The 4 skills of effective frontline managers

Research from McKinsey & Co suggests that a small subset of skills correlates closely with the success of frontline managers.

I have written before about the importance of middle managers, and how frontline supervisors have a greater impact on company performance than any other role. This stems from the key role that middle managers play in project management, coaching individual performance, and the supervision of deadlines. For sure, this is not the most glamorous side of leadership, but it is where the key to higher performance lies. Middle managers coordinate the work of others and play a key role in fostering innovative and creative team environments.

According to the McKinsey article Decoding Leadership: What really matters, a survey of 189,000 people suggested that we need to encourage 4 types of behavior. Here is my take on these 4 behaviors:

1. Solve problems.

The key to effective frontline decision making is being able to diagnose and solve problems effectively. To quote Peter Drucker from the seminal management book The Effective Executive, “Effective executives are not paid to do things they like to do. They are paid to make effective decisions & get the right things done.”

When it comes to problem-solving, I always like to refer to the GROW framework:

G = Goal. 

What is the goal?

(What is the desired outcome? What problem are you trying to solve?)

R = Reality. 

What is the reality right now?

(What is happening? (hint: ask why 5 times to identify the root cause)? What are the facts? What does the data say?)

O = Options.  

What options do we have?

(List all options you can think of; and the pros and cons of each option)

W = What should we do? (or What next? or Way forward?)

What do you recommend we do next?

(Choose or recommend a course of action. Identify the next action step)

2. Strong focus on results.

Again to quote Drucker, “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results.”

As I wrote in a previous article, managers must weed the garden. Making performance visible using a dashboard is immensely helpful, but it is just the first step. Team leaders must meet regularly with their people to ensure they are achieving the required standard of performance and meeting their deadlines consistently and provide corrective feedback as appropriate.

3. Seek different perspectives.

General George Patton said, “If everyone is thinking the same, then someone isn’t thinking.” Effective managers welcome contrary opinions. They are secure enough to let their people disagree with them & to argue for alternative options, especially when working to solve problems (the “O” stage of the GROW model). They let everyone speak and make sure they feel heard. They try to get all the options on the table to help reduce their personal biases before making a decision. Then, they make a clear decision and ensure it gets implemented.

4. Support others.

According to the research, by showing authenticity and a sincere interest in their people, effective managers build trust. This foundation of trust enables them to coach their team members more effectively, to manage internal conflicts, and promote organizational efficiency.

For sure, different business situations and contexts will require different leadership styles, but the research points to these 4 behaviors as being foundational for success, particularly for those managers on the front line.

Which of these 4 behaviors do you need to work on in your organization?

Stephen Lynch

Author "Business Execution For RESULTS", Winner 2014 Small Business Book Awards - Management Category

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