Doing Martial Arts Today Can Make You a Better Manager

March 11, 2014 Customers, Management & Leadership, Management Tips, The Manager's Resource Handbook

How to Manage in Chaos

It was late on a Friday when an employee came by my office to check in before he left for the weekend. The office was mostly empty by this point, and he was one of the last to leave. It had been a busy week and we had hardly crossed paths over the previous five days. This employee was one of my best – hardworking, trustworthy, dedicated.

My team had been under tremendous pressure to finish a large project. Despite the nearing deadline, our customer continued to add to their demands. To add to the layers of complexity, our company had a number of internal changes and reorganization activities underway.

“Need anything else before I go?” the employee asked. After chatting for a few minutes, he took a seat at my conference table. We sat, both exasperated after the long week, and discussed what the team had accomplished as well as the many new issues that popped up.

“…Even the best managers can get overwhelmed”

I had recently given this employee more responsibility to enable him to gain some leadership experience. I asked him how he was handling the pressure and workload. He calmly said he was hanging in there and that he was quickly learning the challenges of being a leader. I asked him to explain; his response drew upon his passion for training in martial arts.

RELATED: How to Develop Your Staff

“In martial arts, there is a term called ‘ukemi.’ Ukemi is essentially the art of falling – but falling safely. We have so much going on right now and have little chance of meeting these deadlines. I’m learning that when we’re going to fall, we need to do so in a controlled way in order to minimize the pain. Ukemi is all about how you absorb the fall.”

My employee’s words reminded me of a similar conversation I had years before with another manager who described the same reality. “You can’t juggle eight balls as once” he said. “There are times when you need to pick the one or two things that need to fall so you can keep the six most important ones afloat.”

Managing Increasing Expectations

One of the most difficult challenges I’ve had to manage in a business environment is the continued increase in expectations and demands, coupled with either fixed or decreasing resources. It’s unfortunately far too frequent, but it is the reality for many firms. Under normal conditions, effective managers are able to remain productive in a demanding environment and find creative solutions to overcome resource gaps. But occasionally, it just gets to be too much, and even the best managers can get overwhelmed. There are times when we have to make the decision to let 20% of the work fall to preserve the integrity of the remaining 80%.

Ukemi, the art of falling. It was a profound observation from my employee because it so perfectly described what managers go through when the chaos and demands of a busy schedule just get to be too much. There are times when managers must simply shift focus towards protecting the business and the team. But how do you decide what is most important, and what you need to drop?

How to Decide What Priorities to Drop

Following the principle of ukemi, managers must choose to abandon those activities that will minimally impact the business if set aside. After all, the role of a manager is not only to lead and guide towards success, but also to control the fall when success is unlikely. Let’s take a closer look at how to prioritize work in the most challenging times.

Tips for Prioritizing Work in Challenge Times:
Know your limits and do not try to do everything
Prioritize tasks that directly affect customers
Focus on nearer term activities
Seek additional resources for less critical work
Defer or delay internal initiatives objectives
Minimize and reduce organizational changes
Communicate with your team regularly to reinforce priorities
Allow sufficient rest for employees to avoid burnout

The bottom line when it comes to managing in chaotic situations is to frequently communicate with your team and to prioritize work that directly support your customers. De-prioritize all non-essentials.

Closing Thoughts on Managing Chaos

The next time the undercurrents of business make it difficult to succeed, remember the principle of ukemi. Critically evaluate the activities within your business or department. Which ones are mission critical? Which ones, if suspended or deferred, are the most easily absorbed and will allow recovery? It’s a difficult position to be in, but by thinking about which items you can allow to fall will help you more effectively manage your team and business in times of adversity.