July 2007

Kirkpatrick's Column
The manager’s role: Recommend or initiate changes?

A manager shouldn’t wait for changes to be handed down from higher management. Rather he or she should be constantly searching for changes to improve departmental productivity, as well as morale. The idea can come from many sources, especially subordinates. When the manager has an idea that should be implemented, he or she has a choice between recommending it to the boss or implementing it without asking for approval.

There are a number of factors for a manager to consider in deciding if it should be recommended to the boss in order to get approval or to initiate the change without consulting the boss. These factors include the leadership style of the boss, as well as the possible impact on other departments, along with financial considerations, policies and rules, and courage.

The leadership style of the boss is the most significant factor for a manager to consider when deciding whether to recommend a change to the boss or to go ahead and initiate it. Some bosses reserve the decision-making process for themselves. Subordinates have not been given the authority to make changes. Their job is to recommend and the boss makes that clear. He or she may have adopted this leadership style for several reasons. One reason is that he or she doesn’t trust subordinates to make decisions. This feeling could be based on past experience where subordinates have made bad decisions and the boss has been “burned.” Or it could be based on the assumption that the present subordinates don’t have the knowledge or ability to make sound decisions.

Another possible reason for this leadership style is philosophical. Bosses are paid to make decisions. They are accountable for their decisions. Their job is to make decisions and they may feel that it is wrong to delegate this authority and responsibility to subordinates. A third possible reason is the fact that no one has suggested any other approach. Subordinates have always come to them with recommendations and they have said yes or no. They haven’t even given thought to any other style.

The opposite style of leadership is exhibited by managers who have developed a philosophy and practice of giving subordinates the decision-making responsibility and authority. They may do it because they feel better decisions can be made by subordinates who are closer to the situation. Or, they may do it because they don’t want to be bothered by subordinates who constantly come to them and ask, “What should I do?” Or, they may have read the famous article called “Management Time: Who’s Got the Monkey?” which has been republished in the Nov.—Dec. 1999 issue of the Harvard Business Review, and have decided to keep the “monkey” (the problem) on the back of the subordinate. Or, they may recognize that people who make their own decisions are usually more enthusiastic and committed in carrying out the decision. Finally, they may feel that subordinates must learn to make decisions by doing it and living with the consequences. 

Obviously, some managers take neither extreme. They carefully determine how much decision-making authority they want to give each subordinate. In some cases, especially where the subordinate is new to the job or has a record of poor decisions, the boss will require subordinates to recommend instead of initiate changes. In other cases, especially where the subordinate has proven his or her ability to make decisions or where the risk of a poor decision is worth the possible benefits, the boss will encourage subordinates to initiate changes rather than recommend them.

Another factor that helps determine whether a manager should recommend or initiate a change is the significance of the change. If it doesn’t cost any money or is within the budget, the tendency is to initiate the change. The same is true if it doesn’t involve any other departments. If, however, it would cost a lot of money or would be outside the budget, approval may be needed from the boss before making the change. Or, if the change will affect other departments, it is better to recommend it so that the implications can be studied at a higher level.

Let’s suppose, for example, that a manager feels that it is a good idea to introduce variable or flexible working hours into the department. He or she would ask all employees what working hours they would prefer and would then make the decision based on the needs of the department, as well as on the wishes of each individual. On the surface, it seems to be a departmental decision, but a closer look would indicate that it would have an effect on other departments where employees would go to their managers and demand the same policy. The personnel department would have a “tiger by the tail” to try to establish a policy in order to keep everyone happy.

Another factor that helps to determine whether a manager initiates or recommends a change is courage. Some managers like to “live dangerously” and would tend to initiate while others prefer to “play it safe” and recommend. In either case, they are taking a risk. If they recommend change, the risk they are taking is that their boss will say “no”—and most managers would not only give up on that recommendation but would also hesitate to recommend other changes for fear that they would be turned down.

Managers should not take “no” for an answer but should follow the approach taken by a salesperson when a customer says “no.” First of all, the manager should learn how to handle objections. Secondly, if the boss says “no,” the manager should analyze the reason and try a different approach or pick a better time. It is said that, on the average, a salesperson calls on a potential customer five times before making the first sale. Managers usually make a suggestion only once. If the boss says “no,” the subordinate usually forgets it and possibly refrains from offering future suggestions.

One risk that the manager takes in initiating change instead of recommending it is that the boss might be upset—even angry—because the manager didn’t ask for approval. Another risk is that the idea is not a good one. The boss could have provided data to show why it wouldn’t work. And serious consequences could result in terms of relationships and even job security.

In addition to recommending changes to the boss, managers also have the opportunities to offer recommendations to other departments. To what extent they do it depends to a large part on the rapport with other managers. If other managers are receptive, suggestions will be made. Managers will hesitate to recommend change, however, if barriers exist—such as hostility, jealousy, and negative attitudes.

Summary

The two key objectives of a manager are to contribute to the effectiveness of the organization and to get and maintain high morale. In order to do this, a manager should not only implement changes from above but should also generate ideas for improvement. These ideas can come from many sources, including subordinates, peers, and self. The first role in managing change is to implement changes decided on by higher management. If the manager agrees that the change is good, he or she will be able to implement it enthusiastically. If, however, the manager feels that the change is for “worse” rather than “better,” it is his or her responsibility to ask questions and to even challenge the change or else seek another job.

The manager is also responsible for recommending changes. In making a recommendation to the boss, the manager should be sure that the idea is a good one and then try to sell it. If the boss says “no,” the manager should carefully consider an alternative approach instead of giving up on the idea. Managers should also play the role of recommending changes to managers in other departments. The ideas should be carefully considered first, and tact should be used.

Finally, a manager should be responsible for initiating change, especially if the boss has given decision-making authority to the subordinate. Before deciding whether to initiate a change, a manager should carefully consider the significance of the change, as well as its possible impact on other departments. If in doubt, it is safe to recommend change and ask for approval.

Donald L. Kirkpatrick
From chapter 2 of Managing Change Effectively,
published in 2001 by Butterworth-Heinemann