A Tale of Two Brothers
Okay, so maybe they aren’t biological brothers, but they are good friends, and they are upper-middle-management peers in the same company. They have similar responsibilities and challenges, and yet their personalities and skill sets are very different.
Both are charged with managing sales and operations for multiple business units totaling a hundred million in annual sales. Both are expected to grow the business by 15%, retain 95% of current accounts, and integrate multiple acquisitions.
John has a no-nonsense, direct style of communication. He is fair minded, he makes decisions quickly, and he is both book-smart and street-smart. As you get to know him better, his sense of humor and compassionate side shows a little. He is proud and competitive, and yet humbly he gives away the credit for regional accomplishments.
Mark has a quiet, more passive style. He gives very few directives, and leans more toward pep talks. He builds trust within his team by aligning their needs and desires with company strategy. He is an excellent listener and his compassionate side shows immediately. Watching him lead, one would wonder if he avoids the tough conversations, or if he simply gets out in front of them to prevent the need for them.
Both are successful managers, and they embrace the concept of ongoing personal and professional development. Their director of sales presented them both with an opportunity to create their own development plan. They looked at core competencies required for their leadership roles, and they assessed strengths as well as opportunities. They each chose three development opportunities, and with the help of their director, an action plan was written to help them strengthen specific skills.
Reviewing the collaborative development plans, the director noticed that John’s strengths were Mark’s opportunities, and Mark’s strengths were John’s area for development. Since they were already good friends and willing to share their developmental focus with one another, a perfect “cross mentoring” opportunity was born.
Over six months, Magis principles were applied as they helped each other work their respective development plans. Their director scheduled time and resources to support them. Today, both enjoy continued success and their friendship remains strong. They have learned to assimilate each others strengths and to help each other with setbacks. Both men have achieved the highest recognition for leadership performance, and they continue to improve.
They are both action-oriented, trust-building leaders who bring the “people side” of management straight to the bottom line".
Collaborative Development Programs are very powerful.
Unfortunately, many companies use “Collaborative” in title only. This is one thing you cannot successfully misrepresent.
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