“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.” — William Shakespeare, As You Like It

In the early days of railroading, each crew member had a unique function; and each wore a distinctive hat to designate their role, e.g. Engineer, Conductor, Brakeman, Porter. On a small railroad, with crew members spread thin, sometimes a man did two or three jobs – and changed hats accordingly.

Wouldn’t it be a blessing if each of us working today, men and women, had only a single function — and we could spend our career polishing our skills in our daily duties? Or perhaps not… Whether you dream about it or not, you don’t have the luxury. Today’s professional is pulled between the work that only they can do, and directing, strategizing, coaching and managing the work of others — Multi-Dimensional Management.

The Hats: Leader. Manager. Coach. Cook/Bottle Washer. Four distinct jobs, requiring wildly different approaches to thinking but also to handling people.

Leader

“First Boot In. Last Boot Out!” “Leadership by Example.” Commands respect, confidence and emulation. “Hey, if the old man can do it, so can I!”

Visionary: Sees the future, shares the bright picture, and arranges things to give people a shot at their future through their participation in the company. Sets the goals and objectives in consultation with the managers. Points the way, gives (and endlessly repeats) the command: “OK everyone, let’s take that hill!”

Leadership makes sure we first recognize, then do the right thing. You have to be able to do what you ask of your people. But while you can do it, you may have to decide to allow them to do it so you can go on thinking about what’s next. (Think of Ike at the final inspection on D-Day.)

The Leader tells you what is, and what to think about it: “Here’s what’s happening. Here’s how we see it.” Comes under the heading of “Getting Everyone on the Same Page…”

Ultimate Disciplinarian: Hears the issues, makes the Judgement Call, Decides & Executes. Then gets the organization moving on after an upset.

Manager

Managers make sure things get done, the right things get done and get done right.

In the trenches, on the line, making sure that things get done, and that correct choices are made all day, every day. Without supervision, activities tend to “go random” and Managers are the people who put things back into the channel.

Helps you understand how what you do aligns and supports what everyone else is doing. Makes the call about how to put enough people in the right place at the right time to make things go right. Then changes the strategy as the circumstances evolve.

Can, may, and must cut non-performing players from the team at will.

Coach

Teaches the game. Explains the ins and outs. Gives you insight on how to win. Lays out the challenges of making a team successful. Expects you to perform! Moves you forward, step by step. Makes room for you to “play your position.”

Impersonal and demanding, but at the same time, personal and inspiring. Lays out strategy and tactics required to win once, and throughout the (season) year. Expects more from you than you think you can deliver — and many times gets it. Seems to know intuitively when you’re not getting after the role your potential might suggest.

Cook/Bottle Washer

Sometimes you “dump your hat” and step in to do what needs doing. “Leadership by Example” is maybe the most potent way to “demonstrate a leader’s soul.” It can be both irritating and freeing to be able to concentrate only on one thing, but soon enough you have to get up out of the trench and start thinking on all tracks again.

A manager who’s unwilling to step into the trench and demonstrate their own mastery will never earn the full respect of the team. It’s hard to motivate people if they think you’re too good to get your hands dirty bussing a table. But if they see you as able and willing to do any job, they form a deeper respect for and a fuller picture of the multi-dimensional nature of management. You must not do the job for them! There’s nothing so dangerous as pushing someone out of a productive task. One of you has become useless…Teach or save the day but get them back to work.

Reality: We’re stretched! And we all wear lots of hats!

What if the company had the resources to provide Coaches, Managers and Leaders? Unfortunately, here we are, forced to switch hats as we fluidly alternate between our various roles.

The list below is a summary of Management Challenges: Can you distinguish between the hat required for each one?

1. Tell Me: What am I supposed to be doing?
2. How am I supposed to do that? To what standard of quality? How do I measure results?
3. What’s the deal? How am I compensated? What’s the working framework financially, intellectually, physically, spiritually?
4. Who benefits? And in what order? Is it the clients? The Shareholders? The Stakeholders? The Unions? The Employees? The Community? The Environment? Or the Government?
5. Can I get ahead? How? Can I grow here?
6. Is it safe to communicate what I’m thinking and seeing?
7. Are we people here? Just bodies? Raw material for the factory? Factors on the balance sheet?
8. Is it honest? Is it good? Is it profitable? Is it fun? Is it meaningful?
9. Who’s the competition? Are they out there — or in here?
10. How do I know I’m doing the right thing? How do you guys define “Ethics?”
11. Why should I work here and not down the street?
12. How do I become the best at what I’m doing? Can I?
13. Am I in trouble? How come? How do I restore my standing?
14. Is there a future for me here? Can I become more? Greater? What about my aspirations?

As you play your role and distinguish between your many parts, see if you can keep your hat on and your head in the game!

Applications in Life or Presentations

1. Individually — A Mental Hat Rack. “Keep the hats on a rack” — and distinguish between them. In order to make sense of the chaos and keep your head on straight, sometimes it helps to distinguish between the roles, and pause to “choose the right hat” (and the accompanying mindset) before plunging in and assuming the role. Get into Character! The moment required to shed the Coach role and rise to role of Visionary is well spent — to both clear your mind and switch to a loftier viewpoint. (Also helps to prevent whiplash…)

2. At Home. In a world of single parents, many of us live the challenge of being all things to our children — and suffering when we can’t rise to the loftiest perch out of fatigue or frustration. But the “explicit” advice is really valuable here. Tell your kids that parenting requires one person to play many roles: Disciplinarian, Teacher, Coach, Nag and Reality Guide. With a little help, they can better distinguish “which parent” they are dealing with — and be the kid who can respond more appropriately.

This works for mates, dates, friends and far-flung family members as well. Tell them the role you’re going to play, then play it. And tell them when you’re “hanging up the hat” as well — so you don’t find yourself getting weird looks from your partner — after all — she thought she was being seduced by the conductor…

3. At the Office — Make the shift EXPLICIT. It’s a mental game of course, but your team will understand more clearly if you tell them that you’re going to “put on your Chief Visionary Hat” for an hour before asking for strategic planning ideas. After lunch, you can go back to being “Manager of Minutia.” They will thank you — sometimes they’ll even ask to speak to “MOM or DAD” for a minute when they need to be understood and require a safe place to confide something… When it’s over, you can both nod and return to your regularly programmed roles…

The Challenge is to not only play the roles but do it explicitly and with the understanding and agreement of your people, so they can switch between player, student, colleague and child as well.

Multi-Dimensional Management: In our time, we play many parts.