Divided Expectations

Over the past several months, we have been conducting some intriguing research on the relationship between senior management and the people directly reporting to them.

We asked both groups what they most expected or needed from the other. As you might surmise, we found some interesting results.
 

Findings:

First, the most frequent answer from senior management about what they most expected from their direct reports was the delivery of business results. Whether it was stated as making plan, retiring quota, or hitting the numbers, the message was clearly about fulfilling the financial business objectives.

In the same light, the most common answer from the direct reports about what they expected from senior management: provision of the necessary resources and appropriate assistance so plan could be made.

Doesn't seem to be a lot of confusion around that issue. Whether the specific targets are always perfectly clear or not, both groups are in step on the importance and expectations of the financial results.

But, check out the following set of responses!

Senior managers next said they need their direct reports to provide more options, that is, thoughtful, proactive alternative courses of action. They were quick to admit that as the senior team, they did not have all the answers. Usually included in this response was the need for direct reports to take more risks and try new things.

On the other hand, the direct reports said they wanted to be heard more frequently and trusted more fully by the senior team.

These responses are not aligned. They reflect an interesting dilemma that holds back a lot of organizations.

It is difficult to pinpoint the one main reason why this dilemma occurs, but it is rarely intentional. We have found little evidence of senior managers saying the want or need options, and then consciously blocking the attempts of their people to provide them. Nor have we found the direct reporting groups to be merely a bunch of whiners. They usually have some compelling examples of being ignored or discounted by the senior team.
 

Steps to Take:

So what can you do to close the gap between these surprisingly different viewpoints? Here are some options for each group of managers to consider.

For Senior Management:

• Assume (or admit) that you are in fact not listening to your direct reports and thus are sending a disabling, mixed message to them. Take some responsibility for their perceptions of not being heard vs. trying to prove they are mistaken.
   
• Examine the processes you have for getting options surfaced. When the senior team meets, do you allocate agenda time to hear and consider proposals from your people? Do you address an option in a timely manner or put it into some kind of labyrinth, where it must pass through seemingly endless layers of bureaucracy and exhaustive examination before it can ever be surfaced for consideration.
   
• Examine your beliefs about the talent at the next level? Is it possible that you really don't have much faith in their judgments? Do you truly believe they are able to forward an idea that you have not already considered?
   
• Examine your communications/feedback processes. Are you thoughtfully tabling and discussing the ideas and options of your direct reports, but never letting them know?
   
• Have some one on one dialogue with your people to find out why they do not believe they are being heard - or trusted. Address those concerns head on, right now.

For the Direct Reporting Level:

• Examine why you are not being heard. Have you done your homework? Are you persistent enough? Do you have some genuine conviction about your ideas or are you really just launching trial balloons?
   
• Examine your beliefs. Are your perceptions about not being heard really valid today, or are they spawned from myths or previous experiences that occurred some time ago?
   
• Examine the way you try to advance options. Are you proactive? Are you getting on the right calendars? Do senior people recognize when you are putting forth a valid option vs. merely thinking out loud?
  
• Have a candid discussion with your boss (and perhaps your self) about the extent that you are worthy of being listened to and trusted. Are you consistently expanding and demonstrating your capabilities? Are you perceived as providing good results or good excuses? Do you think about the business like a senior team member?

The bad news is there are a lot of organizations experiencing this dilemma right now. If you are one of them, the good news is the solution is within your grasp. Do not let another day go by without confronting the issue when it surfaces. The stakes are too high in terms of both organization performance and strong work relationships to let it continue to fester.

Click here for last month's lesson: Update on Generation X

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