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Do you like to learn the management styles of successful people? I find them incredibly interesting as well as a good reminder of core management tips and tricks.
In this article, learn about Barack Obama’s management style, via excepts from the Fortune article these tips were drawn from. Also, see my interpretations and opinions on how these management tips can apply to you.
Note: These management tips were reported in the “How Obama Manages” section by Jia Lynn Yang in the July 7, 2008 issue of Fortune Magazine. To order a copy of this issue, please click here.
Management Tip #1: No Drama
Excerpt from the Fortune article: When Barack Obama was selecting his closest advisors, he told each person he wanted zero drama-meaning no backstabbing, damaging media leaks or anything that would detract from the campaign.
Dot Connector’s opinion on this:
- Ask yourself, do you create drama or avoid it? You can get a lot done as a team member and as a leader by ignoring drama and actively working to reduce it. How? Use metrics (i.e. reportable numbers) in your work to completely dissolve “arguments of opinion.” Build effective work relationships. If you’re a leader, then lead without surprises.
Management Tip #2: Praise those who don’t expect it
Excerpt from the Fortune article: Obama emphasized his grassroots approach by bringing organizers onto the stage as well.
Dot Connector’s opinion on this:
- Actively look at those around you. Who has done a great job, but maybe hasn’t been recognized?
- Perhaps there’s someone who just achieved a personal milestone, but something you’ve already done in your career. Take the time to notice them for it. You don’t have to do it as publicly as the example above - even dropping a simple card in their mailbox is a great way to praise those who don’t expect it.
- Another idea: when was the last time you recognized someone in a meeting for the work they have been doing?
Management Tip #3: Make every person in a meeting participate
Excerpt from the Fortune article: Like a tough law professor, Obama will call on staffers who haven’t spoken up.
Dot Connector’s opinion on this:
- Quite often, the best ideas are not spoken, and that’s a shame. Sometimes, the only way you can effectively engage people in a meeting is to call on them. Yes, there will be times that this will not work. The person will just go along with the flow of what was already said, or decline to comment. However, the best ideas are sometimes the ones that are most vigorously debated.
- Other times, you can have a moment of obvious clarity - a “duh” moment - just by reflecting on a random idea from someone in the meeting.
- Try this: for one day, conduct your day as if it’s your responsibility to get participation in meetings. You are the “host” of the “party” for that day - trying to connect people with different ideas around a common purpose. Reflect on what you learned at the end of the day - you might be surprised at what you are able to accomplish.
Management Tip #4: Establish a plan and stick to it
Excerpt from the Fortune article: National finance chairman Penny Pritzker said Obama decided he wanted to run the campaign like a disciplined business.
Dot Connector’s opinion on this:
- Especially in the Web Marketing world in which I work, plans change weekly, daily, sometimes hourly. However, having a bigger plan, and over-arching vision, dramatically improves your effectiveness.
- Anyone can get work done. Some of those can get work done well. However, it’s a rare person who can get effective work done.
- What is effective work? Work necessary to achieve your goals, your team’s goals, and your organization’s goals at the same time. If you have a bigger goal or plan, you’re much more likely to maintain focus and become effective at what you do.
Management Tip #5: Give feedback that’s clear, direct, and immediate
From the Fortune article: If he’s happy, you know it. If he prefers to do something different, you know it, says (Valerie) Jarrett (an Obama campaign advisor).
Dot Connector’s opinion on this:
- Adopt a new style immediately: let those that you work with know exactly what you know and exactly how you feel.
- This is especially true with leaders. Far too often, we have a tendency to hold back criticism or praise, fearing how the person will react. Delivering both quickly is one of the keys to being a successful leader - whether you lead people or projects.
- If you hold back criticism, you prevent the person from being able to grow and react to it. When you hold back praise, you limit the person’s feelings of self-worth. Remember: people rise to the expectations you set for them.
Management Tip #6: Allow new ideas to come from the bottom up
Excerpt from the Fortune article: The idea for Obama University, a unique training program for first-time fundraisers, came not from campaign leadership but from three supporters…
Dot Connector’s opinion on this:
- Do you truly allow new ideas to impact you? It’s very easy to bias ideas based on their source. Don’t do it!
- Keeping a dramatically open mind is a key to growth and productivity. Listen to your Clients, listen to your teammates, listen to your partners and vendors, and listen to anyone and everyone you come into contact with.
- Within every email, conversation, etc. that you have are ideas that can help you.
Management Tip #7: Genuinely listen to those who disagree with you
Excerpt from the Fortune article: He wants to see disagreements aired in front of him.
Dot Connector’s opinion on this:
- I recently had a disagreement with a teammate about how we were interacting with each other. I was forcing my point and forming an opinion about how this person was reacting to me.
- Then, after a talk with another teammate, I realized I hadn’t been doing myself what I had expected from this person. To say the least, it was a humbling experience, as I pride myself on treating others as I would like to be treated.
- If I hadn’t genuinely listened, and opened up my mind to being wrong, I never could have resolved the situation or learned from it. Bottom-line: be humble enough to be wrong.
Please note: this blog post is not an endorsement for Barack Obama. It is simply sharing and building upon information in the “How Obama Manages” section by Jia Lynn Yang in the July 7, 2008 issue of Fortune Magazine.
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Regis Hadiaris is an award-winning Internet marketer and experienced leader known for unconventional ideas and impressive results.
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
One thing this article doesn’t say is that Obama’s campaign is about connecting the emotional dots, more so than the analytical dots. As a presidentical candidate similar to JFK, Obama represents a compass leading toward “hopeful change” wherever that will take us.
He has the positive courage to lead the country forward even though there may be troubled waters ahead.
Like the child who builds a toy boat, puts his name and address on the bottom of it, and pushes it out to sea……knowing that some day the boat will reach its destination and he will be advised of its arrival. Launching the toy boat and having the faith, hope and courage to take the risk of the voyage is simply demostrated leadership.