As we prepare to go on vacation, we are writing instructions for taking care of our two dogs, Duncan and Annie. They are dramatically different personalities. Duncan is laid back, easy going, low energy. Doesn’t make a lot of fuss, tends to want to do things on his terms and at his pace (slow). Annie is just one and one-half years old and has a lot of that puppy energy in her. She goes from zero to puppy very quickly and when that burst of energy hits it is hard to contain it. The challenge for anyone handling her is to try and contain that burst before she gets too wound up. That requires a lot of rules, reminders, and reinforcement. Both dogs are eager to please and seem to feel genuinely sorry when they have disappointed you. It is almost embarrassing how much they suck up after that has happened.
So here I am again applying lessons from dogs to experiences working with managers, executives and their employees. There is no one size fits all approach to management either. Writing instructions for someone else on how to most effectively lead an employee would be a fools quest. It is specific to the individual and the best you can really offer is guidelines. It is as much art as it is science. Success though comes from understanding who you are dealing with. What motivates them, what hinders them, and then adapting your approach for each individual, and each style.