What Good Stewardship Means for Managers
I went to a talk about finances last week and they used the phrase being "good stewards of money." That is, to take intentional care of the money we have in our possession. A lack of stewardship shows disregard and money often slips away.
The word "steward" stuck with me. Seemingly, God or the Universe or Karma or whatever will direct more wealth and prosperity our way when we prove to be good stewards of the money we currently possess. Even if that's half true, it just seems like the right thing to do to take care of our money in the most thoughtful and responsible way.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MANAGERS
Well, manager, I’d call you a steward, too.
You are a steward of each person on your team. For however long you serve as their manager, you hold a precious and critical responsibility in your care.
Remember how Gallup tells us each and every year, employees leave their jobs primarily due to the competence of their manager. Perhaps those managers weren’t being good stewards? I don’t know. But, for you, it becomes a challenge and a charge to improve how you operate with other lives and careers in your care.
GOOD STEWARDSHIP IN ACTION
1. Work to be better
You grow older over time, not necessarily better. Plan your growth this year. Mapping out what development might look like for you keeps you intentional. Maybe it’s enrolling in a management training course (I know a good one😉); maybe it’s attending a conference; perhaps reading a leadership book; or identifying a mentor. Don’t wake up 5 years from now and just assume since you’ve aged, you’ve improved.
2. Guard against bad habits
We all have something we do that doesn’t work in our favor. Things that, by now, are habits. Be your own best defensive line back. Guard against communication laziness > when you start skipping or skimping on 1:1s. Guard against leadership laziness > when you forget you are a walking role model. Guard against accountability laziness > when you avoid a tough conversation rather than coach someone to the expectations.
3. Incorporate more coaching moments
If you’re waiting to have the time to develop your team, that is going to be a really long wait. Narrate and ask questions, in the moment, right when they happen. For example, "That client call was tough. What do you think we could have done differently or better?" or "It feels like we have more than a few hurdles to meet this deadline. How can we shift things to still deliver on time?"
It's practically halfway through the year which is a great time to do a stewardship check-in. What part of this lesson is meant for your ears today?
Consider a few thoughts
1. What area of your management has the space to improve? What are 1 or 2 things you can do to boost your stewardship of others in that area?
2. Do you have a written development plan for yourself this year? If not, could you draft one? If so, how are things going? Are you on track or what hurdles are in the way?
3. Write "Coaching Moments" on a post-it and hang it where you can see it during your workday. Practice asking questions such as the samples above as a tool to better coaching.
About The Author
For the past two decades, Cecilia Gorman has helped advertising agencies and other creatively-minded companies fix costly communication and productivity issues by teaching managers how to become better connectors, motivators, and leaders. Cecilia is the author of Always Believe In Better, creator of the digital learning course for managers—Manager Boot Camp, and co-founder of the global training and support community for working women—Empowership.
Interested in growing your skills as a manager? Check out how Manager Boot Camp might help.