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Are You Providing Managerial Ride-Alongs?
Several years ago, I spent some time working with a large distribution firm. One of the things that plagued their operation was misunderstandings between delivery drivers and warehouse crews. The crews would load the trailers overnight and the drivers would inevitably run into problems at they drove their routes. Items for individual deliveries weren’t stacked together. The loads weren’t balanced, creating safety hazards. The items first to be delivered were loaded in the front of the truck rather than near the door.
I suggested the company institute ride-alongs, where inventory selectors would spend a day with drivers. This accomplished two purposes: 1) The selectors developed an empathy for the drivers’ challenges. 2) It helps selectors to develop more efficient ways to load trailers. Eventually, some of the drivers elected to spend some time with the selectors to get a feel for their challenges as well. The result? Increased productivity. Fewer mistakes. Better safety record.
Over the years, I have wondered why we, as managers, can’t adapt this practice with those whom we believe are promotable into supervisory roles. The truth is we can, and it wouldn’t take that much effort. Employees can work along side of you day after day and never realize the functions you perform in your role. They’re busy and you’re busy. Who’s got the time to share your challenges as a manager?
Providing managerial “ride-alongs” can accomplish several purposes: 1) It gives you an opportunity to show promotable employees what they would be getting themselves into. This builds engagement. 2) It provides you with a chance to visit with them and gauge their fitness for such a role. 3) It can serve as the beginning of an informal succession planning process.
What can you do to implement this? Here are a few simple ideas:
Take a little time during a staff meeting to explain the functions you perform. This will give front-liners an appreciation, even empathy, for the demands on your time.
Invite selected individuals to sit in on meetings you attend. This does not have to be everyone, just the ones you think have promise for/interest in being promoted. You may find that they have insights on how to improve things that you had not considered. Encourage this. There is no better retention strategy than convincing someone that they’re making a difference. Besides, you’ll get the credit for their contributions.
Ask selected individuals for input on projects you are involved with. You probably already do this with the ones that affect them directly. How about the ones that are more strategic in nature? This will give them a chance to better understand the global functions of the organization. It will also provide you with a feel for their ability to think strategically.
Ride-alongs should not be treated as one more task on an overloaded plate. Instead, grasp the opportunities you see to do what have been described above. After all, no one gets promoted without having someone in line to take their place.
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Case Study
I lead a team that is dominated by long-tenured Baby Boomers, including myself. As our organization expands, we are actively seeking to hire younger professionals. My concern is that those first in the door will be entering a world filled with “old people” who go way back and have a level of unspoken trust that will be tough to penetrate by outsiders, especially someone half their age. What the best way to approach this?
How perceptive of you to think about this in advance. Several ideas come to mind. Firstly, I would consider how you want to approach this with candidates. On one hand, you don’t want to give the impression that the whole staff is a bunch of old foggies. On the other hand, you might emphasize to those you consider strong contenders, that they would be entering an environment that has grown stable and familiar for a long period of time. See how each one responds. You might find that some candidates will embrace the opportunity to learn from long-timers or simply enjoy being around people who are considerably older. That said, I would also be careful to avoid anyone who gives the impression that they’re ready to “drag the place into the present” or shows too much impatience. This kind of approach can create havoc on several levels.
Secondly, I would discuss this transition/expansion with present staff and allow time for it to sink in. Their initial reaction will probably be, “Oh, that’s fine.” That’s the politically correct way to respond. Go beyond that, however, and look for their apprehensions and signs of resistance. Be prepared to deal with these as young people enter your workplace.
Thirdly, consider how you will foster understanding and acceptance between the generations as younger employees join your team. This is not simply a one-hour seminar with some fun stories. While it would be a good idea to provide veteran employees with an awareness session like this, it is critical that the promotion of acceptance be built into the normal course of business. This might include discussing case studies during staff meetings, posters in the workplace, video training, and open forums to process concerns. As young contributors join your environment, I would work to ensure that project teams are cross-generational, even though that may cause some discomfort at first.
Finally, consider how you can promote mentoring between the older and younger members of your future staff. As much as the veterans can teach those new to the business a thing or two, the reverse is also true. Fostering cross-mentoring between your team will diffuse some of the natural tension that is sure to appear, especially at the beginning. Take time to explore our site for lots of specific ideas and strategies on all these issues.
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