#58 Blog. I Need You to Practice. Why practice, not more learning, is the key to becoming a better manager.

I need you to practice.

First, for yourself.

But also for the success of your team and your organization.

What happens if you don’t practice?

You probably won’t feel a difference if I ask you now, but there is one- a big one.

The effectiveness of everything you are trying to do will be much higher. Knowing what to do and actually doing it consistently are two very different things. That's where practice makes all the difference. Most managers don't need more knowledge. They need more opportunities to practice.

Think about your high expectations to create change, to move the needle, to impact others, and the level of disappointment when you don’t succeed in doing so. They are correlated. The more you expect, the more disappointed you will be. To set expectations for yourself first, you need to know what to expect. Tricky, right?

Without practice, you'll keep relying on good intentions. With practice, your conversations become easier, your confidence grows, and your impact becomes more consistent.

So, I would like to tell you why you should start practicing, right away.

Bear with me. Right after that, I will share with you when it is best to do so, and how.

Why start practicing as a manager- right away?

1. Ask yourself- what are you trying to achieve as a manager?

Well, you wanted to become one (or were asked to) for a reason. Leave the nice words aside for a minute. You wanted to become a manager to make an impact and leave a mark.

You set targets- do you achieve them all?

What if I told you that you could achieve more than you have so far?

Not just in numbers, but in the trust you build, the conversations you have, the confidence you inspire, and the growth of your people.

So, reason number one: achieve more and get closer to your targets.

2. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Do you know this one? 😊

What can you do with this reality?

Like every other profession, management is no different- you don’t know what you don’t know. As managers, we should all have the modest understanding that we are lifelong learners, and being learners means having a learner's mindset.

Even psychologists seek therapy sessions, just like gym instructors look for new ways to keep themselves in shape. I remember realizing that I thought I was giving clear feedback until I practiced it and someone pointed out what I had completely missed. Sometimes, practice reveals blind spots we never knew we had.

Reason number two: practicing makes you better!

3. When was the last time you practiced your managerial skills?

When was the last time you sat in a class or joined a virtual session and learned something about management?

I know that most of the time you were probably wondering, "Well, when am I actually going to use this nice/ very complicated model?" or "Nice, it looks amazing on the board, but how do I actually use it tomorrow?"

I've been there myself, and I even wrote everything down in my notebook.

I guess you even had a session or two where you all practiced together, and it was funny and awkward. You remember it, but it was so long ago that the memory is blurred.

So, reason number three: really walk the talk from every management session you've joined. Knowledge fades. Practice turns knowledge into habits.

Learning vs. Practicing

Learning

• Reading about feedback

• Watching a webinar

• Understanding a leadership model

• Knowing what great managers do

Practicing

• Giving feedback every week

• Having real conversations

• Applying the model repeatedly

• Becoming the manager you want to be

That's the difference. Learning creates awareness. Practice creates behavior change. And behavior change is what leadership is all about.

When is the best time to practice, and how?

Well, there is no perfect time to deal with simulations, role-playing scenarios, or the classic, "Imagine I'm the person you would like to talk to..." situation.

The truth is, that's exactly why most managers avoid practicing.

I know from experience- I don't always feel comfortable doing it either. It makes me feel vulnerable, it triggers all of my imposter syndrome thoughts, and sometimes I just don't want to embarrass myself.

But that's exactly the point. Practice is supposed to feel a little uncomfortable. Growth usually does.

But ask yourself- would you rather be embarrassed while practicing, or have endless thoughts after the real thing like, "Why did I say that? What was I thinking?" Wouldn't you rather feel uncomfortable before the conversation than regret it after? Or would you rather feel a little uncomfortable beforehand and show up at your best when it really matters? And we all make mistakes even if we practice, which is all good! But won’t you prefer minimize it?

The best time to practice is as close as possible to the real situation.

Let's say you're about to deliver a mid-year performance review to one of your employees, and there's one part of the conversation you're struggling with. He's very vocal, speaks loudly, and tends to interrupt people in the middle of their sentences. You believe it's important for him to change this behavior because he works in customer service.

So you probably have several opening lines running through your head:

"Listen, I wanted to tell you something- you yell and interrupt people."

"Well, you keep annoying people while they talk. I've heard it myself, what’s going on?”

"There's something we need to talk about."

"It's not them, it's you."

"I don't know how to tell you this, but..."

What would you say eventually that can make an impact?

How do you start the conversation without putting the other person on the defensive?

This is where practice becomes incredibly valuable. You can try different approaches, hear how they sound, receive feedback, adjust your wording, and build confidence before the actual conversation.

Practicing and getting feedback on how your message sounds will help you get ready, feel comfortable in your own skin, and you won't need to read from your notes.

Because when the conversation starts, you shouldn't be thinking about what to say next. You should be fully present with the person sitting across from you.

The way- understand that practicing is essential and crucial for your success as a manager- please, don’t skip it.

Need some help practicing- let's talk