Do you invest in the growth of the managers on your team?
Wish you had more time, but always find it too far down your to do list?
In episode #16 of Creating High Performing Teams, we talk with Krzysztof Rakowski, who has over 20 years of experience in IT, 11 of which has been in management. He shares a variety of approaches he’s found that has helped him and managers that report to him grow as leaders.
This includes a case study of how Lighthouse Lessons Group Edition has helped him grow into a better manager in just 15 minutes a week across 3 different programs, and other tactics like learning from your peers, having a growth mindset, and standing up for your team.
Listen to our episode on becoming a better manager in just 15 minutes a week:
Show Notes:
- Many companies promote the most talented person on a team to manager, but that doesn’t always work out
- It can be hard for that person to let go of their individual work, which shortchanges things for their team. There’s also just too much to do. It doesn’t scale.
- Taking care of your team means a lot, especially if you’re fighting on their behalf against others not looking out for them.
- Krzysztof brought food and drink for their team and advocated for overtime when they had to work over a weekend in the summer. It helped with morale and retention on his team.
- A Growth Mindset helps as a leader: Don’t see people doing well as a threat, but instead someone you can learn from.
- Learn more about Growth Mindsets from the creator, Carol Dweck, in this video.
- It didn’t work to ask his team “what would you like to learn?” so it was important for Krzysztof to find good ideas(like when he tried Lighthouse Lessons)
- Task Relevant Maturity is one of Krzysztof’s favorite concepts to understand what skills your people need to work on. Learn about it here.
- Before they found Lighthouse Lessons they were semi-regularly meeting to talk as a team. With Lighthouse Lessons, they created a stronger, more consistent habit and a unifying subject to discuss as a group.
- Meeting as a group with your fellow managers builds bonds and deeper learning you cannot get any other way, because you’re at the same company with the same culture.
- You can also learn how Jornaya similarly used the Group Edition to build community among their managers.
- Give your team more independence by embracing the Water Line Principle:
- Krzysztof believes in the value of habits, which he recognizes that our program getting people to schedule the habit really helps. He also loves the book Atomic Habits on the subject (which is what he shows in the video version of the interview).
What are the most important elements of Lighthouse Lessons that keeps bringing him and his team back?
- The price for value is a really good in his view
- They don’t have a lot of time, so the bite-sized lessons are ideal to help leaders like you grow into a better manager in just 15 minutes a week.
- Some people on the team enjoyed the group discussions so much, they called in on their vacation
Who makes the best fit for the program?
- Someone who can commit to a weekly set of lessons. You only learn what you take the time to read and act.
- A leader willing to encourage their team to meet. This is where the magic happens, but it may take a couple weeks for everyone to be as excited about the Group Lesson meetings as Krzysztof’s team is now.
Ready to start leveling up your skills and become a better manager in just 15 minutes a week? Interested in a group of managers at your company?
- For individuals, we do open cohorts of various courses throughout the year.
- Join an active program or sign up to be notified about the next program here: Lessons.getlighthouse.com
- If you want to grow a group of managers like Krzysztof, you can buy our programs a la carte and start at the time you choose.
- Sign up to get more information and discuss what program is the perfect fit for your team at: grouplessons.getlighthouse.com
Where to find and follow Krzysztof:
- You can find him on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krzrak/ and if you speak Polish, he has a podcast on leadership and management at https://nerd.management
