Identify your possible "over-presence"
Banking on confidence
To confide (from the Latin cum,
"with" and fidere "to trust") is to give something precious to someone,
trusting him. Does trust, or its absence, have a real impact
on managerial relationships and on performance? If so, how to cultivate
it?
Compare
Remember
Over-presence can be very concrete and concern:
- Tasks
I do what the team could or should do, by themselves
- Monitoring
I check things that could be checked by the team themselves
- Areas of responsibility
My co-workers must get my approval for most decisions or actions to be taken
- Representing the team
I participate in meetings or outside events while a co-worker would bring added value to them
It can also be psychological :
My team knows that "things have to go through me".
- Tasks
I do what the team could or should do, by themselves
- Monitoring
I check things that could be checked by the team themselves
- Areas of responsibility
My co-workers must get my approval for most decisions or actions to be taken
- Representing the team
I participate in meetings or outside events while a co-worker would bring added value to them
It can also be psychological :
My team knows that "things have to go through me".
Construct a new framework
Collaborating in another way implies making the new rules
explicit and removing possible hindrances. Why function differently?
What exactly is expected? How will we know if it's more
effective? What obstacles will we encounter? What do we have to
gain?
These responses make it possible to sketch out a functional dynamic where everyone knows how they fit in.
These responses make it possible to sketch out a functional dynamic where everyone knows how they fit in.
Really trust people
A required condition for confidence to be communicative:
believing that the individuals are really capable of doing things, of
succeeding, of finding relevant solutions, of improving what
exists; accepting "hiccups", allowing people to make mistakes,
and learning from them. Trust is expressed in actions, in the everyday,
and in crisis situations.
Evaluation
3 questions
Each question has only one correct response, but be careful: among the possible responses there is one that is "almost correct" and might make the choice harder!
1 / 3
A new mission ?
Sometimes contact is difficult between Eliot and his colleagues. You are reluctant to give him a new mission: participating in quality meetings. Is this a good idea?
No, things risk going wrong and poisoning relations with his colleagues. ⚠
Well accompanied, however, the mission could help Eliot improve relations.
Yes, he will, then, have to make an effort to smooth things out. ⚠
This could indeed be a good idea, but not for this reason, because the mission won't necessarily require Eliot to be more flexible.
No, we have to confide the mission to somebody who deserves it. ⚠
The reason is debatable. Merit has its place, but we also have to help collaborators to be more competent.
Yes, it is an opportunity to assist him with his communication skills. ✓
In effect, it is a good idea, if you assist him: precise objective and success indicators, anticipation of difficulties and actions plan, regular follow up...
2 / 3
Ready for working from home?
Jade asks you if she can work from home one day a week. She is a competent colleague but not very organised and with a tendency to have work scattered all over the place. What do you say to her?
Jade, working from home is not suitable for you. You need to improve your organisational skills. ⚠
This might be a good opportunity to help her improve.
How would you organise this particular day working from home? ✓
Working from home could, indeed, help Jade organise herself as it is a change of setting. It is your responsibility to validate that her proposition is pertinent, and to ensure a follow up.
I am not really convinced this is a good idea because you tend to have work spread all over the place. Or, otherwise, we can start with a trial period of 2 weeks. ⚠
Not really encouraging! It would be better to look at what Jade will do to be able to fulfil what she plans to accomplish during her days working from home.
OK, but I am counting on you to organise yourself and stay concentrated on your work, even at home! ⚠
The message implies that you have doubts: best be clear and tell her or look at how to create favourable conditions.
3 / 3
The team seeks your advice?
During a weekly meeting, your team asks you how they should react in a tense situation with the YT department. What do you reply?
I think YT has lost confidence. You need to reassure them. ⚠
Too early to submit your solution; the team surely has ideas.
Have you already thought of organising a discussion with them?
⚠
⚠
You are proposing a solution when the team probably has other ideas.
What do you suggest?
⚠
⚠
Premature question: if the team is asking you, it is because they don't know what to do for the moment.
I will give you my opinion, but I am sure the best solutions will come from you. What are all the ideas, even if inappropriate, that you’ve already had? ✓
Yes, the first step is to show them that they have all the resources necessary to cope with the situation.
Your score is
0/3
You finished!
To review the questions and responses, please choose from the list below.