The Modern Manager 224: Proven Strategies to Unleash Your Team’s Potential with Russ Laraway
Management is about helping other people achieve greatness - in the results they produce and the career path they take. However, if you've had any experience as a manager, you know how difficult it can be to help a variety of people develop their skill sets and get work done, all while fostering healthy team dynamics and driving towards goals. It helps to know the specific areas you should focus on to help your team grow most efficiently with the limited time you have.
Today’s guest is Russ Laraway. Russ has had a diverse 28 year operational management career. He was a Company Commander in the Marine Corps before starting his first company, Pathfinders. From there, Russ went to the Wharton School, and then onto management roles at Google and Twitter. He then co-founded Candor, Inc., along with best selling author Kim Scott.
Russ and I talk about what he’s discovered through research are the most important areas of focus for a manager. We get into why it's so hard to be a great manager, and what you can do to immediately put Russ’s finding to work for your team.
One member of the Modern Manager community can get a copy of Russ’s book: When They Win, You Win. Russ provides a handbook for managers on how to implement The Big 3 - a surprisingly simple, coherent leadership approach that measurably and predictably delivers more engaged employees and better business results. To be eligible, join the Modern Manager community as a Patron or sign up for The Modern Manager Skills Accelerator.
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Read the related blog article: Simplify Management by Focusing on These Three Areas
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Key Takeaways:
- Research has proven that more engaged employees deliver 2.5 times more revenue.
- Managers may feel overwhelmed by deciding what advice to follow. Simplify management by focusing on direction, coaching, and career.
- Develop direction by clarifying your long-term purpose and vision, and short-term quarterly goals.
- Reduce workload by prioritizing daily and weekly tasks.
- Hold Stand Up Meetings where everyone shares their weekly goals and use a Slack bot to prompt employees to enter daily goals.
- Serve as a coach to your team members to help them deliver stronger results and better behaviors.
- Desired behaviors are those aligned with your organizational or team core values. Encourage your team to either repeat successful behaviors or understand what they need to change.
- Avoid vague feedback. Use the phrase “Do you know what I love about your…” to encourage positive behaviors.
- We are here to assist our teammates realize their wildest dreams, not just do well in their current role.
- Help your people develop their long term vision of where they ultimately want to end up.
- Look for opportunities to help them grow and advance in alignment with that vision.