We talked recently about how to identify a snow plow manager. It’s a thing that comes from a good place, but ends up in a very bad one (for everyone involved)! But if you do work for one, what should you do about it? And if you are one, how can you get off of the plow?
Here are Five Fast Facts on handling snow plow managers:
- 🎯 Set Goals - If you work for a snow plow manager, start by having a conversation about goals. Don’t just yell, “LET ME DO STUFF!” Talk about the changes you’d like to make, why you want them, and how you can prove you’re holding up your end of things.
- 👌 Independent Study - Take on some small, low risk projects that you can do well without any assistance from them. This can help you prove to your boss that you’ve got this. If you do it before your goal conversation, you’ve got ready examples to help strengthen your position.
- 💪 Be Worthy - Be absolutely certain that you’re crushing your normal duties, too! It’s hard for a boss to hear you want to do more when you’re not even keeping up with your regular work. You can’t overachieve without just “achieving” first.
- 🐲 Don’t Hold (Them) Back - If you are a snow plow manager, you’ve gotta check yourself. Understand that your people each have their own skills and strengths and value, but they need to learn how to use them. Good bosses know that mistakes are lessons; snow plow bosses treat mistakes like dragon attacks.
- 👀 Know When - You don’t need to know every little action and detail of every project for every person on your team. No, seriously, you don’t! Be supportive, be aware, and be available...but avoid a circle of micromanagement doom.
🔥Bottom line: If some honest conversations about goals and boundaries doesn’t work, then consider getting HR involved. That’s what they’re there for, after all. The bottom line is that you have to find a better balance of trust and tasks so that everyone has a healthy work environment and the team does its best work across the board. Get out of the snow drift and into the sunlight!
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