What does it mean to work here?
A management philosophy is an explicit commitment to making your workplace special.
As a manager, I have a handful of principles that guide my decision-making:
Make very few promises and keep them all.
Avoiding conflict is an active decision to remain in conflict.
Feedback should be true, kind, and necessary.
Lead by example, not by explanation.
I like a turn of phrase. I like to make the complex simple. There is no map for management success, but you can fashion together your own compass out of guiding principles.
That’s why the title of a Havard Business Review article has stuck with me for a decade. It is the key to implementing the abstract language we use to talk about our commitment to values, development and growth, and inclusion and equity. Although the article itself doesn’t rock my world, I am still moved by the title: What It Means to Work Here.
What distinguishes a company that has deeply engaged and committed employees from another one that doesn’t? It’s not a certain compensation scheme or talent-management practice. Instead, it’s the ability to express to current and potential employees what makes the organization unique. Companies with highly engaged employees articulate their values and attributes through “signature experiences”—visible, distinctive elements of the work environment that send powerful messages about the organization’s aspirations.
What does it mean to work at your organization? What are the unique attributes? How are people treated? How do people grow into the next step in their career? When the going gets tough, do you have the courage of your convictions?
I work with clients to explicitly state “what it means to work here” in a management philosophy. This not only provides a compass to managers but also roots the management relationship in common goals. Here is a management philosophy I co-created with one of my client’s equity team:
We prioritize mentoring, development, and connection in the relationship between managers and staff members. We demonstrate those commitments through the consistency of our feedback, expectations, and co-creation of equitable development pathways. Our management style is rooted in coaching and strategy, fostering individual learning and growth aligned with organizational direction and goals.
The management toolkit created to accompany the philosophy lays out what this looks like when brought to life.
A minimum frequency and length of time for one-on-one check-ins
Check-in agendas that include discussions of progress on professional development goals
Sample check-in questions to monitor if the staff member is experiencing inclusion, belonging, and equity
Examples of internal and external mentoring opportunities
Clarity of the current management style of the organization - coaching with centralized decision-making - that is dependent on strong managers
Along with the management philosophy, what it means to work here is further defined by traditional and non-traditional benefits and policies on total compensation, equitable salaries, and leave.
What does it mean to work at your organization? What promises do you make? How many do you keep?
