Julian Birkinshaw shares his insights, tips and tricks on how to become a better boss.

1. Becoming a Better Boss
Julian Birkinshaw
London Business School
December 4th 2013
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

2. Who are you happiest with?
Friends
3.3
Parents/relatives
3.0
Spouse
2.8
My children
2.7
Co-workers
2.6
Clients/customers
2.4
Alone
2.2
Boss
2.0
(Rating is on a 1-5 scale)
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

3. Widespread cynicism about the quality of
management in large firms…
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

4. So what is good
management anyway?
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

5. A brief exercise
Think back to the last piece of work you did
where you were fully engaged and highly
motivated:
What were the key features of that project?
Discuss in pairs, 60 seconds
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

6. What your employees need
What they often get
• Give them worthwhile
work to do
• Confusing or unclear
objectives
• Provide them with space
to find their own way
• Micro-management and
meddling
• Provide support when it is
needed
• Lack of information, lack
of concern
• Given people recognition
& praise
• Limited feedback and
little praise
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

7. Google’s Project Oxygen
1. Be a good coach
2. Empower your team and don't micromanage
3. Express interest in team members' success and personal well-being
4. Don't be a sissy: Be productive and results-oriented
5. Be a good communicator and listen to your team
6. Help your employees with career development
7. Have a clear vision and strategy for the team
8. Have key technical skills so you can help advise the team.
Adam Bryant, New York Times, March 12th 2011
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

8. Why don’t we do
what we know we should?
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

9. Discussion
If we know what “good management” looks like, why do we
struggle to do it consistently? And what techniques could we
put in place to help us?
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

10. Is being a good manager
an “Unnatural Act”?
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

11. The way ahead
Becoming a Better Boss
Gain a fresh perspective
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

12. Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

13. Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

14. Learn how to
see the world
through the
eyes of your
employees
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

15. Some tips for getting to know your
employees properly
•
•
•
•
•
Skip-level meetings
Web-enabled chat/discussion forums
Front-line work
“Smokers corner”
Reverse mentoring
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

16. The way ahead
Becoming a Better Boss
Gain a fresh perspective
Understand your own biases
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

17. What is stopping us from doing
what we know we should?
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

18. Executives need to be in control
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

19. Executives are overconfident
What are the
chances (out of 10)
of your business
succeeding?
What are the chances
(out of 10) of any
business like yours
succeeding?
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
10
20
30
0
10
20
30
40
10
8
6
4
2
0
40
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

20. A few tips and tricks
Seek advice from someone outside your
organisation
Develop compensating mechanisms to
address your shortcomings
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

21. A few tips and tricks
Learn to let go- its not all about you
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

22. A few tips and tricks
Package work into projects
“Gaudí gave artistic freedom to those
working alongside him. Even when he
was in charge, there were 40 different
sculptors working for him. Gaudi
inspired them, intervened and
commented on their work — but it
remained the work of several
different sculptors.” Jordi Bonet
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013

23. The way ahead
Becoming a Better Boss
Gain a fresh perspective
Understand your own biases
Take an experimental approach
Copyright Julian Birkinshaw 2013