Eels: The e-ideal in management

Most people know the eel as a cold-blooded snakelike fish that inhabits either marine or freshwater habitats. Classified as apodal because they have no feet (in the case of fish, pelvic fins), eels can grow to great lengths and at least one family of the marine eels, the moray, is much feared by humans in the water because of its vicious teeth and nature. Some eels have scales, all are covered by a thick mucous which makes them incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to hold on to, hence the expression "as slippery as an eel".

The word "eels" is also an acronym that stands for Engagement, Encouragement and Leadership Skills, some ideals that can and should be found in a management situation.

Jill Hamlyn, MD, The People Business

Managers in the IT industry are sometimes impossible to find and can be as difficult as the eel to keep hold of. It is still a cause for concern that the South African IT industry is suffering from an acute shortage of effective managers. Many of those with the skills and talent to be dynamic leaders are still hopping the fence to what they perceive as the greener grass on the other side.

This general trend has once again been highlighted recently as front-page news in The Star. The article points out that SA lost about 4 000 skilled professionals from the IT, education, business and healthcare sectors in 1999. The unofficial figures put the estimate at three times that number. It is anybody`s guess how many managers were included in the estimates.

However, the mucous that makes the eel slippery is also a good protective device and it has been credited with keeping the eel alive where other fish would perish. The eel is the only fish that is able to move from saltwater to freshwater habitats without dying. And so it sometimes is with managers, who find themselves moving between one end and the other of the business hierarchy. The ease of movement and the ability to flourish and communicate at both ends of the organisational spectrum without perishing is an advantage, and it should be grown and encouraged.

The word "eels" is also an acronym that stands for Engagement, Encouragement and Leadership Skills, some ideals that can and should be found in a management situation.

It is a myth to assume that a manager does not need to be a people person. Managers who are able to engage meaningfully with the people they lead, and use what makes their people tick in a positive manner, are extremely valuable to an organisation. The idea that people are a company`s most important asset has become so often repeated that it is beginning to sound like a well-worn clich'e. It must be kept in mind that all clich'es contain a grain of truth and this is one that should be taken to heart.

Engaging with your people means sincerely caring for them not only as workers but as individuals too.

Encouragement falls under two banners - the encouragement of managers and the managers` encouragement of the team. It has long been the rule that a position in management is the next logical step up the promotional ladder for any deserving employee. However, although promotion to a management position has traditionally been seen as a reward for hard work and perseverance, this does not mean that the people who have been promoted on the basis of their technical skills have the softer skills needed to be effective managers and motivators.

In identifying people in an organisation who have management potential, companies should be quick to encourage and invest in that potential. Those already in a management position need to be encouraged to develop and hone their people skills, skills which are often dormant rather than non-existent. In turn, a team that is consistently encouraged by its leader will achieve more than one left to its own devices.

The issues raised under encouragement lead neatly onto the question of whether good managers are good leaders and whether good leadership skills are inherent or taught. Are good leaders born or made?

Considering the question seriously, it is possible to say that a combination of both aspects play a role, and training is often the nourishment of a seed that has already been planted. Almost anybody can be taught to manage and lead effectively.

However, the concept of leadership is also undergoing a redefinition. The traditional South African authoritarianism has somewhat impeded the obtaining of dynamic management skills due to the establishment of a culture that teaches people to give and take orders as opposed to communicating meaningfully. Management training offered in the IT sector has also traditionally played a secondary role to technical instruction, and when it has been offered, there is sometimes little or no follow up of the implementation of management techniques that have been taught.

Leadership training has to take place within a leadership context so that skills gained can be put into place and practised immediately and to the benefit of all concerned. Someone who has been promoted into a management role, and who is also able to manage people effectively, may also find himself still having to deal with more of the technical aspects of his job. This also then restricts time spent leading his team which can lead to an elevation of stress and frustration levels on both sides.

Contrary to what some people would have us believe, people in management positions are required to work as hard as they ever did before, but with a different focus. Interpersonal skills become much more important than technical skills and a major part of the challenges that management faces occur in their interactions with other people.

Thinking back to the beginning of this column, some of the eel`s qualities may be advantageous in this setting: Use your teeth to defend your team rather than attack it. Embrace your ability to survive in completely different environments. Feel confident in your power to survive attack by enemies.

Engage with your team, encourage them and develop your leadership skills. Leading people to success and being instrumental in developing their potential is exciting and satisfying, and a challenge well worth meeting.