Mark Schwartz, Author of The Managers Oracle shares with us the following excerpt from his book…
Facilitating Staff
Make no mistake: A leader/manager’s job is not simply planning and budgeting. It’s not just report-writing or self-importantly handing out orders for subordinates to follow. Nor is it sitting behind a big desk and blithely picking up a plump paycheck.
A most important part of your job as leader/manager is the major responsibility to constantly and thoroughly facilitate your team’s work – ALL OF IT. That means being sure that every one of your team members has available – right at hand and just as-needed – all of the resources required to get his or her job done right. In a nutshell, that’s what facilitating staff is really about.
Again, facilitating staff is absolutely one of the very most important things any leader/manager can undertake. For you as a new leader/manager, facilitating includes making sure your team is consistently provided with:
- supplies,
- tools,
- needed task instructions and training,
- workspace,
- clearances and approvals,
- licenses,
- good client associations,
- any needed legal support,
- accounting support,
- staffing assistance,
- appropriate contractor services,
- any other types of help they need.
You take on this big responsibility personally so that your team members can fully devote their time and energy to performing the activities they were specifically hired – and are being well-paid – to do.
Along the way, you must constantly follow up by poking, prodding, examining, and checking to be sure everyone’s job really is being done – and again, done right. As much as possible, when anything or anyone on your staff needs your attention, you are the key person – on the spot – to see that the appropriate resources are properly provided. Remember, you are not there to do your employees’ work for them; you are there to periodically look over their shoulders, make sure they have everything they need and are making good use of their resources, and to help if/when anything serious gets in their way.
From my book, The Manager’s Oracle, here is a brief key lesson that will help you understand the great value of facilitating a broad range of your staff’s needs.
Lesson: As you diligently facilitate your staff, you’ll find that your attention to detail at this high level will pay consistently high dividends.
Your team will quickly begin to surpass their accustomed levels of productivity. Your boss should start to notice this excellent trend. Your team members will be proud to see their efforts paying off. Finally and very importantly, you might well begin to see your own career blossom in unexpected and desirable ways.
Learn more about Mark and The Manager’s Oracle at oracle125.com