The Good Sergeant

Long ago when I got my sergeant stripes the Senior Master Sergeant gave me the best advice. “A good sergeant doesn’t need to know everything but they need to know where to find out.”

That advice applies to good management everywhere. Know where to find the answers. That requires a keen understanding of the strengths of everyone around you – up and down the ladder. A good manager is a facilitator not a dictator. They help frame the questions, set the direction, and grow collective understanding. They provide solid information and solutions up the chain and down the chain.

A good manager build relationships with their staff that delivers consistent results and well thought out solutions to the organizations challenges. Talents and resources are maximized and everyone is valued. It takes a while to develop but when it comes together the team works like a well oiled machine. They understand each other so well, they can almost end one another’s sentences. When a problem comes up, members of the team will quickly begin to say, “we should get …. involved” because they too recognize who has a strength in the area needed.

New managers often struggle with this. They think they need to sound like an expert in every aspect of the organization they manage. Or they too quickly assume they know because they cannot accept that they don’t. So they make decisions without consulting with the experts they have. Mis-steps and mistakes can compound quickly. They loose staff confidence and loose credibility with their organization.

If you want to manage well, be a facilitator, not a dictator. Make it your mission to know who your experts are – up and down the ladder. Help communicate the best information – up and down the ladder. It may take time but it’s well worth the effort and leads to long term positive results.

Written By: Blog Contributor: Linda S. Henderson