It’s been almost exactly 2 years ago since I last visited one of my favorite concepts of Makers versus Managers. To refresh those unfamiliar with the concept, the idea is that Makers are most productive in 4-hour blocks of free time whereas Managers work best in 30-minute blocks of time. Makers are busy applying thoughts to actions and creating which requires longer periods of time to fall into the right frame of mind, work through what is in front of you and reach a point of productive delivery. Managers deal with many people and tasks that can be more easily broken down into smaller increments of time and measurement allowing them to be more scheduled in their work.
Most people fall somewhere in between these two groups. Most people have some degree of management activities (or dealing with managers) which requires them to break up their day. The worst thing that can happen to these people is to have a 9 hour day of making broken up by 3 short meetings inconveniently spaced out. Having no large blocks of free time is the same as having no productive time at all. A full day of productivity killed by 90 minutes of poorly planned meetings.
There is an interplay between these two groups that is critically important. Managers need Makers and Makers need Managers. Nothing would get done without both ways of thinking but similarly, both groups have the capacity to undermine the other if they don’t plan correctly.
Makers that work in a vacuum can very easily be carried off on their creative side without understanding the drivers from above that will take their work to market. All the productive working time in the world cannot save a product that has no market appeal or driven sales team. Dealing with the occasional Manager day is the cost of long-term success. Planning for those Manager days is how to ensure success. Designating time in advance for short meetings, updates, email, etc and clearly communicating that to the Managers you deal with is the best way to start.
Managers that assume that everyone works like them with meetings and calls back-to-back all day are inadvertently sabotaging the Makers that they interrupt during the course of their work. When your day is meetings and quick responses it can be easy to assume that those you work with do the same. Working with Makers means that you need to know the habits and needs of each individual and work to help them be productive. This may mean holding phone calls for certain times of day or developing 1-bit messages (like a quick text or IM) to see if you get a response.
It all comes back to…….communication! It’s amazing how often that is the solution to the issues I encounter. I have been saved by more “awkward conversations” than by hoping issues simply go away. Awkward conversations are often not awkward at all because it usually turns out both parties feel the same and simply breaking the ice with a simple “Hello” resets that scene.
There is nothing more silly than thinking “I keep meaning to call but it’s been too long and it would be awkward now.” What that thought actually means is “I’d really like to talk to this person but it could be awkward or it could be a great change of pace for both of us to simply see what’s up….and all the more of a pleasant surprise because it’s now unexpected!”