January 2012

Executive

Management
SOUNDVIEW
Book Summaries
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®

The Invisible Spotlight

Why Managers Can’t Hide
THE SUMMARY IN BRIEF
In The Invisible Spotlight, management experts Craig Wasserman and Doug Katz
make a compelling argument that all managers work in the heat of an invisible
spotlight where their every word and deed are scrutinized by employees.
Remarkably, most managers are unaware of this reality. As a result, they underesti-
mate the impact of the passing moments that are at the heart of their management
relationships.
Wasserman and Katz tell illuminating stories from their nearly 40 years in the by Craig Wasserman and
trenches about management successes and misadventures in the unseen spotlight. Doug Katz
Each story acts like a mirror, reflecting the reader’s own management challenges.
The authors’ realistic observations and insights gained as consultants enrich the
lessons that are offered.
CONTENTS
The Invisible Spotlight presents a fresh, practical perspective on building sound
management relationships. Whether you’re a brand new, first-line supervisor, an Part I: The Management
Relationship
experienced middle manager or a seasoned senior executive, you’ll find something
Page 2
here worth your time and contemplation.
The Invisible Spotlight: Why Managers Can’t Hide offers readers a hard look at the The Invisible Spotlight
Page 3
soft side of managing.
Part II: Management
IN THIS SUMMARY, YOU WILL LEARN: Moments
Page 4
• Why the management role does not come naturally. Moments of Recovery
• How instincts and reflexes alone can be as self-defeating as they are useful. Page 5
• How management requires practice, discipline and self-reflection. Part III: Management
• How managers are architects of the relationships they form with their Passages
employees. Page 6
• How people don’t change when they’re comfortable; they change when Idiosyncracies and
they’re uncomfortable. Imperfections
• Why no paint-by-numbers approach to managing will protect managers from Page 7
missteps. Managing Managers
Page 8
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Vol. 34, No. 1 (3 parts), Part 1, January 2012 • Order #34-01
 THE COMPLETE SUMMARY: THE INVISIBLE SPOTLIGHT
by Craig Wasserman and Doug Katz

The authors: Craig Wasserman, Ph.D., has been a management consultant, trainer and lecturer since 1976. He earned his
degrees from The American University in Washington, D.C.: a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Development, a Master of
Education in Counseling and a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology.
Doug Katz, M.A., advises managers on the most intelligent ways to navigate their relationships with employees. He was a
guest instructor on business ethics in the University of Maryland’s Honors Program and has served on the boards of The Grauer
School, the Pretrial Justice Institute, IDC Marketing Inc. and Red Shark Technology.
The Invisible Spotlight: Why Managers Can’t Hide by Craig Wasserman and Doug Katz. Copyright © 2011 Craig W. Wasserman
& Doug Katz. Summarized by permission of the publisher, CreateSpace. 148 pages, $15.95, ISBN 9781460926017. To purchase this
book, go to www.amazon.com or www.bn.com.
Summary copyright © 2011 by Soundview Executive Book Summaries® www.summary.com, 1-800-SUMMARY.
For additional information on the authors, go to www.summary.com or www.wassermankatz.com.

Introduction Unfortunately, the popular management literature of

the day encourages you to develop “reliable manage-
Whether managers appreciate it or not, they are a cen- ment systems” and a “consistent management style” as if
tral and dominant influence in their employees’ lives. the secret to success were in your everyday, predictable
Employees spend countless hours watching, listening, management routines. The fugitive moments I’m refer-
thinking about, talking about and trying to please their ring to here barely get a mention. Let me assure you
bosses. This is what is meant by the invisible spotlight. that you can raise or lower the spirits of an employee,
Being in that constant spotlight comes with the territory. eliminate or perpetuate confusion, make important
Because of the management position you hold –– things happen or stall … all in a matter of seconds. And
because of its status and authority –– your words and yet you might barely notice what you’ve done.
deeds carry enormous weight. They can heighten your Once you pay attention though, you can create these
employees’ commitment in a profound and lasting way. pivotal moments rather than relying on your reflexes.
They can help your employees perform –– and want to The trick is to consciously control the influence you
perform –– at exceptional levels. By the same token, have and to act with intention. This control — this self-
your words and deeds can cause your employees hours control really — makes it possible to turn a glancing
of uncertainty and distress –– even the off-handed moment into a lasting result. These moments form the foun-
remarks you make without malice. What you say and do dation of the management relationship.
can erode your employee’s spirit and contribute to all
manner of performance problems. It’s important, there- Inspiring Your Staff to Deliver and Innovate
fore, to take stock of what you do, how you do it and to Their Potential
how you want to do it. ● If you’re in a management role — whether out of
desire, duty or fate — you must understand that at the
PART I: THE MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP core of your work are your management relationships.
So much of your relationship with employees is forged No amount of inspired business savvy, motivational
in brief, unscripted moments. Sometimes the moments energy, administrative skill, marketing expertise or tech-
are dramatic, sometimes quiet and fleeting. A passing nological genius will compensate for an unhealthy rela-
conversation with an employee, a glance of approval or tionship. None of these talents will bear the best possible
disapproval, a gesture of encouragement when an fruit unless your management relationship is well
employee’s confidence flags — these are the moments watered.
that can make or break your relationship with anyone An employee doesn’t set the tone, standards or direc-
who works for you. tion for the way the two of you work. The foundation

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 Summary: THE INVISIBLE SPOTLIGHT
of this relationship always falls to you. You’re the archi- that Phil thought was misguided; a newer supervisor’s
tect. You’re the one responsible to create the conditions safety improvement recommendation harshly dismissed
that promote your employees’ best work. It all boils because Phil declared it too costly for the presumed
down to an inescapable truth: If the foundation of the benefits; a department head’s carefully conceived plans
management relationship is solid, it’s because you’re for the layout of the truck bays summarily overridden.
doing something right. If the foundation falters or fails, The word in the hallways was that Phil had no patience,
it’s because you’re doing something wrong. It’s that sim- his ideas were the only viable ones, he was callous,
ple and that difficult. ● thoughtless and intimidating. He was like the cow that
gives good milk but then knocks the bucket over.
The Invisible Spotlight Working in Phil’s world was hard on his work force.
It was beyond just stretching to do their level best as
A new vice president joined a large company where I professionals. It had become personal. The relentless
was consulting. A vacant corner office was assigned to pressure had become demoralizing. Each supervisor
him and was scheduled for repainting in advance of his described the same journey: from initial skepticism soon
start date. But a miscommunication between the facili- after Phil arrived, to full throttle enthusiasm and an
ties department and the contractor delayed the job by a eagerness to please, to a sense of tentativeness and cow-
few weeks. ering — both at work and after hours — as the atmos-
When he arrived for his first day, there was some con- phere became abusive. Several supervisors were actively
fusion about where he should park himself. The VP seeking other jobs.
noticed an unoccupied office on his department’s floor
and insisted that he set up there for the interim. The The Risk of Self-Acceptance
office was sterile and cramped, with barely enough space This should have been a pretty tough message for Phil
for a visitor’s chair. Not an office befitting a corporate to digest. But as I held up the proverbial mirror, Phil
officer. Yet the VP insisted. simply looked at me, occasionally nodding in agreement.
He used that office for two weeks as his home base. When I was finished, he reflected a moment. Then,
He met his staff and colleagues there and spent hours at “You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know.
the desk, acquainting himself with the organization he’d My family has been telling me these things for years. I
just joined. don’t suffer fools well. That’s just the way I am.”
When I stopped in to meet him days later, he made I had to respect the guy for his candor. But his self-
no reference to his undersized quarters; never reached acceptance was self-destructive. “Phil, we’ve just come
for a polished explanation nor an assurance that he to the reason your VP sent me here. He didn’t give you
would soon move to a more suitable space. He allowed this job so you could be a bastard. He gave it to you
his decision to speak for itself. He knew his behavior with the expectation that you would be a professional
was making a statement about his values and his leader- leader. Those are far from the same thing.”
ship. He knew those around him were noticing and Phil sat calmly and considered my response. So I con-
hearing through the grapevine about his choices. He was tinued, “At this company, working as a manager, you’re
yet another manager who understood that his people expected to work at being a manager. You can’t simply
were talking about him at dinner — that he was front rely on your ‘natural ways.’ You’re the guy responsible
and center in an invisible spotlight. for making these workplace relationships work, not dri-
He made a deliberate decision. He regarded the logis- ving them into the turf. You’re the guy who has to
tical delay not as an inconvenience, but as an opportuni- develop these supervisors into confident captains, not
ty rich with symbolism. ● shadows of themselves, limping away for safe harbor.
You’re the guy who has to establish an atmosphere that
encourages best efforts, not one that exposes vulnerabili-
Management Is Work ties and insecurities. Being an effective manager is your
It was apparent to those with whom I spoke that Phil job. It’s a set of skills that needs to be mastered. In this
had brought significant improvements to the business. regard, you’re failing.”
But one other theme ran through every conversation I Phil worked hard at catching himself. He began to
had with his supervisors and staff. Just about everyone allow others to succeed and err more on their own and
told some version of the same story: a supervisor to learn from both. He began to insist on the critical
demeaned in mid-sentence for a scheduling procedure things, recognizing that not everything is critical. He

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 Summary: THE INVISIBLE SPOTLIGHT
learned that his natural impatience was a virtue so long act. What’s uncanny is how spontaneous their reactions
as it served to energize, not humiliate. And most impor- seem. Unscripted. Off the cuff. Capable managers seem
tant for Phil, he came to appreciate that his employees to respond in the moment, to the moment, without
wanted to please him; he needed to master the art of time or need for planning.
making that possible for them. ● Don’t be fooled.
Sure, all of us have had the good fortune of a sudden
PART II: MANAGEMENT MOMENTS insight in the midst of turbulence. But managers with
The idea that you can discuss unwanted news or pro- staying power don’t count on their reflexes alone when
vide a critical assessment and at the same time keep an they walk a tightrope. Nor do they expect the tightrope
employee smiling is silly. There’s just no way around the itself to somehow reveal how to balance on it.
fact that speaking the truth about a failure, an oversight Being naturally quick on your feet is a management
or an inconvenient development is thorny for all parties. myth. Quickness requires years of practice, lots of mis-
And yet, over the past half century, we’ve clung to takes and recoveries, and careful preparation. The reality
the idea that managers should manage conflict without is that conscientious managers spend hours anticipating
anyone feeling ill at ease. We ask managers to read the rough roads they expect to travel. They score their
books, watch instructional DVDs and attend training important interactions the way a composer scores a sym-
classes on how to achieve a mutually satisfying, “win- phony. This is the internal dialogue.
win solution” through “open, empathic dialogue” with How to Prepare for Pivotal Conversations
their employees. We’ve somehow convinced ourselves With Employees
that if only managers polish their communication skills,
When managers prepare for pivotal conversations with
change can be comfortable.
their employees, they don’t do it with a broad brush. In
How to Discuss Serious Problems and fact, what they do resembles the vivid, private rehearsals
Deficiencies of a stage actor or the pre-visualizations of an Olympic
Unfortunately, managers too often come away from athlete. They don’t imagine their challenges in general
these “lessons” believing they can discuss serious prob- terms; they engineer them down to the particulars.
lems and deficiencies without causing any pain and suf- You’ve seen these managers as you commute to work.
fering. How “comfortably” the conversation goes They’re talking to themselves in their cars. Sometimes
becomes their measure of success. But here’s the thing: they’ll turn their rearview mirrors toward themselves so
Contrary to popular belief, people don’t change and improve when they can speak into their own eyes. You see their lips
they’re comfortable. They change when they’re uncomfortable. moving, but they’re not singing with the radio or hav-
When managers varnish the truth, they may avoid ing a Bluetooth chat. They’re talking out loud to them-
tension and conflict, but they’ll fix nothing. They’ll selves. What you’re catching a glimpse of are diligent
improve nothing. And this is because they create no managers in an internal dialogue — anticipating how
incentive, opportunity or direction for change. they’ll navigate the ebbs and flows of a tough conversa-
tion with an employee. ●
Watch deliberate managers handle difficult conversa-
tions. Their objective is to speak clearly and frankly
enough to carve a path to change while protecting the Moments of Recognition
relationship. The truth is, some degree of discomfort sets More thought than you ever imagined goes into the art of
the stage for change. The trick is not to avoid it, but to recognition and encouragement.
manage it head on and with respect. ● To effectively recognize and encourage employees,
you need to know what you’re looking for. You need
The Internal Dialogue patience as the employee moves toward success in small,
You can’t rely on your reflexes alone when you need to walk uneven steps. You need a sense of timing. And you
a tightrope; managing important moments requires anticipation need to use language that not only conveys that you’re
and rehearsal. pleased but what you’re pleased with. None of these
skills comes naturally to most of us.
To the untrained eye, it may appear that capable man-
agers are endowed with a knack for thinking on their Clarity Makes It More Instructive
feet. They seem to know just what to say, just how to “Well done, Peggy.” “Good work, Janice.” “I’m real-

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 Summary: THE INVISIBLE SPOTLIGHT
ly proud of you, Herb.” These are always encouraging Employees Watch You Like a Hawk
words, but they’re not always as useful as they can be. Your employees watch you like a hawk, keenly
Words this general will make an employee feel good. observing what you say, how you say it, what you do
But too often they don’t communicate what he or she and how you do it. You cannot escape the invisible
should feel good about. They’re too broad to convey what spotlight. And as childlike as you might think it is, they
the employee did to earn them. will imitate you, too. That’s right: Full-grown, level-
Recognition can instill more than a positive feeling. It headed, self-respecting adults will imitate you. It’s not
can be instructive. It can help an employee develop spe- childlike really. It’s human. Keep your jacket on during
cific abilities and perspectives. To make it useful, you meetings and others will follow your lead. Take that
need to speak in words that your employee can “see.” jacket off and observe how your employees interpret
Being specific is powerful, whether you’re catching an your action as permission to remove their own jackets.
employee doing something right or wrong. You have to Wear a tie or scarf to work each day and watch them
clear your head, formulate your thoughts and know begin to appear on others.
exactly what you saw, heard or read that you want to In a more substantive and important way, your
recognize and encourage. employees adopt your point of view; they mimic your
“Paul, I realize it’s not easy for you to pose those chal- approach to people and problems. If you’re open to
lenging questions about this project to your own col- ideas and give the benefit of the doubt to others, your
leagues, but I’m glad you did it in today’s meeting. It employees will do likewise. By the same token, if you’re
makes us all sharper.” intolerant, accept nothing short of perfection, question
“Diane, I know you would have liked more time to the trustworthiness or speak ill of your colleagues, you’ll
review the proposal, but I appreciate your decision to hear echoes of these same attitudes in your employees’
release it now so we have a shot at making our deadline.” words and actions.
Your employees will learn most from vivid words of Employees act on the unspoken and near universal
recognition and encouragement. assumption that to be like you is to be liked by you.
As for taking the time to get good at this management The enlightened manager with honorable intentions
skill, there’s one more thing to consider: Your employ- understands this dynamic and uses it to encourage the
ees will be able to digest more forthright criticisms if highest levels of pride and commitment. ●
you’ve conveyed both a readiness and an ability to rec-
ognize what they do well. Praise is not just “nice.” Nor Moments of Recovery
is it just “motivating.” It actually positions a manager to
Managing is a sloppy game with too many unknowns to cal-
critique more candidly if and when a moment of
culate the right moves every time. Recovering from a mistake is
instructive discomfort is called for. ●
one of the hardest challenges to address with grace.
You can dedicate yourself to honoring every principle
Credible Moments and prescription, and still you will stumble. More than
Your management relationships are defined more by the dis- once in your career, you’ll look dumb, give the wrong
connects your employees see than by the declarations they hear. impression, bruise someone’s feelings, have a meltdown.
No matter how artfully you orchestrate a given inter- Everyone takes his or her eye off the ball once in a
action, it alone won’t ensure the success of your man- while. Everyone is blind to some persistent idiosyncrasy
agement relationships. You’re in the invisible spotlight or other that spells management trouble.
between interactions, too. During these periods, your If these eventualities are not what you bargained for as
employees are looking for signs of your credibility. a manager, go to your room and hide under your bed.
They’re judging if you mean what you say. They’re You’ll make fewer blunders there.
comparing word and deed. You’re in that invisible spotlight. Your employees are
A lot goes on in the passing moments. And a lot goes talking about you at the dinner table, listening to what
on between them, too, when employees get a glimpse of you say, measuring how closely your words square with
how closely what you say aligns with what you do. You your deeds. So a management mistake is always under a
can rest assured that your management relationships will more high-powered microscope than a private or per-
be defined far more by the disconnects your employees sonal one.
see than by the declarations they hear. Skillful managers have learned that ignoring a misstep

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 Summary: THE INVISIBLE SPOTLIGHT
or denying a destructive behavior pattern is itself “You’re going to be mad at me,” he said.
destructive. They’ve come to appreciate that a blown “Why will I be mad at you?”
opportunity or brainless act creates one more opportuni- “Because next week, I’m going on vacation with my
ty to strengthen the management relationship. Clearly, wife. We’re going to Europe.”
recovering from a mistake is one of the hardest chal-
“Nothing to be mad at so far.”
lenges to address with grace. It takes more soul searching
and intestinal fortitude than carrying out a routine man- “And I plan to call in every morning at 7:30 local
agement duty. But therein lies the chance to excel. time to run a staff meeting.”
Alarm bell. This would be a setback … a vestige
There Is No Undo Command of Dan’s need to be in the fray. The truth of it was,
So what do you do once you’ve fallen off the ladder, Dan just didn’t want to be left out of the action.
injuring yourself and maybe someone below? If you’re Were he on hand in a crisis, he knew he’d be able
smart, you step up to your obligation to apologize and to dive into a phone booth at a moment’s notice and
make reparations to your victims. You resolve to climb change into his Superman costume. But a distance of
ladders in the future with more care. And if the injury 6,000 miles would make heroic acts impossible.
leaves your body permanently compromised, you stay
off ladders.
A Substantial Challenge
It’s the same when you try to recover from manage- Dan was at a crossroads. He knew time was limited,
ment injuries; those you inflict and those you sustain. and the challenge would be substantial. He thoroughly
You apologize and begin rebuilding the foundation of dreaded the consequences should his staff misstep
your relationship with care. You do this is by compen- while he was vacationing. I assured him that the super-
sating for the damage you’ve done in a compelling way. visors who report to him were as prone to errors as he
Though you can’t take back a slap in the face, you can dreaded. And I reminded him that he had for some
stop slapping — and offer enough evidence of regret, time been resolved to confront the challenges of his
respect and reform to dilute the impact. ● transition from doing to leading. This would be a piv-
otal one.
PART III: MANAGEMENT PASSAGES Dan was beginning to see the vacation not as a
missed opportunity to prove his individual worthiness,
Progressing through your management career is all but as a chance to demonstrate his management worthi-
about adapting to changing situations. ness. The trip would allow him to test — and show-
Every competent manager learns how to make this case — the leadership talents he had been working so
transition eventually, but it’s not without an internal hard to nurture in his staff. He also knew that engi-
struggle. As you would expect, the struggle is most acute neering this moment capably would impress those
in times of crisis. Dan, a favorite client, is a case in whose opinions he cared about and respected.
point. He’s yet another example of how sustained, con-
scious effort is indispensable to mastering the manage-
The Rewards of Self-Restraint
ment role. When he returned, he found that his employees
Like many fast-track managers, Dan’s greatest assets in had performed admirably in his absence, some more
some situations played out as liabilities in others. He adroitly than others. Several had war stories to tell
fought his natural tendency to run over people in meet- and some bragged about their successes.
ings, to grab control from those he thought were In the days after he got back, he sensed an increased
dawdling or just idling. He had the answers well before level of enthusiasm and commitment within the team
others knew what the questions were; a source of as they handled day-to-day details that he had previously
unending frustration for him. He had competitive fire in kept for himself. He also noted that a number of the
his eyes and a desire to surpass whatever goals were set, issues being brought to his attention by his supervisors
no matter how demanding. were more sophisticated because the staff was beginning
Our earliest consultations were about the basic chal- to dispose of the more routine matters themselves.
lenge of managing versus doing — accomplishing things He responded by delegating broader responsibilities
through his management relationships instead of doing it to those on the team who had demonstrated a capacity
all himself. to take them on and who had earned the trust of his
fellow managers. ●
I stopped by unannounced to see Dan one morning.

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 Summary: THE INVISIBLE SPOTLIGHT
When the Magic Doesn’t relationships; gravitas in the industry; a rare expertise; a
strategic view of the company’s future. And, at the same
Seem to Work time, in some other way, they are poisonous.
Sometimes your plate gets full with unwanted developments, In these situations, when there’s no handbook to con-
imperfect choices and unexpected outcomes. sult, you are left with your own assessment of the
Over the years, Andy counseled Kevin, established options, your own calculation of what your organization
standards of conduct, tried to hide him behind interme- can tolerate and your own conscience. You’ve done
diaries and sent him to charm school. All to no avail. your best when you’ve thought these things through
Andy faced two management imperatives. He was with care, seeking the help of those who have fought
expected to find and support the talent that would make similar battles and you’re prepared to manage the conse-
his company as profitable as possible; and he was expect- quences — both the favorable and the unfavorable ones.
ed to maintain an environment in which a team of pro- Management is work. And that’s in no small part
fessionals could cooperate to keep the company prof- because you practice it in a real and flawed world, not a
itable over the long haul. But Andy reached a different world of formulas and fairy tales. ●
conclusion:
“Enough is enough,” Andy thought. “No one person
— no matter his talents — is worth the disruption to
Idiosyncrasies and Imperfections
As a manager, you bring three things to work
our company’s culture and to my credibility as a manag-
each day:
er. As much as the organization may suffer in the short
run by losing Kevin, and as much as I may have to pick • You bring your mental map of the management role
up the slack until I replace him, we’ll be better off in — everything you’ve learned from role models, training
the long run. We’ll be healthier.” programs, the reading you’ve done and your own expe-
rience in leadership positions.
After giving Kevin one final opportunity to rein him-
self in — an ultimatum he just couldn’t bring himself to • You bring whatever planning and scripting you’ve
yield to — Andy and he agreed on a separation package. done in preparation for the interactions you expect to
have — the lines and behaviors you’ve worked out in
And then, like clockwork, Andy spoke the words I’ve
your internal dialogues to make specific moments mean-
learned to expect in such complicated situations, having
ingful and productive.
heard them over and over again for decades:
• Finally, you bring you — you bring your battery of
“I should have done it sooner.”
personal passions and preoccupations, preferences and
Andy had more to say some weeks later, and every prejudices, private anxieties and apprehensions, and even
word of it is instructive: physical and social quirks. Sometimes these are natural
“The dark mood in the organization has lifted, our gifts that will enhance your management impact; some-
staff is more collaborative than ever and I feel better. times they’re baggage that will burden it.
But make no mistake: We lost value and lots of talent
when I let Kevin go. If you’ve never been in a job like The Knotty Thing About Your Idiosyncrasies
this, you can’t possibly understand what a sacrifice that Your management relationships are profoundly affect-
is. Many close to this situation saw him only as a mon- ed by your virtues and idiosyncrasies. They find their
ster and a brute. They made him a one-dimensional car- way into every interaction with everyone you come in
icature just so they could ignore the ambiguity of it all. contact with: employees, colleagues, customers, vendors
But Kevin was a brilliant contributor. A money and bosses. And because they do, your personal water-
machine. He did exactly what the company is set up to marks not only affect the outcome of specific interac-
do. He made our Big Guns very, very happy. And he tions, but they also define the complexion and the
forced us to do our best. tempo of your entire workplace environment.
“Having said all this, I should have done it sooner.” The knotty thing about your idiosyncrasies is that
they’re, hands down, the hardest realities for you to rec-
No Easy Way Out ognize as a problem. Idiosyncrasies are personal; so
So many organizations have a Kevin. These talented, much a part of us that we’ve grown blind to them.
yet flawed folks offer you no easy out. It’s no surprise then, that you assume these parts of
They always bring something invaluable: highly devel- your character have no impact on your management
oped skills and savvy; a large black book of contacts and

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 Summary: THE INVISIBLE SPOTLIGHT
relationships. But make no mistake. In the same way
your employees benefit from your personal virtues and
Closing Thoughts
healthy management behaviors, they’re held hostage by Once you see how closely your words and deeds are
your foibles. And, for the most part, they suffer in scrutinized by your employees and how significant your
silence. ● impact is on their lives, you’ll begin to manage your
important moments of interaction with them more
wisely and deliberately. You’ll also avoid many of the
Managing Managers hazards of working in the dark.
Learning the complexities and subtleties of manage- What you say and don’t say, what you do and don’t
ment is akin to learning a new language. do in the moment determine how firm the foundation of
Classrooms can only drill on the fundamentals; they your management relationships will be.
provide ideals and abstractions. Real fluency with an Your behavior in the moment can cause your employ-
unfamiliar tongue is achieved when it’s practiced every ees hours of uncertainty and distress, or it can heighten
day in an environment that requires it. This is where their commitment and contribution in a profound and
you come in. You have to do what you want your lasting way.
people to do.
An Honorable Profession
You must be willing to inquire about your managers’
relationships with their employees — discuss them in The magical thing about managing in an unseen spot-
some detail; critique them as if they are as central to the light is that your employees — your audience — very
work as anything else; offer strategies for creating con- much want you to be good. They want you to be effec-
structive moments and handling uncomfortable moments tive. They’re rooting for you to be successful. This is
with employees; recognize improvements when your because their lives are made immeasurably easier, more
managers make them. If need be, you must even be predictable and more rewarding if you manage your
willing to assign tasks to your managers that are specifi- relationships deliberately and honorably. Your employ-
cally designed to test and improve their skills. ees can be energized, even inspired by how well you
perform. This is how powerful your impact can be. This
Sensitize Your Managers to the Invisible is how much you matter.
Spotlight The success of your relationships requires that you
It falls to you to sensitize your managers to the invisi- relentlessly assess how your important moments have
ble spotlight. In other words, you must create a culture gone, why they went the way they did, what needs to
in which management excellence is valued and publicly happen next and how they can be better handled next
rewarded in the same way other business achievements time. The point is you are the architect of these moments
are. This establishes management effectiveness as an of interaction.
organizational priority. Remember: If the foundation of the management relation-
Most important, you must demonstrate every day ship is solid, you’re doing something right. If it falters or
what you’re asking your managers to strive for. This is fails, you’re doing something wrong. It’s that simple and that
the sine qua non of management development — the sin- difficult.
gle most important condition for promoting manage- Management is hard work. It involves complexities
ment excellence. that can’t be simplified. It is an honorable profession that
When these conditions are met, classroom training can demands thoughtfulness, wisdom and ethical considera-
make a contribution to your managers’ development. If tions beyond step-by-step recipes. ●
this sounds a lot like what you would do with your chil-
dren when you send them to an expensive tutor, you’re RECOMMENDED READING LIST
right, it is. We are all children, employees and managers. If you liked The Invisible Spotlight, you’ll also like:
Your managers learn when you place a premium on 1. Multipliers by Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown. Learn how to become a
multiplier of talent and go from being a genius to a genius-maker. The
what they’re supposed to learn. You have the greatest authors offer a complete strategy to boost your entire staff.
effect when you take an interest in it and have the 2. What’s Holding You Back?? by Robert J. Herbold. The author explores why
courage to tell them when they’re not measuring up and managers often hesitate to confront difficult issues and reveals the 10 core
principles of confident leadership.
when they are. This principle may never be so important
3. Full Engagement! by Brian Tracy. The prolific author and management con-
as when you’re in a position to manage managers. ● sultant shows you how to get your staff to deliver their full potential.

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