By James R. Lint
Faculty Member, School of Business, American Military University
November is a time when academics attend the DevLearn 2016 Conference & Expo in Las Vegas. This conference is “for training and learning professionals who are leading or engaged in their organizations’ use of learning technologies,” according to the DevLearn website. The conference is also a networking event for meeting peers in the academic world.
A company called Jhana Education, Inc. (also a sponsor of the event) produced an interesting 8×11 worksheet for guiding management training sessions or discussions. Jhana designed this worksheet to help managers improve the work of their first-level managers.
This worksheet, “10 Commandments of Great Managers,” contains some valuable suggestions for training first-level managers and supervisors, including:
- Be proactive about building a relationship with your boss. Do not assume it will occur naturally. The boss may be busy and let it slip. Understand their responsibilities and schedule.
- Give more feedback than you think you should. Most of it should be positive.
- Set clear specifications for every task you delegate and be willing to let go of control.
- Have regular career discussions with direct reports. Listen and ask open-ended questions.
- Seek honest feedback from peers, direct reports and managers.
- Embrace change and lead the activity.
- Cast a wide hiring net to enhance your hiring pool; source from a wide variety of channels.
- Strong peer relationships will help you secure the resources your team needs to do good work.
However, two of the ten Commandments mentioned in this management worksheet might be problematic for managers. In management, common sense is important as well as understanding the situation and location.
For example, a manager with widespread authority may find it difficult to hold regular weekly one-on-one meetings for at least 30 minutes with direct reports. If there are many such direct reports or if they are located remotely, this idea ought to be reconsidered.
The concept of having quality time with direct reports is good. But if travel time detracts from managers’ ability to accomplish their mission, then perhaps infrequent videoconferences would be a better idea.
Then there is the suggestion to initiate tough conversations with a boss, peers and direct reports. Carrying out this objective is difficult if the participants are working in other countries or with other cultures.
In many places in Asia, for example, starting a tough conversation with a boss that is unnecessary or perceived as impertinent could be seen as a lack of respect for the boss. It could also provide upper-level management with a reason to downgrade your career.
For new supervisors and managers, learning, reading and acquiring work tools such as the tools produced by Jhana and other companies improve your basic management tool kit. The more you learn, the more you will be ready for the unusual situations that all managers face in their career.
About the Author
James R. Lint recently retired as the (GG-15) civilian director for intelligence and security, G2, U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command. He is an adjunct professor at AMU. James has been involved in cyberespionage events from just after the turn of the century in Korea supporting 1st Signal Brigade to the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis as the first government cyber intelligence analyst. He has 38 years of experience in military intelligence with the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, government contracting and civil service.
Additionally, James started the Lint Center for National Security Studies, a nonprofit charity that recently awarded its 43th scholarship for national security students and professionals. James was also elected as the 2015 national vice president for the Military Intelligence Corps Association. He has also served in the Department of Energy’s S&S Security Office after his active military career in the Marine Corps for seven years and 14 years in the Army. His military assignments include South Korea, Germany and Cuba, in addition to numerous CONUS locations. James has authored a book published in 2013, “Leadership and Management Lessons Learned,” and a new book in 2016 “8 Eyes on Korea, A Travel Perspective of Seoul, Korea.”
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