The "Invisible Management" of Leaders

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The traditional management mode focuses on control and supervision. Managers are like overseers who keep a close eye on employees all the time. However, this approach not only makes employees feel oppressed but also makes it difficult to unleash the maximum potential of the team. In fact, the highest level of management is to make the team operate spontaneously without realizing it, without perceiving management pressure. What kind of advantages and actionable strategies does this "invisible management" mode have? Now, let's explore it together.

I. Abandon the "Control" Mentality

When it comes to management, many people envision a leader staring at employees with a small notebook, simply equating management with control. But in reality, the core of management lies in stimulating the initiative and creativity of the team, rather than restricting employees with rules. Just like air, people usually don't feel its existence, but once it's absent, life becomes difficult to sustain. An excellent manager should be like air, unobtrusive but crucial.

Think about why people can be so addicted to playing games that they even forget to eat? This is because games have clear goals, timely feedback, and attractive reward mechanisms. The same goes for managing a team. Instead of constantly urging employees to work, it's better to break down big goals into small, achievable ones so that employees feel they can reach them with a little effort.

Suppose the monthly performance target of the team is one million yuan. It can be refined into 250,000 yuan per week and then further specified to the daily workload of each employee. In this way, employees will feel that the goal is not out of reach and will work actively for their own interests. As a project manager, if you supervise the team like an overseer when they are writing code and fixing bugs, the team may feel micromanaged, leading to disengagement.

It is advisable to change your thinking. Inform the team that if the user signups can increase by 10% after the function is launched, everyone will receive a bonus. In this case, the team will not only complete the task ahead of schedule but also take the initiative to optimize the details. This tells us that when employees understand the benefits of doing a good job, they will work hard for their own goals. Just as Jack Ma said, "Employees come first, customers second. Only when employees are happy can customers be happy."

II. Say Goodbye to Command-style Management

In the past, the command-style management where may have been effective in hierarchical or industrial settings, but in today's diverse era, this approach is already outdated. Truly outstanding leaders usually speak for no more than 20% of the time in a meeting. Instead, they guide team members to express their ideas and engage in discussions. When holding a meeting, you might try these three sentences:

• "The goal for this month has been set. How do you plan to achieve it?"
• "Let me know at any time if you need me to coordinate any resources."
• "I'll take the blame if there are any problems. You’re encouraged to experiment safely."

The first sentence gives the initiative to employees, making them feel like they are participants in decision-making rather than passive executors. The second sentence makes employees understand that the manager is their solid backup. The third sentence dispels employees' concerns about making mistakes and allows them to act freely.

When employees feel trusted, they can often unleash great potential. Netflix is famous for its management culture of "freedom and responsibility," where employees can decide their own vacation time, provided they complete their work. This highly free management mode makes employees full of initiative and creativity and also enables Netflix to gain a firm foothold in the highly competitive streaming media market.

III. Transparent Rules, Let the System Manage People

Many companies are in a mess in management, largely because the rules are not transparent. For the same mistake, employee A may be punished while employee B gets away with it. This double-standard behavior seriously dampens employees' morale, making them feel that whether they do well in the company depends entirely on the leader's mood, and working hard is not as good as pleasing the leader. Compared with management by individuals, management by system is more fair and just.

To replace discretionary leadership with standardized procedures, you can standardize management by formulating three tables.

• First is the list of rights and responsibilities, which clarifies the responsibilities and authorities of each member, making everyone clear about what they should do and what they cannot do, effectively avoiding the phenomenon of passing the buck.
• Second is the reward and punishment standards, which specify in detail the reward measures for excellent work performance and the punishment methods for work mistakes, ensuring fairness and transparency and motivating employees to work actively.
• Finally is the progress dashboard, which displays the team's work progress in real time, enabling everyone to clearly understand the stage the team is in and reducing problems caused by information asymmetry.

When team members have a thorough understanding of their rights, responsibilities, and reward and punishment standards, the management pressure will also be reduced accordingly.

IV. Transform into a "Enabler" and Provide All-round Support

An excellent manager does not regard himself/herself as a superior leader but as a "toolbox" for the team, ready to provide the necessary support for the team at any time. In terms of professionalism, managers should become the backbone of the team. When the team encounters technical problems, if the manager can solve them with their professional knowledge and experience, it will make employees feel that confidence in leadership continuity enhances resilience, there is no problem that cannot be overcome. For example, in a software development project, when the development team encounters particularly complex technical bottlenecks, if the manager with a technical background can step in and help, it will not only make the project progress faster but also make employees truly admire the manager.

In terms of emotions, managers should become the "confidant" of the team. When employees encounter grievances or are under great pressure, they may not need the leader to immediately provide a solution but just want someone to talk to. The manager only needs to give understanding and comfort to make employees feel cared for and supported. When employees work in such an environment where they have both a sense of security and room for growth, they will naturally devote themselves to work and no longer slack off.

V. Integrate Management into Culture and Cultivate a Self-driven Team

The highest level of management is to transform management requirements into the habits of team members and let the team form self-drive. In such a team, employees will take the initiative to follow up on the work progress without being urged, the team can coordinate resources internally on its own, and employees will also consciously reflect on and improve their work.

To create such a team culture, managers need to do three things:

• First, lead by example. The manager's behavior is the benchmark of the team. Only by being strict with themselves can they convince team members. If the manager is always late for work and leaves early but requires employees to be punctual, it is obviously difficult to convince others.
• Second, continuously empower. Provide learning and growth opportunities for the team to help them improve their abilities and form a positive cycle of continuous progress. For example, regularly organize training courses, sharing sessions, etc., so that employees can be exposed to new knowledge and skills.
• Third, foster a culture of excellence. Let team members believe from the bottom of their hearts that doing a good job is a natural thing. This concept can be strengthened by commending outstanding employees, publicizing the team's excellent deeds, etc.

When team members embed operational discipline as their own code of conduct, management is like being integrated into the team's blood. It seems to "disappear," but in fact, it plays a huge role.

VI. Management is like Flying a Kite, Grasp the Moderation Principle

Management is like flying a kite. If the string is pulled too tightly, the kite cannot fly high; if it is completely released, the kite will get out of control and fly away. Truly excellent managers can make the team move forward towards a common goal in a seemingly unconstrained situation. When managers feel that the management work is particularly tiring, they may need to think about whether there is something wrong with their management methods. Making the team not feel they are being managed is an attainable managerial ideal but an efficient management realm that can be achieved by changing management concepts and methods.

If managers can master the essence of it, they can not only make their own work easier but also lead the team to create more brilliant achievements and maintain competitive advantage in the fierce market competition. In the actual management process, managers need to keep learning and practicing and try to apply the above "invisible management" methods to make management more relaxed and efficient.