Overview
This blog notes down something I learned recently about communication with managers. Nobody can read your mind, neither can they understand you better than yourself. With better communications, managers understand your strengths/needs/abilities better, and you career grows faster and happier.
First of all, the definition of management is concise, it differenciates leader and manager.
Definition of a management:
Management is not a promotion, it is a lateral move for people who want to get work done through and grow and develop others
The refreshing definition is also impressive, you can find a pretty good article about this in [1] of the Resources
Strength v.s. Weakness
Strength is not something that you are good at, A strength is an activity:
- that strengths you.
- that you look forward to doing.
- that leaves you energized, rather than depleted
Similar to strength, weakness is not something that you are bad at neither, but something that we hate doing.
Situational leadership
Development Levels
For the development levels, it categorizes tasks(not the people) by two metrics, competence and commitment, considering low and high for each metrics, we have different combinations
1. Competence
- Demonstrated ability and transferable knowledge to do a task
2. Commitment
- Motivation and confidence on a specific task
3. Different stage
| Stage | Competence | Commitment | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Low | High | Enthusiastic Beginner |
| D2 | Low to Some | Low | Disillusioned Learner |
| D3 | Moderate to High | Variable | Cautious Performer |
| D4 | High | High | Self-Reliant Achiever |
For different tasks of different stages above, it requires different supports. For example, people at D4 require more sharing to get the sense of accomplishment. People at D1 may require some hand-by-hand coaching, even micro-manangement here is needed.
Leadership Styles
For the leadership part, there are also two metrics, Directive and Supportive Behaviour.
1. Directive behaviour
- What and How: Give direction/Tell you what to do
2. Supportive behaviour
- Develope commitment, initiative, and positive attitudes: Provide encouragement, coaching and support
3. Different leadership styles
| Style | Directive | Supportive | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | High | Low | Directing |
| S2 | High | High | Coaching |
| S3 | Low | High | Supporting |
| S4 | Low | Low | Delegating |
Match Development levels with Leadership styles
| Stage | Competence | Commitment | Leadership | Development | Directive | Supportive | Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Low | High | Enthusiastic Beginner | Directing | High | Low | S1 |
| D2 | Low to Some | Low | Disillusioned Learner | Coaching | High | High | S2 |
| D3 | Moderate to High | Variable | Cautious Performer | Supporting | Low | High | S3 |
| D4 | High | High | Self-Reliant Achiever | Delegating | Low | Low | S4 |
Takeaways:
- Invest in your strengths. You will grow the most in areas where you are already strong.[1]
- Your strengths are more about appetite than ability. [1]
- I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles, but today it means getting along with people. —Mahatma Gandhi
- Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people. —John D. Rockefeller