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

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BlessingWhite Research

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

A copy of the slides will be provided after the presentation.

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We will begin shortly

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.

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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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HousekeepingSend a Chat message or question to the speaker

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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?

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Diana ZarnochBlessingWhite

Consultant &

Technical Talent Practice Leader

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Who are your “smart employees”…

…and what do they want?

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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.

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

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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

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Needs of Smart Employees• Achievement

• Autonomy

• Professional Identification

• Participation in Mission and Goals

• Collegial Support and Sharing

• Keeping CurrentLeading Technical Professionals © BlessingWhite, Inc.

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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

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What can happen when they…

…become leaders?

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They Stay in Their Comfort Zone

… and never quite getting

around to leading.

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They Manage Everyone’s Projects

….or not!

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They Experience a Tug-of-War

Develop themselves or their team?

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They Micromanage

Because they are still the experts

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Implications of the “My Way” Trap

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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

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What’s required…

…for them to lead successfully?

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Competing Dynamics of Leadership

Competence Connection

*Source: BlessingWhite

Business Aptitude Trustworthiness

Internal Attunement External Attunement

Clarity Depth

Responsibility Empathy

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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

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Leadership = Relationship

You cannot be a leader without followers.

Give followers:

• Community

• Authenticity

• Significance

• Excitement

Relationship trumps skills.

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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

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What can you do…

…to develop “smarter” leaders?

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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Questions? Thank You!

Diana Zarnoch1.908.904.1000 x8162

dianaz@bwinc.com

Fraser Marlow1.908.904.1000 x8012fraserm@bwinc.com

www.blessingwhite.com

Please give us your feedback!

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evaluation in the poll section on the right.

Please give us your feedback!

Please take a minute to complete the

evaluation in the poll section on the right.