MANAGERS ON MANAGEMENT:ARE BUSINESS leaders out of their depth? Are they overwhelmed by the speed and scale of the global downturn, trying valiantly to lead but lacking the skills and experience to cope with the worst economic collapse in a generation?
There are probably few managers naive enough to answer “yes” to either of those questions, but Martin Murphy, managing director of Hewlett Packard Ireland, does acknowledge that these are testing times for leaders in general. “It’s certainly true that the role of the leader, whether it’s of a company or of a country, is being challenged as never before,” he accepts.
“Up to now, perhaps we’ve taken the idea of leadership for granted. Perhaps we haven’t really asked ourselves, or fully understood, what’s involved. Either way, we’re in an environment now which will rapidly differentiate good leaders from great leaders.
“Yes, there are a lot of challenges, not least of which is dealing skilfully with the demands of the marketplace. But, to my mind, one of the defining characteristics of the great leaders will be their ability to bring people with them – that’s essential.”
It’s that ability to lead, to inspire and to motivate – the Obama factor, perhaps – which Murphy sees as one of the most important, most demanding and most rewarding jobs of the chief executive. When it works, he says, it’s perhaps the most powerful and persuasive tool managers have at their disposal for helping to embed a high-performance culture in their companies.
“For instance, my job is to chart a course for Hewlett Packard in Ireland, to communicate that corporate vision and to engage my own immediate team and bring out the best in them – because the first step towards raising the performance of the company is to raise the performance of my own team. Having a flat – non-hierarchical – management structure, as we do in HP, is also crucial. Team leaders in the field need to know that they have access to me so that decisions can be made quickly and they can get their jobs done. In that sense, my role is to be an enabler.
“At the same time, something that may be in danger of being forgotten in the current climate is to acknowledge those who do make the effort. Never underestimate the power of communication, and particularly of acknowledging a good performance.
“Personally, I always ask my managers: who is doing a good job or has gone the extra mile, who has solved that customer’s problem, who has closed that sale? And then I make a point of walking up to that person and thanking him or her for it.
“You’d be amazed at the reaction I get. They really appreciate the fact that their contribution is being acknowledged and praised at the highest levels in the company. It’s one of the most powerful ways of rewarding – and embedding – high performance.”
Money tends not to be the main motivator in the workplace, but it is important. “As a company, we differentiate rewards based on performance, and that in itself drives performance. If you’re performing well, you’ll get a salary rise and a bonus. Certainly, it’s not all about money, but money is important.”
Lifestyle is important too, and so is a flexible working environment. “People don’t want to work 9 to 5. They don’t want to drive to and from the office in traffic. From a manager’s perspective that can be difficult because we come from a generation that has to see the person at the desk.
“So it’s about trust and accountability. And the reality is that people working from home are far more productive. There are huge performance rewards for the company.”
When it comes right down to it though, the relationship between leader and led gets personal – and integrity counts. “I’ve always been very open with my staff about the challenges we face. They know I need their support in facing those challenges, every bit as much as they need mine.”
MARTIN MURPHY
Company:Hewlett Packard Ireland www.hp.com
Job: managing director
Management advice: Embed a high-performance culture in your company.
