During my tenure as a vice president of human resources for a credit union in Maryland, I worked with two human resources generalists on my team. Both were good at their jobs; they each had completed training and certifications in HR. Yet one was exceptional—she had a few more years of experience than the other employee and had gained knowledge and confidence through everyday practice. She was a self-starter who I could give any project to and be confident that the result would be excellent and completed on time.
I remember a conversation we had as we discussed rewards and recognition. She made it clear that she never wanted to be publicly acknowledged, and she also didn’t need constant affirmation that she was doing a good job. She certainly wanted to know if she did something exceptional, or if there was an area she could improve, but she didn’t need daily affirmation. What she really wanted was autonomy to complete her projects and access to growth opportunities and higher-level projects to continue to increase her skills.
The other employee performed well in her position, yet she required a different type of management. She asked more detailed questions, wanted more direction with projects, and requested feedback on her approach to an issue or project more often. She had less experience with the practical application of HR and was still building her confidence.
Weekly meetings were the right cadence for this employee so I could provide more detailed feedback and let her know if she was on or off track. She needed more reassurance in her role, so I would check in with her more often. Once given the information and guidance she needed, she would perform tasks and projects very well.
While this approach would have felt like micromanagement to my high performing employee, it was the best approach to support the other employee to be successful.
As leaders, we must be able to adjust our style to the individual we are working with to bring out their best performance.
There is no “one size fits all” in leadership. Great leaders build a relationship with each employee and flex their style to cultivate success for that individual.
Highly skilled professionals often require a different type of leadership style than more entry level employees.
The following are generalizations of leadership tactics for different employees, and each employee is different and unique so a blend of each of these styles might be most useful:
Entry level employee:
Provide clear, step-by-step instructions and guidelines. You may need to check in more frequently, and don’t be surprised if the employee approaches you with more detailed questions. You may need to walk an employee through the process, and it may take more time to train up front. As an employee becomes more confident and capable, move to a more supportive style. Be clear about check-ins and how you expect the employee to communicate with you.
Highly skilled employee:
Less directive, more supportive leadership. Provide a clear vision, guidelines, or instructions, and then let the employee use their judgment and skills to deliver results. Ask for their opinions and ideas and encourage them to share them. Involve them in important decisions regarding a member or an issue. Give them all the resources and background information to do their job well, and then provide the independence to do the work. Be clear about how much you want to be updated on projects, and then trust the employee to manage the project. Offer support and guidance when asked.
During the pandemic, many credit unions shifted most employees to a virtual model, which required managers to adjust how they measured results.
Most of us were accustomed to tracking hours at work. Once employees were working from home, that model wasn’t effective. Many leaders struggled with this, as they were accustomed to measuring an employee’s time in the office rather than results or outcomes. I know several high performing employees who were frustrated when their manager required them to be constantly connected all day instead of trusting they would get the work done independently.
High performing employees don’t thrive in an environment of micromanagement and rigid policies. They are successful when given the authority and autonomy to apply their knowledge, skills, and judgment, and are often much more productive than the average employee.
Focusing on results and outcomes is the best approach to managing high performers.
As our organizations continue to evolve, and the needs and values of employees shift, leaders will need to foster an environment of support and flexibility when leading teams.
Exceptional leaders will learn what will unlock the potential and best performance of each team member and adjust their style to facilitate high performance.
Learn more about The Exceptional Leader program for training in leadership styles and being flexible in them with your employees.
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I really love and enjoy this reading. Reading this I learned that when you speak out clearly you thoughts and ideas people see you as winner, because you are not afraid to go straight to the point.
Great article.....And happy belated birthday! Welcome to my world, young lady!
Whenever I have a work project that I keep putting off - I think about delegating that project to someone else - which accomplishes 2 things- it gets the project done and frees us my brain space thinking about it.
Good morning. I loved this read. Thank you so much for sharing. Sincerely, Melissa :)
Thank you for this blog Laurie. I liked most part and specially "As organizations have become more complex, there is a tendency to require employees to do more with less. This is a slippery slope, and often can result in employees feeling overwhelmed and burnt out. One of the biggest contributors to this is not evaluating resources during the strategic planning process." I will use this practice "A best practice is to do what I call Priority Planning—putting important practices on your calendar ahead of time so they become a priority in your day. Examples of activities to Priority Plan include scheduling recurring coaching sessions with each team member, time for strategic thinking and planning, vacations, doctor appointments, important children’s events, and blocks of time for focused work on projects." To be more effective, I will get a good rest so I can have enough energy in the morning. I will read the blog again along with the other links on employee evaluation. Thank you so much Laurie. Best wishes to you and your family.
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I love the feedback on the more than 50 hours of work. AND filling time. So true. Unfortunately, showing that you work longer hours is still seen as being a "hard worker" - not sure how to change that though.
I enjoyed the read. I concur that transitioning from technical skills to delegating results was a task within itself. I did not realize I was almost trying to do the same thing from my previous position, and it was not working. However, I am seeing the results of how delegating daily tasks makes my job and workload easier. Thank you, Laurie.
Thank you for sharing information about your trip Laurie! All 3 things resonate with me - probably #1 being the biggest. I know when I'm gone for a week, I'm still thinking about work and need a vacation when I get back because I did not relax enough. I think your idea of a longer vacation is definitely in my future!!
Hey Laurie, My take on your list - 1 - everyone has a story - listen 2- social media causes interpersonal problems 5- generational differences create hurdles / earn it you aren't entitled / we should help them get there not give it to them 6 AMEN some leaders I would have followed thru Hell, some I wish - well, you know 7- true BUT be as good as your word and 14- Hopefully we leave some good from our efforts, I know the good leaders I have had have. Seen a lot in my career but it really comes down to treat others the way you want to be treated, fair, honest, and straight forward. Good read. Take care
I love this so much and thank you so much for sharing! I really just love realizing that enjoying the simple things sometimes is the best! Also recognizing that what is important and fun to you may not be everyone else's fun on the on the trip. “Do we get to keep these toiletries?” was my favorite!!!! :):) Glad you had a great time and got to spend it with your family!
I very much resonate with lesson no 3! Thank you Laurie
I think the part that you might have missed in their top 5 things, some of which were not "Italian" or even different from home, all of them happened with you, both of you. And i think that is what they will remember too. And you've got tons of photos that will remind them of what the Sistine Chapel looked like - then they might remember what it sounded like or smelled like. Oh- and i agree with you 100% about sleep!
LOTS of great take-aways from this post! Thank you for posting! I especially love "slow down to speed up". That's a keeper!
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the not getting enough rest to be at my best. definitely need to get more quality sleep and make that a priority
It really is hard to narrow down the 3 lessons into one because they are all so interconnected. You need to give your mind and body THE TIME to relax SO THAT you can enjoy the SIMPLE THINGS, including REST. I enjoyed that lesson as a whole. I will take that lesson with me on my next vacation (or staycation). As always, thank you Laurie for your candor and for sharing your own lessons with others so that we too can benefit.
Great information and reminders
Laurie, Thank you for sharing your trip and these nuggets. The lessons that resonate most with me are it does take time to relax and getting proper rest. When you devote 15 plus hours of your day for work, taking care of home and others; the 6-7 hours you lay down does not cut it! For me during this time I'm trying to unwind and find myself thinking fighting not to think about what I have to do tomorrow. Even after I create a to do list for the next day...I find things I need to add. Taking a day off here and there doesn't cut it as well because of all the plans you have for that day. I try to make sure my Mental Health Days remains just that.... time for me to laugh, cry, scream.... whatever I need to release the cares and stress!
Really enjoyed the article... and all very true!
Since I was already well aware of #1 (I'm in the same boat with taking a long time to relax), I think I'm resonating most with #3. I'm learning to prioritize sleep / rest and it's been wonderful. Love that you said "I love sleep.". :)
Welcome back from vacation. Well deserve! Action is the key to success. Shoulder to shoulder, coaching and delegating task to help other employees grow are very important. It is a sacrifice that one must do. Forget about yourself and be with your team day in and out to help them grow, is not always easy. On the long run, your team is stronger, and you can depend on them for the success of the organization. Thank you so much!
So many great tips here, thank you!
I am so impressed you're able to disconnect and these are great tips I'll be sure to try on my next trip!
Such a great post - so inspiring!