Manage Me or I Will Manage You

Welcome to Lead Learn Repeat, a weekly newsletter to help leaders make smart decisions and excel in leadership, business, and technology. All in 5 minutes or less.

This week we’re going to explore self-management and its impact on leadership.

Growing and succeeding as a leader, isn't just about managing others - it's about managing yourself effectively as well.

Let’s get into it.

In this week’s newsletter:

• 📝 Article: Manage Me or I Will Manage You

• 💡 Tip: Tips to Master Self-Management

• 💬 Quote: Peter Drucker on Management

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📝 Manage Me or I Will Manage You

I can’t take credit for coming up with the phrase “manage me or I will manage you”, but I remember clearly when I first heard it.

He was a busy senior leader not known for his bedside manner. That said, he always had time for me and on this day we were discussing a project. He didn’t want to be involved in the details of the work and was trusting me to get the job done, keep him informed of progress, and use him if I needed to.

He made it pretty clear that if he had to come looking for a status, or heard bad news from a different source, I would not like it. This is what he meant when he said “manage me or I will manage you”.

Sufficiently motivated, I did my best to hold up my part of the bargain. I used him as a hammer when I needed one, and did what I could to help projects execute.

I haven’t forgotten that phrase because it made an impact on me. It became my goal to make sure I rarely heard from him because I made sure he always had what I thought he needed.

Some might call this “managing up” but I like to think of it as strong self-management.

I wasn’t always as successful as I would have liked, but I always learned. I am a better leader today because of the opportunities and experiences he gave me.

Strong self-management doesn’t have to be complicated:

• Know the priorities

• Have a plan

• Keep stakeholders informed

• Ask for help when needed

Being self-directed and taking ownership of your work will take you far.

The best leaders I ever worked for all had this in common:

• High but fair expectations

• Trusting but willing to guide

• Space to create and execute

I try to lead like this today. It’s my job to explain the mission well - the context, the reasoning, and the guardrails. Then I trust my team to execute with support. If things aren’t going well, my first assumption is that I didn’t explain things well enough. We get aligned, adjust and move forward.

Giving people opportunities to grow and learn benefits everyone. People are happier, more efficient, more productive, and more innovative when they have more control over their work. They form teams that can face challenges head-on and come out on top. Even when you are not around.

So, how can we encourage team members to take ownership of their work and their decisions?

💡 Tips to Master Self-Management

Self-management is a skill that can be learned and improved over time.

As leaders, we need to teach our people the rules:

1. Have Clear Priorities: Know what needs to be done and when. Prioritize your tasks based on importance and urgency.

2. Communicate Effectively: Keep your leader and your team in the loop. Share progress, challenges, and successes.

3. Ask for Help When Needed: Don't waste time spinning your wheels.

4. Take Ownership: Be accountable. If you make a mistake, own it, learn from it, and move on.

5. Practice Time Management: Manage your time effectively. Use to-do lists, timers, calendars, and time blocking.

6. Take Care of Your Well-being: Prioritize your physical and mental health. A healthy mind and body are essential to perform well.

💬 Quote

Peter Drucker, a renowned leader in the field of management, said it well:

This is the essence of self-management. Take ownership of your work, make informed decisions, own your outcomes and lead by example.

The first step in leading others is in leading ourselves.

Until next time, keep leading, keep learning, and keep growing.

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