This week was about one specific theme: “responsibility”. All week long it has been about taking responsibility, being able to take responsibility, and especially about taking responsibility when you are in the position of management.
At some moment you may have chosen to be in a management position. Whereas there are many roles having “manager” in the name, it doesn’t necessarily always involve managing people. It does involve the responsibility with being called a “manager”, which means “no hiding”, “no taking things for granted” and “questioning things whenever necessary”.
There can be a number of reasons why people do not do so, varying from “being afraid to tattletale”, to “not knowing what’s expected and listen to the first person who does tell them something, to “thinking things will have way of working out regardless whether they demand this or not”.
It doesn’t matter what the reason is, whenever you decide to step up to this role or level you need to take certain responsibilities. Being scared is not one of those trades, neither is being vague. If you don’t know, ask. Don’t ever get told that others made assumptions about you knowing things, while you in fact do not know. Instead make sure you do know what the other wants.
Is this simple? No, it’s not. Is it logical? It should be. So if you are a manager (whether seeing yourself as one or actually being one), can you say what’s keeping you from performing the way you are supposed to? You are supposed to streamline, most certainly where others can’t, get answers from others, even when do not want to give you any, and demand things from others, especially when they do not seem to be taking you seriously.
When you do not get those answers, or people do not seem to listen to you, you might wonder what’s wrong. Are you that manager you are supposed to be? Do others perceive you to be that manager you think you are? Do you live up to the status of being that manager you are supposed to be, that you (most likely) can be?
If you don’t, it’s time for a change. Either you step up to the plate, or you take a step back. The choice is ultimately yours. Whatever you choose, do so with your eyes wide open and know it’s always your own responsibility whatever you decide to do.