New managers, desperate to prove themselves, can feel under pressure to land quick wins.
They launch multiple shiny new projects, without taking time to drill down into the real opportunities, not the on-the-surface ones. These projects may overlap, fail due to inadequate planning and buy-in, or are just pointless distractions from real priorities.
The increase in workload has obvious knock-on effects on already under-resourced teams.
Taking on too much makes us do even less
Social Psychologist Professor Sheena Iyengar conducted some famous research on option overload, the paradox of choice. She set up a jam stall in a smart grocery store in Menlo Park, California. Customers facing a choice of just six jams were ten times more likely to make a purchase than the ones with a choice of twenty-four varieties.
When our brains can’t cope with too many options we end up choosing nothing at all.
In a work context we can’t choose between too many competing demands so end up doing none of them. We procrastinate or default to low value tasks like emails.
Managers should support people by taking jam off the table, not piling more on.
Land real wins by increasing innovation and efficiency
Credibility should come from tracked increases in profitability and productivity per head, not crazy busy projects and even more meetings.
Successful managers unlock these increases by leaving their ego at the door and enabling everyone in the team to step up and thrive. Everyone looks good.
They know powerful questions that build rapport, fuel innovation, exchange ideas and uncover risks. This is called enquiry-driven leadership. Managers who hone their questioning and listening skills increase problem-solving capability right across the business. Then they smooth out any bottlenecks between teams to ensure success.