Do you already lead or systematize yourself?

In a seminar a few weeks ago, a participant asked us what the most underrated tool of Leading Simple© was. This question surprised me. No participant had ever asked me that before. After a moment's thought, however, it quickly became clear to me: Creating Systems. We answered the question of why as follows:

At our seminars, we encounter a huge number of leader who want to develop their direct leadership skills. This means, for example, leading by asking questions and specifically encouraging people. This approach is good and right. However, direct leadership also involves one-to-one contact between leader employees. This takes a lot of time and energy.

In contrast, we rarely encounter leader in seminars who come to the seminar with the expectation of improving their indirect leadership skills. But what does that actually mean? We would like to explain the difference between direct and indirect leadership using a metaphor:

Carrying water buckets – direct guidance

Imagine: your job is to transport water from a spring to a village three kilometers away. Since you only have two hands, your transport capacity is limited to two buckets. Their size depends on your physical abilities, i.e., how much water you can carry. However, you will have to walk (directly) several times per working day to ensure that there is enough water for all the villagers.

In direct leadership, there is a strong correlation between your effort/commitment and the concrete impact—and ultimately the result. What would indirect leadership look like in this example? How can the result—water supply for the village—be ensured independently of individuals and without direct human effort?

Building a pipeline – indirect leadership

That's right, by building a pipeline from the source to the village. The pipeline guarantees a continuous (indirect) water supply. Without you or your colleagues having to walk there directly.

Many people agree with me when I use the example of the water bucket and the pipeline. They say it's a really smart approach and a logical consequence of further development. Unfortunately, when applied to the everyday lives of most leader , the situation leader very different. Effective systems that make leadership easier in everyday life? Not a chance.

When discussing the causes, the same objection usually comes up: no time. Let's take it one step further. No time means: it's not important to me. Of course, implementing indirect employee management systems takes time in the first step. But this initial investment pays off very quickly after just a few months. Here are some (possible) examples:

Example systems for employee management

• Systematic employee development reviews
• leadership guidelines
• Result-Oriented Job Description
• control systems
• Organization and filing systems
• criticism discussions
• call forwarding

Take a look at the restaurant industry: here, the conceptCreating Systemsis becoming increasingly important. It all started with American fast food chains such as McDonald's and Burger King. No matter which city you're in, the results, or rather the taste of the burgers, are (almost) identical everywhere. The preparation and topping of the burgers follow a precise and systematic process. System catering is developing rapidly and has transferred the concept of systems to other types of food, such as the Vapiano restaurant chain. At Vapiano, Italian dishes are prepared according to a precisely systematized schedule. This ensures that spaghetti Bolognese tastes the same in Stuttgart as it does in Aachen.

Create process systems

Creating a system is generally not as complicated as many people assume. It is done in five steps:

1. Identification of the area for a new system
2. Brainstorming for the best solution
3. Testing and trying out (and gathering feedback)
4. Develop standards
5. Systematize standards

The first step is to identify areas of management work where a new system would be useful (such as systematizing employee appraisals). Once this area has been identified, the second step is to use brainstorming to find various solutions (a pipeline). This solution is then tested and tried out in the third step—this step is crucial, as it is from this that the ideal process or approach is developed.

In the third step in particular, it is important to obtain feedback from third parties. Once the ideal approach has been identified, the fourth step involves developing a standard based on the best solution. This standard (best practice) can now be rolled out and systematized in other areas (such as neighboring departments or other management levels).

We are aware that implementing systems in the first step (to build the pipeline) requires more time in the short term than the direct solution. However, when viewed from a long-term perspective, it is essential to establish the necessary systems in management work. This makes management work much easier. Development questions can help you identify and implement possible management systems.

Possible development questions

• Which tasks that you currently perform yourself could be handled by a suitable system?
• In which (of your management areas) does it make sense to implement new systems? What could these look like in the first step?
• What (well-functioning) systems do you currently have in place that make leadership easier for you? How can these be continuously developed and expanded?

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