It’s a question I get asked a lot: How do I create more autonomy in my team?
Then when I ask: How much time do you spend coaching and managing your resources? The answer I receive most often looks like: “I don’t go through enough” or its opposite: “A lot but I don’t get the desired result”.
It is true that managers want teams that are as autonomous as possible and at the same time are very busy. So how do you create more autonomy even without having a lot of time? And how much time do you need to create more autonomy in your teams?
Using three parameters, this article presents a way to “calculate” the time you should put into coaching your team in order to create more autonomy.
I often hear that “coaching = micro-management”. No. Fair and caring supervision propels motivation and commitment. Nothing is worse than being left to your own devices, even if the person is “senior”. An experienced person simply needs a different supervision than a junior person, but the need remains there.
1-How much time should I spend coaching my team?
We will consider three parameters: your level of management, the level of seniority of your team members and the logical risk.
Parameter 1: Your management level
In my Manage and Lead online training , I use three levels of management to explain the necessary and developing skills for the manager. Here is a brief overview.
- Management level 1: closest to operations. You will find job titles such as team leader, supervisor, coordinator. At the same time, no matter what your title is, if you directly manage people who “do” and “produce”, you are at this level. (Some directors are Level 1 and there’s not necessarily a problem with that if that’s what the company structure requires!)
- Management level 2: the one between two managers. You have a manager and you manage managers. So you’re a middle manager, again, regardless of your job title.
- Management Level 3: You are an officer, partner, or executive member. Your tasks are rather strategic and if you have a boss, it is either the manager or a board of directors for example.
If you feel that you are on 2 levels, it may very well be. Especially in small companies.
So, don’t get confused with the job titles here, and no level is negative 😊
Parameter 2: Your team’s seniority level
- Junior: between 1 and 3 / 5 years depending on your field and your expectations
- Intermediate: 3/5 to 10 years depending on your field and your expectations
- Senior: 10 years and more depending on your field and your expectations
I say “according to your field and your expectations” because the level of autonomy expected and necessary in a very small or small company is much higher than in a large company. If you have less than 30 or 40 employees, you don’t have much room for “error” and less budget than a company that has hundreds or even thousands of employees.
It has nothing to do with productivity, but more with risk management. If I have a team of 5 people who make up my company, they must be rightly supervised according to their expertise and experience. Generally, I don’t hire 5 juniors in this situation, unless you have enough time to support them.
Metric 3: Logical risk
So, how much risk are you willing to take? What are the impacts of a junior person in your small business if you don’t have the time to take care of them?
The choices you make in recruitment are key and must take into account your time and your reality. If you recruit people who are too “junior” and you don’t put in the necessary coaching time, you’re going straight into a wall.
Take a few moments to make a list of the people on your team and their level of seniority. What are your expectations of these people? Are they realistic compared to the time you take to accompany them? Are these people successful? Are they motivated and committed?
You are now able to assess your risk (high, medium or low). (The more junior people you have, combined with high expectations, the higher the theoretically higher the risk.)
2-How long should it take me to supervise my teams in order to create more autonomy?
A-Outline to be used to determine the management time needed to create autonomy
Management Level + Senior Level + Business Risk = Management Time
The higher your level of management, the less time you have.
Then, the lower the level of seniority, the more time is needed.
Finally, the higher your risk level, the more key it is to offer time.
B-What to do with this weather?
At Level 3
The more you tend towards level 3 management, the more your tasks should be related to vision, culture sharing, optimization and strategy.
- Your management time should be focused on creating culture, sharing your vision, and explaining priorities (the why). Then to “pass the buck” for operationalization.
- The coaching and training offered to your managers must be related to leadership, the application of your company’s values and its culture. In addition, know how to communicate the vision and set clear objectives to help “their” managers measure performance.
At Level 2
Your tasks are very much related to monitoring, managing indicators, clarifying expectations, and managing performance.
- Your management time at the management level should be mainly focused on clarifying expectations, why, and how to achieve the desired performance. (You absolutely need to know how to handle difficult conversations to avoid conflict!)
- The coaching and training offered to your teams should be on organization, planning, difficult conversations, conflict management and delegation.
At Level 1
Your management tasks are more in line with the planning, the scheduling of tasks, but you have an operational role.
- Your management time should be focused on validating the quality of what is produced and offered.
- The coaching and training offered to your teams should be on understanding the task, processes and culture (e.g. customer approach).
And for all levels of management
– Share direction, goals, meaning, at your level
The more people understand the impact of their role and responsibilities on the team and the entire organization, the more relevant their decisions will be. The more relevant decisions they make, the more satisfied you will be. Tell yourself that we don’t know what we don’t know and that it’s your role to share the why and the direction.
– Take time to discuss and exchange ideas
Too many new motivated employees who share ideas get a quick response (you don’t know how it works here yet, wait a bit, we’ll show you and then you’ll give us your ideas.).
This has a more negative impact than you might think.
To make a positive impact, all you have to do is listen, exchange and get to know each other. Eventually you write down the ideas and prioritize them.
-Offer support (coaching, training, mentoring)
You coach, you mentor, you train on technical things, on your corporate culture, on the reality of customers. You also train on management skills and leadership. This support is the best investment you will make in yourself, for others and for the success of your organization.
– Adapt your leadership
Adapt your leadership style to situations and people. If you’d like to learn more about Daniel Goleman’s six leadership styles, read this recent article on leadership styles.
C-Ok Geneviève, I understand, but I don’t have time
Not convinced yet? There’s no magic, but there are tricks 😉
- Ask members of your organization to be the focal point for technical, administrative, or cultural matters. You could have a welcoming committee, 3 to 5 people who divide the responsibility of training and answering questions.
- If you don’t have a clear plan for onboarding newcomers, now is the time to create one. The person could be in charge of his or her own plan.
- Bring a new person to a customer’s home, or to the field (production for example). This will allow the person to understand what is most important as quickly as possible.
- If the person does not have the skills or understanding of the impact of their task, do not tell them if you cannot supervise them a minimum or accept the risk. Just make informed choices.
- Recruit people who match your reality and meet the needs of the team.
In conclusion
In order to create more autonomy, consider the composition of your team according to your organization’s level of risk and your level of management responsibilities.
Assume your choices. Accept a margin of error. Have a recruitment and integration plan that is relevant and optimal for your reality. And above all, get help.