Managing Different Types of Subordinate

Managers  get things done through their subordinates. How well they perform rests on  their ability to manage their subordinates effectively to make things happen. Therefore, their success is dependent on their subordinates’  success.

The success of a subordinate depends on his competencies and behaviour. Competencies imply knowledge, skills and know-how to carry out a task and achieve its target. Behaviour implies the subordinate’s attitude and commitment towards accomplishing specific goals and objectives. Thus performance of a subordinate is dependent upon these two factors.

A subordinate can be either relatively competent or incompetent to carry out a task. Competent implies the knowing aspects of the job and the skills in carrying it out. Thus, all employees lie at a point in the continuum of:

A subordinate lies at a point between high commitment and low commitment toward his work  that reflects his attitude. His attitude and commitment  is in the continuum of relatively good or bad. Attitude and commitment implies the caring aspect of the job.

Thus all employees lie at a point in the continuum of:

Cross the two continuum, a Performance Quadrant Analysis is derived to identify four types of performer as shown below:

Quadrant 1: The Star Performer

The star performer knows and cares about his job. The knowing aspect ensures that he achieves the performance target set for a specific task. The caring aspect guarantees that he delivers the job to his boss on time.

Quadrant 2: The Learner

The learner cares about his job but does not know or is uncertain in getting the job done. He delivers his work on time. When his boss checks his work, he finds the work lacking quality with some errors. In the process of doing his job, learners tend to waste material, use wrong tools, damage equipment and injure themselves. Learners are usually made up of new employees or incumbent employees doing a newly assigned jobs.

Quadrant 3: The Maintainer

The maintainer is competent to do a job but does not want to do it well because he is frustrated and dissatisfied. Maintainers often postpone or hand up shoddy work. In the process of working, they tend to take their own pace and time in getting the job done. Maintainers are usually made up of experienced employees who are disgruntled with their bosses and the management.

Quadrant 4: The Laggard

The laggard is incompetent and has poor working attitude. Laggards deliberately shirk their duties, and their performance is far below the target set. They are often made up of new employees with serious personal problems.

Setting targets to identify different  types of performer

When assigning a task, the manager has to set performance targets together with his subordinate. It is important that he uses TRAMPS-C to set performance goals.

T – Time bound

The time allotted to do a specific job

R – Realistic

The quantity of work is manageable within the time frame and the resources allocated.

A – Achievable

Sufficient resources and time are given to achieve the target.

M – Measurable

Task can be measured in terms of quantity and quality.

P – Precise

Communicating targets must be specific, clear and easy to understand.

S – Stretching

The target is stretchable to enable the subordinate to exceed the target if he puts in more effort.

C – Challenging

Subordinate needs to put in some effort to achieve the target.

Ideally, the manager and his subordinate set targets together using TRAMP-C to negotiate with each other to reach an agreement. The targets become the performance goal and set a direction for the subordinate knowing what his performance targets should be. A subordinate can compare his current performance targets achieved (What it is?) against the performance goals (What it should be?).

If there is no gap (What it is? = What it should be?), the subordinate is a star performer.

If there is a gap, the manager and his subordinate should do a gap analysis together to identify the causes of the gap.

If the cause is due to the lack of competencies on the part of the subordinate, he is a learner.

If the cause is due to the irresponsibility of the subordinate in doing a job well, he is a maintainer.

If the subordinate lacks competencies and is irresponsible, he is termed a laggard.

Leadership Styles – Advantages and Disadvantages

Generally, there are 4 types of leadership styles.

Autocratic style – Do the job my way

A manager using autocratic style makes decisions for their subordinates. They decide:

• What target to achieve;
• What resources are required;
• What procedures and rules to follow;
• What is to be done;
• Who to do what;
• Where it should be done;
• When it should be done;
• How to do it.

An autocratic manager leaves no leeway for his subordinate to make decisions in getting the job done. Subordinates are expected to follow his instructions strictly.

Advantages of using the autocratic style

• The manager is in full control of his subordinate’s work;
• Errors will be minimized on condition that the manager is an expert in that specific job;
• Manager has the opportunity to coach his subordinate on site in areas where the subordinate lacks the know how.

Disadvantages of using the autocratic style

• It will encourage the subordinate to be more dependent on the manager to make decisions thus depriving the manager of time to carry out his duties and responsibilities;
• The subordinate’s esteem will be adversely affected and his confidence in doing a the job well by himself will be shaken;
• It will affect the initiative of the subordinate to carry out his duties;
• The subordinate may feel that his manager lacks the confidence and trust in him and thus adversely affect his motivation and morale;
• The subordinate will not be satisfied as he does not own the processes of the job.

Participative Style – Lets do the job together

Participative style is used when the manager and his subordinates make decisions together to get the job done. There are discussions and interactions on:

• What target to achieve;
• What resources are required;
• What procedures and rules to follow;
• What is to be done;
• Who to do what;
• Where it should be done;
• When it should be done;
• How to do it.

Advantages

• Opportunity to build relationship with his subordinate;
• Opportunity to share ideas and experiences in getting the job done;
• Opportunity to identify subordinate’s personal and work-related problems and help the subordinate to actualize by initiating counseling and guidance programs;
• Opportunity to ensure that work is done according to schedule;
• Enhance commitment among the subordinates in implementing shared ideas

Disadvantages

• Takes time to work with his subordinate depriving manager the time to do his own work.

Laissez Faire style / Free Rein – Do the job your way

Laissez Faire style is used when managers do not make decisions and give a free hand to his subordinates to get the job done. Managers using this style communicate their expectations and empowers their subordinates to decide:

• What is to be done;
• Who to do what;
• Where it should be done;
• When it should be done;
• What resources are required;
• What procedures and rules to follow;
• How to do it.

Advantages

• Manager will have more time of his own to do his own work;
• Subordinate’s morale will be boosted and he will become more motivated in doing a better job;
• Subordinate’s job satisfaction will be greatly enhanced as he owns the job and can see the results of his efforts;
• Subordinate will become more creative and innovative, given the freedom and leeway to decide what to do for a job assigned to him;
• Subordinate learns to do his work independently.

Disadvantages

• Subordinates who lack the know-how may feel lost and become tense and stressed;
• Subordinates with the wrong attitude may take too much time to get the job done;
• Manager may not get any results from problematic employees.

Authoritative Style – Do the job the hard way

Authoritative style is used when other styles fail to get the subordinate to do his job. Thus managers are forced to use his position and power to coerce and pressurize his subordinate to get him to do his fair share of work.

Advantages

• May get some results from problematic employees.

Disadvantages

• Creates frustrated subordinates who may become uncooperative and hostile;
• Good employees may decide to adopt a careless attitude;
• Good employees may leave the organization;
• Increase in absenteeism and medical leave on the part of the subordinates suffering from psychological pains;
• Certain employees may resort to fight and sabotage the manager;
• Low motivation and morale among the subordinates;
• An emergence of an informal leader who may lead the group against the management.

An effective leader makes things happen through others. It does not matter what style or combination of styles he adopts to get things done. He understands that there is no best leadership style. The best leadership style(s) is the style(s) that work(s).

Leading and Managing Different Types of Performers

Managing a star performer

The most appropriate style to manage a star performer is the laissez faire style – do the job your way. The rationale for choosing this style is:

• A star performer has the know-how and skills of doing the job. It is unnecessary to instruct him what to do;
• A star performer is responsible, trustworthy and reliable and will deliver your expectations of his performance targets on time. You do not need to monitor a star performer as he has the right attitude towards work.

Managing a learner

Rationale:

• Opportunity for the manager to coach (transfer of know-how and skills) the learner;
• Improved productivity because as the learner improves his skills and know-how, he will take less time to get the job done;
• Improved quality of work;
• Saves cost in terms of reduced errors, rejects and material wastage.

When making a choice to manage a learner, the manager must classify the learner into two types:

• New learner – Learners who do not have any know-how and skills of the job – “I do not know anything at all on how to do the job.” For example a new recruit or an incumbent who is assigned a new job;
• Incumbent learner – Learners who are not sure of doing certain parts of the job process – “I am not sure of certain aspects of the job.” An incumbent learner is identified as a subordinate who has been working for sometime and yet makes errors in certain aspects of the job.

Managing a fresh learner

The most appropriate style to manage a fresh learner is the autocratic style. Since the subordinate does not know anything about the job, the manager has to start from scratch in coaching him.

Managing an incumbent learner

The most appropriate style is the autocratic-participative style.

Autocratic style – on the aspects of the job that the learner does not have any know how, followed by coaching.

Participative style – on the aspects of the job that the learner has some knowledge and skills. This will reinforce his know-how thus building up his confidence to work independently.

Managing a maintainer

The most appropriate style is the participative style.

Rationale:

• Opportunity for the manager to share his work experience and tap the vast experiences of the maintainer to find better, simpler, easier and cheaper ways to get the job done;
• Opportunity to build relationship with the maintainer;
• Opportunity to motivate and help the maintainer to actualize;
• Opportunity to counsel and guide the maintainer to effect a change of attitude.

Managing a laggard

Begin with participative-autocratic style, failing which, use authoritative style.

Rationale for beginning with participative style. When the manager wants to help a laggard he begins with the participative-autocratic style. Participation in doing the job together provides the opportunity for the manager to build relationship, motivate, counsel and guide the laggard with the hope that it will effect a change of attitude. Should the laggard persist not to change his attitude after all the help given, the manager should switch to authoritative style. Adopting the authoritative style is to get the message across to the laggard that either he shapes up or ship out. Should authoritative style failed, the manager has to collect evidences and take the necessary disciplinary measures to manage the laggard.

Should participative style successfully effect a change of attitude, the manager should switch to autocratic style, designing a coaching program to equip him with the competencies to get the job done.