Fundamentals of management

Or “The best managers just make coffee”

It is said that most meaningful things in life are easy to say and hard to do. So how would I apply that to leadership? Well, here is my view, reduced to its very bones.

In a single sentence, a leader presents a compelling vision and then acts as a proactive servant to the team as they work to bring that vision to life.

As a leader, you should think carefully about what you spend your time on to make sure you create real value. This means eliminating waste for your team and not the other way around.

Be available to provide meaningful answers to any question your team may have and offer useful help when they ask for it. That means removing obstacles, or just supporting them however you can, even if it’s as simple as making coffee.

You should always confidently and clearly be able to answer if a team member asks “What is expected of me right now?”. Susan Wheelan’s integrated model of group development outlines phases of maturity for your team. Where your team stands on that scale determines whether your answers should be precise and direct, or broad enough to foster autonomy and initiative.

Your team should ideally be in one of the higher two stages of Wheelan’s model. The first two stages are a necessary part of the journey, but if your team is still there, they are not yet performing anywhere near their full potential.

Do a daily check-in with your team, either with the whole group or individually. In these check-ins, ask — don’t tell. But always celebrate progress and explain how their work impacts the bigger picture. Make sure that these meetings promote psychological safety so team members feel free to share their honest ideas and opinions.

Work on the strategic plan and present the latest version when your team sets new concrete goals.

If your team has outside stakeholders, especially upper management, make sure that these stakeholders only interact with your team in ways that the team finds useful.

Then, stop doing everything else.

If you have time left over, and you have the skills, roll up your sleeves and take on one of your team’s concrete tasks, holding yourself to the same standard as anyone else on the team.

Because when your team is performing at the top of their game and you look back, you will find that your real contribution was not control — it was clarity and presence, and sometimes just making coffee.