Congratulations for a job well done to Jessica Cummins and Tonquanja Giddings of Barbados
Dish prepared by Jessica Cummins. Photo by Dario Walcott.
Good day, everyone.
It has been quite some time since I have posted, but I had to make a little time for this!
As each of you have come to learn, I am a fan of high standards and professionalism. This is why I am also a fan of WorldSkills International, a competition where contestants from all over the world compete in their respective disciplines that reflect global occupational best practices.
This year, Barbados had two entrants. Tonquanja Giddings, who represented our country in Restaurant Service; and Jessica Cummins, who represented us in Cooking, and let me tell you, I saw the videos of them at work, and they did what they had to do with precision and sophistication!
Left: Jessica Cummins at Work. Above: Tonquanja Giddings at the table she set. (Photos by Dario Walcott)
Thank you, ladies, for showing the entire globe that Barbados is world-class!
If You Need to Throw Out the Bath Water . . . Keep the Baby
You are new. You are enthusiastic. You probably have a million ideas about changes that you want to make. In fact, after you have done your preliminary research, you may decide the entire way of operating needs a complete overhaul. First of all, change management is not a process that happens in isolation, and employee engagement is critical.
In part one of this survival guide, we examined some of the challenges that young managers face, and some possible solutions to these tests of character. This included recognising the importance of respect, seeking to understand the organisation’s culture, understanding how you fit into said culture, the importance of strategic planning and how to deal with employees when they seek to patronise you.
Now that you have finished your breather after reading the last article, let us delve even deeper and examine three further areas for consideration.
If You Need to Throw Out the Bath Water . . . Keep the Baby
You are new. You are enthusiastic. You probably have a million ideas about changes that you want to make. In fact, after you have done your preliminary research, you may decide the entire way of operating needs a complete overhaul.
First of all, change management is not a process that happens in isolation, and employee engagement is critical. Be an advocate for change, sure, but also respect the depth of knowledge and experience that exists in your workforce. Institutional knowledge and innovation should not be seen as dichotomous but as interdependent. Work with the employees and engage them in the process. You will find that their engagement leads to buy-in that will be important when you seek to implement change.
Another thing to consider, especially if you have studied overseas or you have explored models and methodologies that work in other countries, is cultural intelligence. Be careful when seeking to use ideas that seem to have had success in other territories. Speak to your stakeholders to get an understanding of if they can really work in our cultural and organisation. You may fear the outcome of your ideas being completely rejected, but what may actually occur is that stakeholder engagement may result in a modified model that is perfect for your organisation and/or Barbados.
Be A Lifelong Learner
You may know a lot, but you do not know everything. For your sake and that of your organisation, commit yourself to lifelong learning. The more knowledge, skills and competencies that you acquire, the more your organisation will benefit. Keeping current is vital. That Masters degree in Management that you got 10 years ago will only go so far. Get booster shots of knowledge to keep up-to-date on contemporary trends by attending refresher courses, subscribing to trade magazines or enrolling in relevant professional associations. Remember how I encouraged you, in Part 1, to do your personal SWOT analysis? An attitude of lifelong learning helps you to address those skill gaps, which will make you a better manager and leader.
Also, the same spirit of lifelong learning that you model should be encouraged throughout the organisation. Make it part of the culture. Some persons view qualifications as a means to get promoted. They get the qualifications, then they may not seek to apply what they have learned, or they do not seek to keep abreast of the best practices and occupational standards for their discipline. Help persons to understand that training is not only about their professional career development, but also about how they can contribute to the success of the organisation.
Values, Ethics, Transparency and Accountability
It is important to maintain personal moral standards and to encourage your organisation to do the same. It engenders trust between employees and you, and it boosts the reputation of your organisation. Values and ethics should not be seen as minor matters and every opportunity to reinforce them should be taken.
Furthermore, be transparent about what you do and why you do it, while exercising wisdom in what information should be disseminated and how it should be done. Also understand that you are the boss and whatever comes out of your department is your responsibility. Keep the lines of communication open with your staff and avoid throwing staff members under the proverbial bus. That aforementioned trust will always be fragile, but emphasising the importance of values, ethics, transparency and accountability will go a long way in building confidence.
Part III
Be sure to join me soon for the conclusion of this series, starting with the imploration to Communicate, Communicate, Communicate.
It was noted by said reader that yet another young Barbadian had been given the opportunity to lead in the Barbadian Civil Service. To me, “young” is relative. Just one look at Dr. Archer-Bradshaw’s storied resume reveals that she is a veteran in education, despite her cherubic features. In fact, in other cultures, where youth and energy in the workplace are more revered, there are managers in their twenties who are considered to be the young ones. Someone around Dr. Archer Bradshaw’s age (I make assumptions due to her stated twenty years of experience) would actually not be considered young at all, but would be seen as a senior mentor to younger members of staff.
A reader sent this article to me last week due to my interest in education. The article indicated that there would be a new Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education on Monday, August 16, 2021. It was noted by said reader that yet another young Barbadian had been given the opportunity to lead in the Barbadian Civil Service. To me, “young” is relative. Just one look at Dr. Archer-Bradshaw’s storied resume reveals that she is a veteran in education, despite her cherubic features. In fact, in other cultures, where youth and energy in the workplace are more revered, there are managers in their twenties who are considered to be the young ones. Someone around Dr. Archer-Bradshaw’s age (I make assumptions due to her stated twenty years of experience) would actually not be considered young at all, but would be seen as a senior mentor to younger members of staff.
That being said, understanding Barbadian culture, the nature of the workplace, and human nature as a whole, I thought I would put together a “survival guide” of sorts for those “young” external hires who are entering a situation where they will be managing persons who are older than they and/or have been in the organisation much longer than they have been. Everyone should find these tips to be useful however, because they encourage positive work behaviours and have the potential to stave off conflict.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Respect is not always freely given, therefore it must be earned. As an external hire, it is fair to speculate that at least one of your subordinates had determined that your new job was already theirs. This can result in myriad emotions and consequences, which can range from disappointment and a lack of motivation to bitterness and resentment.
It is important that you are able to empathise with those feelings . . . without becoming an apologist. Engage employees, even those who may resent you. Listen to what they have to say. Value their ideas and give them responsibilities that reflect their strengths. Model positive behaviours and give them credit where it is due.
Furthermore, situational leadership is key. It is critical to adapt your leadership style according to the situation. For example, a coercive or authoritarian type of leadership may work with interns, but could prove ineffective when managing older, experienced employees. This may only frustrate your staff which may destroy any trust that you try to build and leave them disengaged and demotivated. Once you have assessed the strengths of your staff, you may be able to experiment with leadership styles that suit their needs such as delegative leadership for highly-skilled senior employees or participative leadership.
While genuine respect may not always be reciprocated, do not compromise your principles. Stay the course and remain professional. By being respectful, empathetic and flexible, you are helping your colleagues to maintain their dignity, and such acts help you to maintain yours as well.
Learn the Culture
Each organisation has its own culture. The cultures in various ministries and statutory boards will not be the same. Also, if as an external hire you are moving from the private to public sector, you may be in for a few surprises. It will serve you well to familiarise yourself with your new organisation’s psyche, it may most likely be different from whence you came. Visit every department, getting an overview of who they are and what they do. Get to know the internal and external stakeholders and connect with them. Conduct formal and informal research. Read relevant files and speak with people to get an idea of the current culture, as well as methodologies that were previously tried but did not work.
This may seem to be time-consuming, but it helps you to address any of your preconceived notions, it provides a foundation for employee engagement, and it helps you in crafting innovative ideas with your teams, instead of the proverbial reinvention of the wheel. Knowing the current organisational climate will also provide you with key indicators which will help you to measure the success of any programmes you implement to create or improve a high-performance culture.
Own Your Strengths, Address Your Weaknesses
As a manager you will have to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in and out of your organisation. It is also important, however, to have a full understanding of who you are in this new role and this new culture. Self-awareness is a valuable trait in leadership. You understand the areas in which you excel but you also see the areas where you need to improve and you seek to address them so that you may become a better leader.
This does not mean that you have to make a grand announcement or covert confession to your colleagues about your weaknesses. The only thing that is necessary is for you to know what they are, acknowledge them, and see what needs to be done to ensure that they are less of a bane and more of a blessing. Furthermore, knowing your pet peeves and your triggers, may prepare you exert self-control and be non-reactive if others try to provoke you.
Strategic Plans are not Paperweights
Do not be surprised if some organisations seem to be flying by the seats of their pants. There is a phenomenon that exists in some places where the outcome of strategic planning exercises is a nice document to place on a shelf or one’s desk. Strategic objectives may be set, but the day-to-day operations suggest that organisation activities are not guided by the plan to meet said objectives. Furthermore, some organisations actually have no strategic plans or plans which expired a long time ago and are in dire need of updates which reflect the current climate.
Brace yourself for this and with your teams examine what needs to be done, how you will accomplish it, and how you will measure your successes and failures so you can course-correct if needed. Persons must understand that the strategic plan is to be the organisation’s ever-evolving Bible and they should refer to and meditate on it often . . . and so should you.
How to Survive Infantilisation
Some people will try to infantilise you. It is inevitable. Some of it may be endearing, for example, an older staff member feels affectionate towards you because you remind her of her son or daughter. That individual may keep calling you “Dear” or “Darling” whenever they address you.
Then there may be some infantilisation that is more insidious, with the aim of manipulation or to “keep you in your place.” “You are young, you will learn,” or “I don’t see why she is in such a rush. Young people need to learn to wait their turn” and similar sentiments may be expressed within your earshot or boldly directed to you.
Self-control and professionalism will serve you well in all instances. With the well-meaning employees who call you pet names, just pull them aside privately. Let them know how you appreciate how much they appreciate you; however, you are in the workplace and the appropriate way to address you is by your name.
When persons make derogatory comments within your earshot but not to you, ignore them. It is obvious that the person is trying to get a reaction out of you. Remember my earlier advice regarding maintaining your dignity. Do not give them any satisfaction.
For those who may passive-aggressively express concern about your youth, politely and firmly let them know that your work will speak for itself and proceed to the matter at hand. These behaviours are time-wasters and distractions. Your purpose in the organisation is not perpetual self-defence, it is to do the job which you have been hired to do.
All of that being said, try not to be paranoid. Be cautious and discerning and you will figure out who is sincere and willing to collaborate in the organisation’s best interest. This is as opposed to those who may just be trying to undermine your confidence.
Part II is Coming Soon
I hope you have enjoyed your reading and found this to be helpful. If you needed more information, don’t worry, the continuation of this article is well on its way. Keep an eye out for Part II which starts with this sage piece of advice . . . If You Need to Throw Out The Bath Water . . . Keep The Baby.
BAJAN MOM 