Manager As Mediator of Meaning
Every week there are work teams meeting in multiple sessions over multiple days. Presentations, discussions, and break-out groups generate an overwhelming amount of information; problems, solutions, and ideas abound.
But is everything important?
No. And that's why the best thing a manager can do is listen intently,
ask questions, and take notes. Then, commit to this valuable act of leadership:
Each morning, synthesize and summarize what you saw the day before. Point out what is genuinely
important and what is a "nice idea" to tuck away for future use. This single
intervention provides focus for the day's discussion as well as focus
for the immediate future. People know what they need to pay attention
to today and for the weeks ahead. Equally important: they know what to let go of.
Synthesize, summarize, prioritize. That kind of direction keeps people in the "performance zone."
Manager As Mediator of Meaning
But is everything important?
No. And that's why the best thing a manager can do is listen intently, ask questions, and take notes. Then, commit to this valuable act of leadership:
Each morning, synthesize and summarize what you saw the day before. Point out what is genuinely important and what is a "nice idea" to tuck away for future use. This single intervention provides focus for the day's discussion as well as focus for the immediate future. People know what they need to pay attention to today and for the weeks ahead. Equally important: they know what to let go of.
Synthesize, summarize, prioritize. That kind of direction keeps people in the "performance zone."