Teams rely on their managers to cut through the mucky-muck and help
them get their jobs done. Middle managers are most likely to face
mucky-muck because they interact with more functions, levels,
groups, and individuals than others in the agency. Once mucky-muck
presents itself, there are ways you can reduce its power over your
department and organization. Let's look at 11 high-impact
management techniques for navigating through the mucky-muck.
Technique 1: Do the right homework
Jim and his team needed to come up with a department plan for the
coming year. They knew that senior management had several
preconceived ideas about what the plan should look like. Rather
than wasting their time creating a plan that only represented what
they thought the priorities should be, they first sought to
understand the senior managers' points of view, and then they
developed their plan. Some might say this approach was faulty
because it led to Jim and his team circumscribing their own ideas
to those of senior management. Though this may be true, the team
knew that the senior managers had already made up their minds about
what they thought needed to happen. The team members knew that they
could most help the organization by developing a plan that
implemented senior management's ideas in the best possible way. In
the end, they were able to influence several aspects of the plan
much more than they would have had they not been sensitive to
senior management's agendas.
As a middle manager, you will face situations like this on a
regular basis. If there are strong opinions or relationships
influencing a decision maker, it is best to do your homework and
discover what they are before wasting too much time working in an
opposite direction. Before starting a project, ask yourself, "Is
there historical information that would be helpful to know? What
are senior management's thoughts on this project? What approaches
have been suggested in the past? Are there preferred vendors or
partners that should be maintained?" There may be times when this
added work and research is not necessary and unencumbered creative
thinking is possible. However, it is always better to err on the
side of being prepared and doing your homework.
Technique 2: Pick and choose your battles
Ann knew that she was right about the benefits of changing to a
different vendor and that she had presented a thorough case to her
bosses. She felt the decision to turn down her proposal was not
logical. She did not want to let go of her idea, but in the end she
realized that it was not a battle worth fighting. The current
vendor cost more and did not provide the high level of service that
the proposed vendor would have; but overall, the service they
received was satisfactory. Nothing terrible was going to happen if
they kept the current vendor. There would be bigger and more
important battles to fight another day, and Ann knew it was better
to let this one go.
Middle managers often face the decision whether to hold firm and
fight for what they think is right or accept another decision and
move on. If you wage too many battles, you may end up commanding
less respect in your organization. In addition, your message will
seem watered-down and ineffective. Like the story of the boy who
cried wolf, if you tout every proposal or idea as critically
important, you will eventually find that the truly important
projects will be ignored or seen as being unworthy of special
consideration. High-impact managers know how to choose their
battles and use their influence for maximum gain and consequence.
Technique 3: Focus energy where it will count
Tracy and her team knew there were a few departments that were not
receptive to the coaching and development they could provide. She
offered their services to all departments but focused on working
with the few groups that showed interest in, and would most benefit
from, their support. At any time, the other groups could change
their mind and receive help as well. Tracy recognized that the
saying "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink"
also applied to individual managers and teams. By not forcing her
support onto the managers who were obviously not interested in
working with her, Tracy was able to spend her time in a way that
was more fruitful and satisfying.
Middle managers work hard to have a positive influence on as broad
an audience as possible. When individuals or groups show that they
are not receptive, focus your efforts and attention in another
direction. This, of course, is not always possible. If a middle
manager finds that the people who report directly to him are not
receptive to management, then he needs to address and fix the
problem. The manager cannot choose to manage another group instead.
If, however, there are several possible projects to propose and
work on, it is wise to consider which will receive more
collaboration and cooperation when deciding how to manage your and
your team's time and resources.
Technique 4: Overcommunicate, be inclusive, and follow
up
Lou assumed that other managers understood his role and the
functions of which he had ownership. It is rarely safe to assume
that this kind of interdepartmental understanding exists. A better
approach for Lou would have been to communicate more frequently and
with a wider audience about the projects and initiatives that he
and his group were undertaking. All middle managers should err on
the side of overcommunication to reduce the likelihood of
miscommunication, duplication of work, and contradictory
information.
Technique 5: Analyze and fix it
When Mike joined the organization as the accounting manager, it was
fraught with contradictory financial information and inaccurate
reports. He rolled up his sleeves, dug into the numerical mess, and
fixed many of the problems with the data. He also oversaw the
creation of several reports that helped managers run their parts of
the agency more effectively. When faced with contradictory
information, duplication of efforts, or miscommunication, great
middle managers do whatever it takes to understand and solve the
problem. Good analysis goes a long way toward reducing or
eliminating these and other types of mucky-muck.
Technique 6: Ask probing questions to reveal motives and
hidden agendas
Mindy was an intuitive manager who knew the right questions to ask
to discover a person's real intent and motivation. At one meeting,
a manager was recommending that they restructure several roles.
Mindy asked several questions to determine this manager's motive
for recommending the change. Privately, she speculated whether his
agenda was to increase the size of his organization or if he
thought the current department manager was doing a poor job.
Mindy's open-ended questions helped to clarify the details of the
manager's recommendation. High-impact managers know when and how to
ask the right questions that help explain the intent and motivation
behind others' comments and suggestions.
Technique 7: Repair Relationships
John and Barry knew that their relationship was dysfunctional, but
it was not until they were honest with each other that they were
able to repair it and work together more effectively. Once they
resolved issues between them, both of their departments experienced
less mucky-muck. It can be uncomfortable and difficult, but it is
important for you to repair damaged relationships with current
employees or co-workers. When not dealt with, these poor
relationships will get in the way of communication, work flow, and
results. Repairing a relationship does not mean that you have to
socialize with each other; it means being able to work together
productively and collaboratively. Workplace relationships should
facilitate rather than hinder productive work.
Technique 8: Believe in the capacity people have for change
and learning
If Tim had not looked past his employees' learned helplessness, he
might have written them off as poor performers. Instead, he created
a work environment that nurtured creativity and initiative. It took
a while, but most of the previously lethargic employees became more
engaged and passionate about their work. They accepted the changes
that Tim was implementing and offered ideas for additional
improvements. Great middle managers know that most performance
problems are actually management or system problems and that, given
the right guidance and leadership, nearly all employees will have
the desire and capacity to do a great job. Mucky-muck can get in
the way of people doing their best work, but the damage does not
have to be permanent.
Technique 9: Get organized
When Sally started her new job, she took over for an extremely
unorganized manager. The first couple of months were difficult for
Sally, and she felt set up to fail. Mucky-muck that comes from
disorganization is common but is also the easiest kind to fix. Once
Sally created a filing system and a routine that worked for her,
she gained control of her department and became productive and
successful. High-impact managers know that they need to stay
organized to ensure that they and their teams are efficient and
feel confident about their work. Whether done daily, weekly, or as
needed, creating and practicing methods for organizing work is an
important skill for middle managers.
Technique 10: Lighten up and roll with it
Tim was an intense middle manager who let mucky-muck frustrate him.
He asked why it was that things had to be a certain way or why it
wasn't easier to get work done. This emotional reaction got in the
way of his moving past the mucky-muck and getting his job done. It
would have been better for him to shrug his shoulders, chuckle a
bit, and rethink how to get the work done. Like Tim, some middle
managers take mucky-muck too seriously. They get upset about the
inefficiencies and frustration mucky-muck causes, which keeps them
from being able to navigate through it. When dealing with
mucky-muck, the first action you should take is to see it for the
ridiculous barrier that it is. The middle managers who prevail
despite it all are able to quickly move beyond the barriers. They
know there are many ways to make a difference, and that they can do
great work even when faced with mucky-muck. Sometimes, the best
approach is just to laugh at it and move on.
Technique 11: See and enjoy accomplishments
Jim was grumbling to Lou about how hard it was to work in their
organization because of all the mucky-muck he faced daily. Lou
agreed but chose to see it another way. Although Jim was right
about the mucky-muck, Lou saw the situation as inspiring and
hopeful. They had a great middle management team that accomplished
much under difficult working conditions. They had been successful
in creating major change and improvements within a work environment
that was rife with politics, disorganization, and other permeations
of mucky-muck. What an accomplishment! Moreover, they were learning
skills that would benefit their careers and enable them to prevail
in almost any work environment. Yes, it was frustrating, and, yes,
getting things done should not have been so hard, but the success
of the team was worthy of celebration. Middle managers who produce
results and get through the mucky-muck should recognize and take
pride in the work they do and the results they achieve against the
odds.
Be part of the solution, not the problem
As a high-impact manager, you need to be careful that you do not
become a mucky-muck generator. Now that it is clear what mucky-muck
is and how it damages productivity and results, you have the
responsibility to own the mucky-muck that you create and to
eliminate it. There are significant benefits in doing so. First,
your work will be more meaningful and successful when not deluged
with self-inflicted mucky-muck. Second, middle managers who ensure
that they do not become part of the problem will enjoy others'
respect and trust. To make your workplace productive, use these
guidelines:
- Plan and communicate work plans in clear and complete terms.
- Communicate openly and candidly with managers, peers, and
employees.
- Understand the motivations and intentions behind your ideas and
suggestions. Share them honestly.
- Share projects and initiatives with peers at the formative
stage of planning and implementation.
Note: This article is excerpted from High-Impact Middle Management: Solutions for Today's Busy
Public-Sector Managers by Lisa Haneberg.
Lisa Haneberg is vice president and organizational development
practice leader for MPI Consulting and has taught and coached
hundreds of managers during the past 25 years. As a manager,
management trainer, and coach for companies both large and small,
she has held leadership positions focused on manager development
and effectiveness. Her expertise includes one-to-one management
coaching, management course facilitation, organization development,
and business writing. She is a certified master trainer and
behavioral assessment interpreter; lisahaneberg.com.
2010 ASTD, Alexandria, VA. All rights reserved.