Conversation on Managerial Effectiveness

One of my friend recently sent me a mail asking my thoughts on "how to calcuate Managerial Effectiveness", I have tried summerising my conversation with him thru this post.

Hi Madhu
Needed your help in one of the initiatives that we intend to launch - basically a mechanism to measure people orientation of managers. While it is a very subjective area, we are trying to create some tangible measures to create an Index that can be measured and tracked. Easiest would have been a 360 degree feedback, but that is not feasible given the culture right now.

A few measures that come up immediately could cover

- Number of training programs nominated / attended by team members
- Attrition (but how to discount factors beyond manager's control)
- Emp Satisfaction Index
- Succession planning for key positions
- Performance evaluation as per plan - Completion % of KRA setting, Perf Evalaution compliance etc
- Number of suggestions by team into Employee Suggestion Scheme

But the trouble is that these are all "input" measures and the initiative could just end up driving compliance.

What I am looking for are some "output" measure like say Team Feedback Score for a Manager etc.

My Reply to him:

Dear Nandish

Good to hear from you.. it’s not always dirty out there in Behavioral Science, its more than challenging and fun to be in this quandary than applied science

a. As you rightly said, most of the below mentioned measurements (if I may call so) are inputs measurements and can be used as a compliance measurements, however if you go beyond the normal, you can look at the bottom line additions thru them. For example: you can see the obvious as “how many ideas a “A” manager’s team has given”, the abnormal stuff is to see “how many of these ideas have contributed to real time impact on the team or the organisation” (Engagement, Innovation Culture, Out of the box thinking, Team Work are the measurable competencies)


b. Since it’s a knowledge driven industry, I guess having ES Survey, with specific questions around Output from the Managers, will help in measuring, this is the most sought after and easiest way to do it.

c. Also look at TEAM TRUST INDEX, this not only measures Trust Levels in the team, but also helps in knowing what is the kind of trust reposed in the managers by team.

d. You can also look at BELBIN TEAM EFFECTIVENESS (you need to be certified to conduct this)

e. You will also have to decide on the focus of your Index, will it be “Team Centric”, “Individual Centric” or “Organizational Centric”, based on which you can use different tools like (a) Team Trust Index or Belbin for Team (b) 360* Feedback or simple NMA (if people are ok to give feedback) or (c) Employee Satisfaction Survey with specific thrust on Output

Summary of my work around the same I am giving you, it might help you…

If you are measuring “Team Leadership” then look at

a. Measurement of Change in Team Effectiveness

b. Measurement of Change in Team Outputs- if you can correlate these two and measure the effectiveness it will be a good Team Measurement

If you are measuring “Individual Leadership" then look at

a. Measurement of Change in Competencies thru 360*

b. Measurement of Change in Individual Results- If you can correlate these two and measure the effectiveness it will be a good “Individual Measurement” as well as “Program Effectiveness Measurement”

If you are measuring “Organizational Leadership” then look at

a. Measurement of Change in Team Outputs

b. Measurement of Change in Individual Results- these can give organizational level measurement.