Old vs. New : The CONSCIOUS Management Mindset.
Often people think that young managers will apply new tecniques that are more in sync with the present moment and that they are technology savvy and generally better than older and more experienced managers. I think that rule, which could have been true in the 1990s, is no longer valid today under the new market paradigm. The divide old vs. new is no longer based on age but rather on flexibility and understanding. Only managers that are willing to learn, delearn and relearn are capable of managing high-performance teams. They also need to be aware of the external conditions of a VUCAP world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous and Polarised). Continuos learning and a good understanding of the market are the basic requirements to be able to apply conscious management techniques to maximize results. By the way, the “P” in VUCAP is my own addition, because I think it accurately describes the historical moment we are inmerse.
The old management mindset
An outdated way of thinking is that effort and suffering equate to maximum results. This is not true in any form of human interaction, whether it relates to sports or management. Obviously, being a slack with little commitment towards your company will not bring the desired results either. Like most things in life, the secret to top performance in any field is reaching a balance between effort and output. Reaching that “state of flow” where you can deliver optimal performance and mantain enhanced levels of concentration and laser focused activity for long periods of time.
I grew up with the NO PAIN, NO GAIN motto at the gym and thanks God never took it literally. I remember having some good time, enjoyment, and laughter between my reps.
When managers expect an 80-hour week from their employees they are not only delusional, but they are toxic for the business. In addition, they often talk about employee benefits, mindfulness, fitness, the importance of mental health and how we are all a family. This results in what is known in psychology a “double bind”: Employees can’t talk about the contradiction, and they can’t talk about not being able to talk about it. This manager behaviour leads to a burnout epidemic.
A McKinsey’s research on burnout showed that “in all 15 countries and across all dimensions assessed, toxic workplace behaviour was the biggest predictor of burnout symptoms and intent to leave by a large margin.” In summary old management practices together with “New Age” narrative results in a downward spiral of toxicity and burnout syndrome.
I posit to you that we do not need to work harder but smarter and happier (higher motivation levels) and that would bring optimal results. If you consciously manage your team you will come across a surprising finding: less effort can actually lead to more success.
The new management mindset
We have already established that operating at 100% effort all the time will result in burnout and ultimately less-optimal results. In sports it will lead to overtraining. Your athletic condition will severely suffer from it and it can also lead to injuries with a long resting recovery time required.
What is then the recommended performance rate to achieve optimal 100% results? In my opinion the answer is a reversed interpretation of the Pareto principle. I would say that 80% of sustained effort will achieve 100 % of output.
This is of course an average over a given time. It does not mean that in some specific moments, an employee needs to sprint to a 120% effort and work long hours but this effort is not sustainable over a long period of time.
Employees subject to this stress and delivering such an exceptional performance in a short time must be recognised and must be allowed to recover from it. The employee will then be back to delivering optimal performance after a short break.
In conclusion when your are managing high-performance teams pacing team members to deliver optimal output is critical. Other factors include: good planning, flexibility, trust, communication, knowledge, experience, professional ethics and motivation. There is no silver bullet when it comes to achieve corporate goals but following these tips may help you to get the best out of your team. Let me know what you think about them and if these principles work for you.
