Providing input on a decision or being an active part of the decision-making process is not Managing The Manager.
MTM begins when tactics relying on emotions and politics are used to put personal pressure on the decision-maker.
Managers and leaders in the public arena must be aware of and prepare for MTM at all levels.
A personal assessment of ones strength in the line of fire is essential to success as a manager--MTM or not.
Suck it up, have great courage, and anticipate the use of MTM tactics and controlling strategies, making sure your decisions have the best possible chance for success.
The more of a support system you as a manager establish, the better chance you have to deflect the use of MTM.
A solid foundation to minimize the success of MTM attempts consists of an appropriate operating style:
€ practicing effective communications
€ obtaining appropriate input including thorough research
€ using a rational decision-making system that recognizes emotional arguments but develops alternatives based on facts and priorities
€ realistically reading the desires, aspirations and philosophies of the final decision-makers
€ making decisions that leave no factual stone unturned.
Even your supporters may be swayed by influencing tactics if you have not kept them informed and pop new information on them at the last minute.
All in all, standing on the shoulders of strong committee recommendations minimizes attempts at derailing decisions.
The decision-making process you select must be one that uncovers every possible alternative, takes into account real data, values some factors over other factors, minimizes emotional arguments, and gives you a solid defensible position.
Timing in decision-making is everything. If you come out too fast you1ll be criticized. If you wait too long you1ll appear indecisive.
If you are worried that you might make a mistake or ruffle a few feathers perhaps management is not for you!
What are some of the personal tips that can help minimize the effects of MTM tactics and reduce the accompanying stress?
€ Maintain your cool--no matter what the letters, faxes, picket signs, petitions, letters to the editor say. Using the word "slander" is a problem if you are in the public domain.
€ Business as usual--deal with your enemies as if nothing had happened with a smile on your face even though there is venom in your boiling blood.
€ Always tell the truth! If you don1t know an answer don1t make one up. MTM will expose you.
€ Talk willingly to the media or the newspaper reporter who is trying to see if what the petitions/letters/faxes say is true.
€ Make careful responses always weighing the positive and negative aspects of fighting fire with fire. With MTM tactics, the users have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The decision is the target not you personally--you are the messenger.
Consistency shows strength. To hesitate shows weakness.
Thanks for being
visitor #
All Rights Reserved, Jack McLaughlin, Berkeley, CA
Who's in control--you or those you are supposed to be leading? What are the hot buttons used to steer you into or away from making decisions that affect your work and your quality of life? How effective is your staff and the community or clientele you serve in using MTM to control your behavior and your actions? Once recognized, how can you minimize the effect of MTM tactics?
In defining MTM I make a distinction: providing input on a decision or being an active part of the decision-making process is not Managing The Manager. MTM begins when tactics relying on emotions and politics are used to put personal pressure on the decision-maker.
I read with great interest the account of Autumn Jackson's attempt to force Bill Cosby to pay her $40 million dollars based on the claims of her mother and grandmother that he was her biological father. What she did in her efforts to MTM Bill Cosby's life was ruled a crime in federal court. The jurors, after three days of deliberations, told the media they found the government1s evidence against Autumn overwhelming. The fact that he was rich and famous and vulnerable is what made Cosby such an inviting target, prosecutor Paul Engelmayer said in his summation to the jury. Cosby had admitted to an affair with Autumn1s mother and had given the family in excess of $100,000 over the years. Recently, even though Autumn had accelerated her demands, Cosby had offered to send her to college and give her spending money and a car, still insisting that he was not her father. He was doing what damage control he could in an apparent attempt to maintain his image as one of America1s favorites. Finally, he had to take the open, public step to set the record straight and regain control rather than be controlled, even though his image might suffer a hit. He won, she lost. He was no longer involved in MTM by his past and conniving others.
And, what were the MTM tactics Jackson used to force Cosby to pay up? What were the well-thought out strategies designed to play on Cosby1s need to maintain the image that America had built and served as his source of monetary success?
Listed in the reports were a series of threats by fax, phone and letter aimed at Cosby1s lawyers, his network, his publishers and such corporate sponsors as Eastman Kodak and Philip Morris. Newspaper accounts indicated that it was the mass of faxes, letters and tape-recorded calls that convinced the jury. The media also indicated that Jackson would sell her story to a supermarket tabloid if she didn1t get the money. And, attached to a fax she sent Cosby1s attorney was a contract from the Globe.
Use of threatening faxes, phone calls, letters well-placed with strategic targets--sound familiar? Add petitions, picket signs, public forums and slanted editorials based on erroneous information. Include quickly formed citizen-action groups, votes of no-confidence, sit-ins, protests and expert testimony. There you have the world of MTM with the manager--the leader--attempting to make a decision, reach a goal, stay within a budget.
We have the manager who is in the throws of being managed by those who would, or believe or have been led to believe, they would suffer from the manager1s decision-making leadership. And, until the decision is made, maximum use of the most damaging MTM tactics will be used to influence those who have the final say. And, unlike federal court and Autumn Jackson's world, using MTM tactics in the public policy decision-making forum is no crime. Managers and leaders in the public arena must be aware of and prepare for MTM at all levels.
So, what do you do to minimize the effects of the bag of tricks your constituents have at their disposal if they choose to use MTM on you? How can you maintain the balance of control you need to permit effective decision-making to occur?
A personal assessment of ones strength in the line of fire is essential to success as a manager--MTM or not. Once you sense your capabilities to withstand the heat you will also have measured your potential to lead at the highest levels. Harry Truman1s famous quote, 3If you can1t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen,2 couldn1t be truer in the discussion of MTM. Those who want to manage you in decision-making and leadership aim the spotlight directly at you, hoping you will back down and give in to avoid the stress and turmoil of taking an unpopular stance. If you have advancement in mind and want no waves, or have an ego that demands only positive strokes, or worry about your personal financial status and possible threats that shake job security, or have a sensitive personality that can not handle divisiveness or are self-conscious about possible failure, MTM tactics can have an affect on you. Or, you can suck it up, have great courage, and anticipate the use of MTM tactics and controlling strategies, making sure your decisions have the best possible chance for success.
In our world of human beings, there will always be decisions made which encourage the use of MTM tactics. Laying the groundwork for decisions is damage-control up front and a necessary step for any successful manager. The more of a support system you as a manager establish, the better chance you have to deflect the use of MTM. Bill Cosby, as one of Americas long time favorites, has an image built from the ground up over a long period of time. If the Autumn Jackson incident and the MTM tactics had been used against Bill in his early days, who knows what effect they would have had on his life and career. Reports of the court case stated that the jury did not take his stature as one of America1s favorites into account. Please! Is there anyone on this planet who has not laughed along with one of the greatest?
A solid foundation to minimize the success of MTM attempts consists of an appropriate operating style:
practicing effective communications obtaining appropriate input including thorough research using a rational decision-making system that recognizes emotional arguments butdevelops alternatives based on facts and priorities
realistically reading the desires, aspirations and philosophies of the final decision-makers making decisions that leave no factual stone unturned.Appropriate Operating Style.One of the first steps you must take as a manager is to establish your operating style with your constituents, your peers and those who will make the ultimate decisions based on your recommendations--those eventual well-thought out alternatives that will feel the brunt of those who want something else. Your style must fit the organization1s perception of successful decision-making. If you are in a top down, autocratic environment you must act accordingly. If you are in an open collaborative setting you must make sure your style seeks input and consensus. If you are in a complex arena where your style must be fluid based on situations, you must show a great sense of timing and flexibility. For starters, regardless of style, you must demonstrate consistency so that your supporters and detractors know what to expect. If they know where you are coming from it will make you easier to predict but also harder to manage, in the long run. Consistency shows strength. To hesitate shows weakness.
Effective Communication. The next key to laying a successful foundation upon which to minimize the effects of having your decisions controlled by the actions of others is communication. Like an old saw, keeping others informed keeps coming back as a key or a detriment to successful decision-making. You must constantly keep those who make decisions informed of what1s going on and potential rough seas ahead. You must also keep communications flowing with those who will seek to manage you in your decision-making sometime along the way. One of the biggest flaws in decision-making and eventually in inspiring conniving others to use tactics to influence decisions, is the surprise factor. No one likes surprises. Even your supporters may be swayed by influencing tactics if you have not kept them informed and pop new information on them at the last minute. Decision-makers and even detractors might be supportive of your efforts but vote against you because they were surprised.
Appropriate Input and Thorough Research. Another key to avoid being managed by the tactics of others is to build decisions on the shoulders of strong committees and thorough research. In most areas of public policy, diverse representative committees using lengthy study and solid research with your full involvement will develop solid recommendations or at least solid positions upon which decisions can be made. The strength of this approach is that a solid base of communications, understanding and buy-in can be built prior to the slings and arrows of those who want something else. Even when the issue is extremely volatile, solid and even opposing positions can and will be developed. You as the manager may not agree with all the positions a committee takes, but you will certainly have access to detailed information upon which to base your recommendation. A weakness in the committee approach is that you are, to some degree, being managed by the committee. Taking a position opposite to that developed through a representative committee process not only sets you up for negative tactics in decision-making but jeopardizes future committee work. All in all, standing on the shoulders of strong committee recommendations minimizes attempts at derailing decisions.
Factual Decision-making Process. Use of a thorough decision-making process can also help you establish the rationale for a decision to such a degree that the tactics used to manage you in decision-making will have to rely on emotions only because you will have covered every factual possibility ahead of time. The process you select must be one that uncovers every possible alternative, takes into account real data, values some factors over other factors, minimizes emotional arguments, and gives you a solid defensible position. And, once you begin formulating your position, test it on those who can give you feedback on the pluses and minuses so that you can make further refinements.
Making Good Decisions. Why not go all the way in the first place rather than have the pressure tactics force you to go there anyhow. Timing in decision-making is everything. If you come out too fast you1ll be criticized. If you wait too long you'll appear indecisive. Don1t announce your decision/recommendation until you have your ducks in a row. Toe in the water...
Do your job. Don't handle a difficult decision by ducking the issue because you see the MTM tactics coming. If it is your responsibility to provide a recommendation do it using all the best and most appropriate decision-making practices. If you can't, find another job. If you are worried that you might make a mistake or ruffle a few feathers perhaps management is not for you!
No matter how much one prepares to minimize the use of MTM tactics, they will be used to some degree during your management career. At the highest levels and in complex organizations dealing with difficult challenges, MTM tactics are a way of life. What are some of the personal tips that can help minimize the effects of MTM tactics and reduce the accompanying stress?
Maintain your cool--no matter what the letters, faxes, picket signs, petitions, letters to the editor say. Using the word "slander" is a problem if you are in the public domain. Business as usual--deal with your enemies as if nothing had happened with a smile on your face even though there is venom in your boiling blood. Always tell the truth! If you don't know an answer don't make one up. MTM will expose you. Talk willingly to the media or the newspaper reporter who is trying to see if what the petitions/letters/faxes say is true. Make careful responses always weighing the positive and negative aspects of fighting fire with fire.With MTM tactics, the users have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The decision is the target not you personally--you are the messenger.
August, 1997 work in progress -- If quoting, consult final published text,
available through the Liberty Group.