Benchmark Business Group

Flip Management Upside Down

February 13, 2018

At Benchmark Business Group, we believe that business is three things: Strategy, Structure & Engagement of People. In well-designed businesses people are engaged to work through well-thought-out structures to achieve the strategy. When this isn't the case, where there is not clear strategy, or the structures are missing, it becomes difficult for owners and managers to productively engage people. Naturally, this leads to business management issues. 
 
The mindset created when a business doesn't have a clear strategy and the right structures in place is management by oversight, also commonly called micro-management. There's a concern, often a real concern, that things won't get done or done correctly if the owner or manager isn't following up on every detail. The owner or manager's time is then spent finding information, watching how work is done, fixing mistakes, and worrying. This leads to the majority of the business's resources, time, energy, etc. being pumped into simply making sure that people are "watched."
 
Or, the mindset becomes management by abdication where employees are left to swim, or sink, on their own.  The thought is that the employee should be able to handle their position on their own. And it works; until it doesn't. And when it doesn't work the owner or manager's time is spent fixing issues that didn't need to happen or that became a bigger problem than they were in the beginning.
 
In management by oversight or management by abdication the energy becomes about "pulling" the information from employees. At BBG, we like to flip the energy of management "upside-down." Instead of "pulling" information from your team, we believe information, data, knowledge, etc. should automatically and consistently flow to your managers. The strategy and structures should free the manager up from oversight and ensure there is never abdication, so that they can truly add insight into your business.
 
Imagine if the energy of your management was flipped upside down. Imagine if the structures in your business allowed your managers to get the information they need, but employees didn't feel watched. Think about what employees could accomplish if they had ownership of their positions in a way that your business still had the metrics it needs to analyze results. Dream about what would be possible if your managers had the freedom to add insight and not just oversight to your business.
 
Management is not a fight. It's not babysitting. It's simply a reflection of how your business is designed. Join us next time as we look at how to flip the energy of management upside down. Until then, become an observer in your own business. How does the energy of your management flow?

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