Maybe some of you did a Management 3.0 workshop, maybe some of you read the books about Management 3.0, or maybe some of you read some experience blog posts. In most cases, you will have read about Delegation Poker, Moving Motivators, Personal Maps, Competency Matrices, etc. Just to name a few of the popular practices of Management 3.0.
Most people think about how they can apply these practices in their role as team lead, manager or coach. Applying the practices on other people… that is easy… but is it completely fair? Using your team members as guinea pigs for the things you learned or read about?
So, did you ever think about how to apply these practices on yourself? Let’s take a look at some of the different practices and how they can help you as a professional.
Personal Maps
Personal Maps is a technique that is often used as an icebreaker in new teams. People can learn more about each other and really get to know people.
You can, of course, create your own personal map, but I don’t expect it will present you with many surprises. However, what would happen if you ask your team members to create your personal map for you? A personal map of the manager – what do they know about you? Which values do they think matter to you? Do they know your experiences, strengths and/or weaknesses?
Moving Motivators
When people ask me about how to apply Moving Motivators, I sometimes share the experience that I had with an engineer who was not really happy in his role. I used moving motivators to give him insight into his personal motivators and I was then able to link them to his current role.
Are you really happy with your job? Are you delegating things you really like to your team members? Do some people in your team really annoy you? Let’s be honest, every manager once had or will have people on their team that they are not particularly fond of.
Play the moving motivators game with yourself and find out what your motivators are! If it turns out you like order, you will understand better why you always get agitated when you look at the desk of your marketing manager. Do you also dare to share your motivators with the team? Why not let them know which things motivate you? They can also help you create an environment where you are more motivated.
Delegation Cards
The most common application of the delegation levels is by you as a manager creating a delegation board with the team. A board that defines and sets boundaries on particular work areas.
One less common approach is to first ask the team to play delegation poker on the areas you would like to define for yourself. It could surprise you how the team perceives the current delegation levels. Are you really that manager who applies servant leadership or are you seen as the dictator who needs to decide on every minor detail?
Look back at the last five decisions made in a meeting – meetings that you attended. What was the delegation level that was actually used? Was it you who in the end made the decision, or were you checking LinkedIn while the team made the decision? And how happy are you about this delegation level? Do you think the team should have made the decision, do you regret that you checked LinkedIn? Just keep track in Excel (you are a manager 😉 )for a few weeks what the delegation levels are. Are you aware of your actual delegation levels?
Kudo Cards
As you become an official manager, things tend to change. You are no longer one of the guys or girls. You may still believe that you are the same as before you were a manager, but things change as you become a manager. When you enter the coffee corner, you may notice that people stop talking, and for some reason, you don’t hear all the gossip anymore. Maybe you are lucky and you work in an organization where things don’t change that much – well, lucky you then.
You ordered set of Kudo Cards for the team, it is a nice Management 3.0 practice. However, as a manager you are no longer part of the crew, you belong to another crew now, so you won’t get any…poor you. There are six different kudo cards. Put a set of those six different kudo cards on your desk. Every week on Friday, look at the different kudo cards: can you write a kudo card for yourself? Did you do something great this week, something great for the organization or your team? Use the kudo cards to instill a moment of self-reflection: where did you make the difference? And if not… what do you need to do next week to be able to give yourself a compliment?
And probably you are now thinking to yourself: “I am not going to give myself a (mental) kudo card.” Why not? There is a Dutch saying: “If you don’t tickle yourself, nobody else will…”
12 Steps to Happiness
I know you are a good manager or do I? You are doing everything possible to implement the 12 Steps to Happiness for your team members. Happy workers will be more productive and engaged. So you got them a nap room, fresh fruit every day, they can go for a daily walk, etc.
But what about yourself? What are you doing to implement those 12 steps for yourself? Do you think you are too busy to have a healthy lunch? You think you need to make 60 hours a week? Be online 20 hours a day? Have meetings always inside instead of taking a walk around the block with your people?
When you are happy as a manager, you will radiate happiness to your team members. Take some time to look at the 12 steps and implement them also for yourself!
In 1961, President Kennedy said in his inauguration speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” So after reading this blog post: ask not what Management 3.0 can do for your team, also ask what Management 3.0 can do for you as a manager!