Managing the Manager, Part 3

Still another aspect of managing your IT professionals is keeping them
motivated. One recommended way of doing so is making certain they don't
fall into the routine of doing the same thing all of the time. Give them
challenging assignments that stretch their talents and knowledge. Make
certain there is variety in their work so that it continues to be
interesting.

Listen when one of your people speaks of some special direction they'd
like to take with their career or project they'd like to try. When the
opportunities arise, give them assignments that further their
development of those interests. Notice how your people perform in
different circumstances and where they show strengths. Use those
strengths and develop them by providing more situations where the skills
can be used. Not only will your department benefit from the new fund of
knowledge, your people will feel you are tuned in with their needs and
interests. The spark of enthusiasm can be contagious -- a good virus to
have. Loyalty will also have a positive curve.

Now it's one thing to give new assignments and to vary them. But you're
not doing anyone any favors if all that's assigned is first- or
second-level projects. What people want is to feel they are growing and
that they are being given opportunities that will challenge them to
think outside the dots, develop their creativity. This is good. The
other talent you want on your side is a group of problem solving pros
who know the traditional paths and are innovators.

People grow bored when there's too much predictability. Some symptoms of
boredom are apathy, absenteeism, crankiness, and slipshod work. In the
IT department, these symptoms are the kiss of death. The other byproduct
of excessive routine is lethargy. After a time, there will be little to
no motivation to think things through; people will simply rely on what
was done in the past without questioning the rationale. As innovations
develop, so should your team's skills in tackling them.

This is a time to include a gentle reminder. Make certain that not only
the assignments that are given to your people are varied. Also make
certain the people are varied on the assignments. Women are just as
valuable as team members as men. There is no problem-solving gene that
is unique to one sex. Make certain men and women, alike, are provided
the same developmental opportunities.

Likewise, tech knowledge is a universal science. It does not know
ethnicity. Indeed, the Net is what it is because it is global. Make
certain your pros not only have global access to varied opportunities
but that your department looks as varied as the Net.

Keeping things varied will keep your team's skills sharp, their
motivation keen, and help you to develop your new leaders.

Read more about opinion in ITworld's Opinion section

» posted by ITworld staff

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