their work will be useful and valuable.

For these and other reasons, successful leaders have found that facilitation and engagement are much more effective with techies than command and control.

Ask a number of coaches or mentors, and you're likely to receive many different answers. I can only give you recommendations based upon my own experience. Below are my top five:

1. Find out what is expected of you. If you don't already have a job description for your new position, try to secure one from your organization's Human Resources Department or from your manager. Don't be obnoxious about it, but do be persistent about identifying the expectations of your boss and your organization. Your boss may (or may not) have a clear idea of what he or she expects from you; some supervisors believe they limit their options by being too explicit up front.

Any job description is a broad outline at best, but at least it gives you a starting point. If no job description is forthcoming, then arrange to have a one-on-one conversation with your boss; take notes and write your own job description. Then send your boss a copy for adjustment.

Remember: In the absence of a job description, you may have a golden opportunity to define the responsibilities of your position, especially if the position is new within your organization. This may seem daunting, but it can actually work to your benefit. In essence, you are creating your own position to suit yourself. One caveat: Don't get so enthusiastic that you overwhelm yourself by taking on more than you can possibly handle (which is a common occurrence). You will set yourself up for failure before you even begin.


2. Do your homework. Whether you are new to an organization or taking on a new leadership position within the same organization, you need to become thoroughly familiar with 1) the people who populate your management structure, 2) all products and/or services being provided by those whom you are now leading, and 3) the high-priority clients your group(s) serve. This will take time. Start by putting together a basic plan of action. Lay out what areas you need to investigate, whom you need to speak with (in what order), and what information you will need to be at least conversant about them. Schedule appointments to meet with the key individuals on your list and time to complete your assessment.
   
   
3. Schedule one-on-one meetings with each of the people who report directly to you. These meetings should be held within the first week or two after assuming your new position, even if you already know the people. In advance of these meetings, prepare a list of three to five pertinent questions to help stimulate the conversation. During these meetings, talk less and listen carefully. Be observant. Your new direct reports will likely be a bit nervous and/or uncertain as to what to expect from you and vice versa (even if they know you). Try to put them at ease by assuring each individual of your intent to make no radical changes until you better understand the "lay of the land." If you were promoted within your existing organization, you may also want to consult the FAQs listed under Transition into Leadership» for more information.)

If you have taken on the leadership of a large organization, it may be appropriate to schedule a communication meeting including everyone in your reporting structure. Schedule this meeting to take place after you and your management team have had time to lay out a rudimentary plan for moving forward, but don't wait too long. Your people need to know there is someone stable "at the helm" more than they need to know the nitty-gritty details of your plan.

4. Establish at least one or two goal(s) quickly. Plans take time to discuss and evolve, but it is important that your people have a framework in which to operate. Long-term goals help establish a foundation for that framework, while short-term and intermediate goals provide near-term focus and direction. At a minimum, discuss priorities with your direct reports and establish at least one or two goals upon which to begin building a framework for the future and to establish immediate focus while you flesh out the rest of your goals and plans.
   
   
5. Schedule time for yourself. Starting a new leadership position can be overwhelming if you don't carve out time for yourself. You need focus time and time to take care of health considerations like eating properly and getting regular exercise. I recommend setting aside 1.5 to 2 hours per day which you designate as focus time. Make it clear to your people and others in your organization that you would prefer not to be interrupted, or have meetings scheduled, during this period (if at all possible).

This period will likely be your most productive time each day, so be sure to schedule it to occur when your energy is at its peak. Jealously guard these "me" times, and be persistent about requesting that others respect them, else they will erode over time and be sucked back into the maelstrom of day-to-day demands.