1. What great managers do differently – consequences for HR
Presentation based on the article „What great managers do differently“ of Susan M. Heathfield
By Christiane Baumann,
Course: New Trends in HR
Lecturer: Terry George

2. What you (hopefully) will have learned in the end:
Common wisdom is not always true
The core tasks of a normal manager
The core tasks of a great manager
What does this mean for HR?

3. Tasks of a normal manager:
Select a person based on experience, intelligence and education
Set expectations by defining the right steps
Motivate the person by helping him identify and overcome his weaknesses
Develop the person by helping him learn and get promoted

4. Why common wisdom is wrong
A little story:

5. What does this tell us?! People don‘t change that much.
Don‘t waste time trying to put in what was left out.
Try to draw out what was left in.
That is hard enough!

6. Conclusions of Buckingham & Coffman
Based on interviews with over successful managers
Gallup Organization
 Great managers break every rule characterized as conventional wisdom when dealing with the selection, motivation and development of staff

7. Let‘s have a look to the back & front:
When selecting someone…
they select for talent
When setting expectations…
they define the right outcomes
When motivating someone…
they focus on strengths
4. When developing someone…
they help him find the right fit

8. 1. Select people based on talent
… Not because of experience, education or intelligence
Talent is: a recurring pattern of thought, feeling or behavior that can be productively applied

9. 2. When setting expectations for employees, establish the right outcomes
Micromanaging is a mistake!
Great managers assist each
individual to establish goals that
are congruent with the needs of the organization
they let each employee find the right path to reach the outcomes

10. 3. When motivating an individual, focus on strength
everybody has unique strength
If you help people becoming more of who they already are it will lead to success
Find out what motivates each staff member and try to provide more of it in his work environment
manage around the weakness

11. 4. Find the right job fit for each person
Help each person find roles where his unique combination of strengths match the distingt demands of the role
guide the employee toward roles where he has the greatest chance of success

12. Implications for HR Remember: People don‘t change that much!
Try to draw out what was left in!

13. 1. Selecting for talent Realistic testing Behavioral interviewing
Look for patterns of talent in application

14. 2. Defining the right outcomes
Coach the managers in more partizipative styles of working
Establish organization-wide goals
Think of reward system

15. 3. Focusing on strength
Promote a work environment in which people feel motivated to contribute
Make certain that individual strenghts are nurtured
Design reward, recognition, compensation & performance development systems

16. 4. Finding the right fit
Familiarize yourself with every position in the organization & with the talents and capabilities of each person
Keep excellent documentation
Development promotion & hiring process which supports placing people in positions that „fit“

17. Conclusion Implications of this findings are enormous!!
Assess each individual’s talents and skills. Then provide training, coaching and development opportunities that will help the person increase these skills. Compensate for or manage around weaknesses.
Is this realistic and possible?
Does this meet your personal opinion?

18. What you (hopefully) will have learned in the end:
Common wisdom is not always true (?!)
The core tasks of a normal manager
The core tasks of a great manager
What does this mean for HR?
 Did you??

19. Thanks for your attention!