Over the years we have become very aware of the term surrogate as it is often used to denote the mutual agreement between individual parties for one to act as a substitute for another in some form or fashion. But, how does this relate to most Human Resources? They are the frontline managers' surrogates. When it comes to holding difficult conversations with staff, they do our jobs for us. How did we get here?
Willingly or unwillingly, frontline managers have allowed it, encouraged it and now we're stuck with it. We are no longer responsible for dealing with our own dirty laundry, messy employee performance issues. We gladly avoid having difficult conversations with employees regarding work related job performance. And guess what, HR loves the job as surrogate and the power that goes with it. Hence, initially it appears to be a win-win situation, a mutual surrogate relationship.
Perhaps you're thinking "who cares, no one wants to do dirty laundry anyway". Perhaps you rationalize the giving up of these responsibilities in the fact that you have more pressing thing to tend to, why waste your time. But, here is the reality of your actions, whether willingly or unwillingly failure on your part to develop the muscle, the courage, or the strength the deal with challenging employee performance issues will ultimately render you ineffective as a frontline manager. And before long, HR will be calling all the shots. And guess who has input when it comes time for promotions?
You will become more and more dependent on their ability to make wise decisions and less on your. Eventually, it will get to the point where you don't even trust your own thinking. Contacting HR before having a one-on-one with staff members soon becomes a way of life. How could you ever manage without them? At this point you have become shackled by your own ineffectiveness. And, worst yet, you may not even realize its happening.
If you don't want to continue the intellectual rollercoaster associated with being carried around in a wheel barrel by others who make decisions for you because you lack the strength associated with professional skills development in the way of communications then you (we) had better wake up and reclaim the power we've given away.
Sometimes, I consider it wise to retrace your steps to determine how you arrived at a particular location, a specific point in time. This is one of those times. I couldn't help but wonder when did HR become the surrogate? When did frontline mangers give up their responsibility to lead no matter how difficult the task?
The answer came to me one day as I observed a little boy in a local Barnes and Nobles. He couldn't have been more than four or five year's old, cute kid. There was something on the shelf that caught his eye. And according to his immediate desires in life, he had to have it, now! He petitioned his mom to carry just one more item to the check-out stand, but her initial reply was a firm "no". After a second and third inquiry, the little boy asked her "why" he couldn't have the item. Her final reply, probably having become exhausted by the young boy's tenacity not to give in, was "because I said so." It was at this moment that I thought to myself "oh my, this is where it starts. This is the space in which we are first introduced to "surrogate power".
Having raised little ones of my own, I am all too familiar with the word "no" and I know why we (adults) often follow it with "because I said so". It's a quick way of saying, you ask too many questions about things that are beyond your comprehension. And if I were to proceed to explain you would continue to ask me "why". Within the context of this scenario, it's obvious that mom has the responsibility of making the ultimate decision with or without further explanation.
However, I consider this surrogate power; because as most parents know there will come a day when the child will want to know and do for himself or herself. They will want the power to decide. And therein the struggle begins. Once someone willingly or unwillingly has surrogate power over you, for whatever reason, they may not willingly give it up. And before long, if you can't change the tides, you are held captive by their decision making process; you stop thinking for yourself.
Power is a reality of life, good or bad, depends on you. And if you fail to maintain, claim or reclaim the power you have to make intelligent decisions and address the things that you are accountable for as a frontline manager, one of which is developing the communication skills to have difficult conversations, on your own behalf then know this, an HR surrogate will always be there to step in and take control.
As it is today, Human Resources, calls the shots and makes the rules for most frontline staff members. And in many cases you can't even ask "why". When we (frontline staff members) fail to adequately, responsibility, and intelligently develop the skills needed to fulfill our role in life as frontline managers and employees capable of making decisions we eventually become ineffective and powerless.
Challenge round: As you consider this topic what should frontline staff members do? What steps would you take?
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Having the courage to do things you're uncomfortable with sometimes is the first step to success. I think people get into too much trouble because they're too scared to ask questions, have that difficult conversation, or present their ideas.
ReplyDeleteWhat should front line staff members do? question things that don't make sense just like that little boy at Barnes and Noble did. Check and balances need to exist at every level.