Ensuring the smooth running of an enterprise has its own challenges. Often times, management of businesses are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea when it comes to applying rules to deal with erring staff, especially those considered to be key to the business. The Managing Director of Intermarc Consulting, Adeyemi Adeyinka, in this interview with Bukola Aroloye gives an insight into handling such sensitive issues. For him, decisions, no matter how hard, need to be taken to ensure the continued existence of a business concern. Excerpts:
What is your management style?
Management style is so hard to put your finger on, but I believe that it is defined by the consistent manner and approach of leadership. A good manager gives clear directions and actually stays pretty hands-off, but is ready and available to jump in to offer guidance, expertise, and help when needed. This is my management style. I tend to manage by objective and lead by example. I define the goals, set the parameters, agree work schedules and deliverable and then go out of my way to make sure I know when my team needs help. I don’t hang around and wait to be called upon by my direct reports. I go to them. I check in on the work they’re doing and on the well-being of the personnel and of the job. This style is one ýof the styles I am working with my team to set, record and monitor goals for a specific period of time. Organisational goals and planning then flow from top-down through the organisation and are translated into personal goals for members of the team.
What is your management philosophy?
My management philosophy is centred on leadership. ýI am ruled by the firm belief that if I provide guidance, direction, leadership, and then set an example to the team, we can together achieve amazing results. To do this, however, I also believe that I have to provide an environment that creates a productive ýteam; one that works smart and efficiently. I learned a great deal and found that leading by example is a strong way to influence and direct work diligently.ý
Do you micromanage?
No, I do not micromanage. I lead and motivate for performance. Where a manager can perform a subordinate’s job more efficiently than the subordinate can, the result is merely suboptimal management which is a situation of lost opportunities because such managers would serve the company even better by focusing on their own job. In micromanagement, the manager not only tells a subordinate what to do but dictates that the job be done in a certain way regardless of whether that way is the most effective or efficient one. This limits initiative, drive and growth.
How do you motivate your staff?
I believe that the character and dynamics of the workplace has significantly changed as we have it today. Employees are now hardly motivated by just perks and a few notches up in salary. As an entrepreneur, I ýconstantly look for ways to motivate my people to consistently put all their effort in their work. This is an area where most business owners have to do a bit more than the ordinary as the workforce of this century requires more creative ways to stay tuned. Some of the ways I have approached staff motivation include setting lofty ambitions, with smaller goals set side-by-side to keep people on track. These goals are then revised weekly. This way, they will see that your goals are realistic and everyone benefits from working hard.ý I am also able to motivate my employees by giving them a purpose. This way they understand the vision better and are able to execute tasks strongly. In addition, by understanding their purpose and the purpose of the business, an employee is better able to understand how they fit into the big picture. Furthermore, I’m always pumping energy through the office. I’m really enthusiastic and want my staff to feed off that positive energy. You have to be in the moment and high-energy all the time. I also motivate by being transparent. I am very open with employees about what’s happening at the highest level so there are no surprises and everyone has a chance to ask questions and give feedback. I want employees to feel included in big decisions and committed to the direction our company takes. This has helped to sustain motivation and increased company loyalty and pride. ýFinally, I motivate the individual rather than the team. I have learnt that aligned incentives are the only true way to ensure everyone on a team is working toward a common goal. Framing the strategy in multiple ways ensures each stakeholder has a clear, personal understanding of how working together benefits himself and the team. This technique allows you to motivate the team to accomplish amazing things.
Do you apply the stick and carrot approach?
This is an issue of motivation. To influence behaviour and create an environment in the workplace for people to learn and adapt both punishment and reward may be necessary. This conclusion would certainly run counter to the trend toward positive motivation without extrinsic reward or punishment.ý Consequently, I believe that both methods can be applied to achieve desired results in any organisation.
What has been your toughest decision as a manager?
Firing a superstar who breaks a rule; this is a very typical management issue. How do you deal with the challenge of enforcing policy at the risk of losing a superstar? In this case, the employee is so outstanding he seems almost irreplaceable. She was an effective salesperson responsible for account and relationship management. Then it was found out that she cheated. She didn’t make a mistake; she clearly and deliberately did the wrong thing. Although a tough decision needed to be made but there was little judgment involved. First, I made sure I had all the facts. Then I let her go. ýIt was tough though. But no matter how “important” a staff may be to the business, you cannot compromise your clients. It’s more important to protect the client and preserve the integrity of the business.
What has been your best decision overtime?
When you manage a business, you are constantly making decisions, often under pressure. It’s therefore difficult to say, ‘this is my best decision over time’. When I am confronted with a situation, I endeavour to make the best possible decisions, knowing they will have an impact on the company’s future. However, making better, faster decisions help me take advantage of business opportunities and avoid pitfalls.ý Knowing these facts, I tend to make evidence-based decisions, but I then get perspectives of staff and other stakeholders, depending on how expedient the matter is. Having said this, some of the best business decisions I have made are those that challenge status quo.
How do you reprimand erring staff?
Let’s get something clear here. Hiring good hands is a very tedious process. So when you find them you want to keep them.ý However, disciplining employees is a necessary matter in every organisation, albeit an unpleasant one. Effective discipline can help to correct employee behavioural issues and can increase productivity. Effective discipline will also help to protect your company’s integrity in the long term. It is important to have a strategically designed disciplinary policy so that your employees know what is expected and what will happen if they do not meet expectations. Having this degree of consistency will provide your organisation with a sense of stability that all of your employees, managers, and HR personnel will appreciate. I have used one or the other of the following steps for disciplinary action at one point or the other. Oral reprimand, written reprimandý, final documentation, suspension with probation and where the above have not produced the change required, then termination.
What is your idea of a good manager?
My idea of a good manager is that of a good manager that aspires to be a great manager. A great manager would involve the employees in coming up with solutions to whatever problem is being solved by keeping the doors closed. The employees, when being posed with the problem, might come up with the idea of “close the doors” or they might come up with something better. Either way, they would feel a greater sense of ownership over the idea since they were involved in its creation.
As an upwardly mobile executive, how do you ease off stress?
I adopt a multi layered approach to easing off stress. First, I take a break to call a member of my family (my wife or child) to have a light chat on any issue except business or I call a funny friend. Then I take a walk after which I settle for a cup of warm lemon and ginger with honey drink, have nice meal, a shower and the sleep. These activities do not necessarily happen in a straight-jacket manner or in the order I have described here. It all depends on the time of day and the circumstances.
In retrospect, what do you regret most in your career and profession?
I do not have any regret whatsoever. This is no time, space or need to regret anything.
Tell us the fond memories of starting out as a professional.
I recall memories of the period in my life when I decided to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to enable me launch a successful professional career. My days in business school and the rigour of learning the fundamentals of business along with very smart colleagues. I recall embarking on a lot of local and international trips attending both business and technical courses, seminars and conferences. It then became really interesting when I started applying some of the skills in my entrepreneurial endeavours.
How best do you think professionals can contribute to the development of the country?
Professionals can contribute a great deal to the development of the country by ensuring that skill and knowledge is transferred to the next generation. Some professionals have spent a lifetime acquiring knowledge that must be passed on for the benefit of the people. This can be done through social impact or a more systematic knowledge transfer mode.
