We are in the business of providing impact-the-bottom-line skills to teams of SEs. Operationalizing a new skill is one of the hardest things for a manager to implement.

We worked with an SE organization awhile ago whose managers had been promoted from within. Many had not received formal how-to-manage training. The culture for these managers was to still want to be buddies with their teams, “If the SEs like it, they’ll use it”. They were Laissez Faire managers — hands off, let the SEs do what they want to do. Heed my warning — This is a recipe for failure.

When new skills are presented to any individual, their first reaction is often, “Gee I hope this goes away. I’m too busy to do this new stuff. I’ve been doing fine as an SE for 10 years, leave me alone.” Despite all the explanations of benefit to the organization and themselves, SEs will often resist change. Change is viewed as a waste of time.

Change will only happen through routine, persistent, repetitive practice. Especially for a new soft skill, this can take 3 to 6 months before the practice begins to become accepted and routine. Change will not and cannot happen with a hands-off management style.

My fellow SE Managers, to operationalize a new soft skill, we must put the “manage” back into “manager”. New procedures and policies must be defined and rigorously implemented. Executive management needs to strongly and vocally support the change. Contests and rewards are needed to motivate behavior. Those of you who believe in MBOs, leverage the heck out of them for at least two quarters.

Executive managers, you will need to lean on your line managers. Consider weekly or bi-weekly reviews of team behavior through technical opportunity reviews of critical deals. Insist that your managers have the quick crisp answers to questions like “can this deal come in any faster?” “How will we overcome the risks in moving forward?” “Show me the performance measurements for the new skills since the last time we met.” Insisting managers have crisp answers will ensure they are staying on top of their people for the answers, and that their SEs are involved in similar regular reviews and practice.

So, when operationalizing new skills, it is important to put the “manage” back into “Manager”.

Good SElling!