Chapter 17 The role choice between "shepherd dog" and "shepherd"

Now, for Wang Tao, the biggest problem is not from the market, but from the inside. Four months ago, Wang Tao came to this well-known home appliance company in China as the manager of the South China branch. He managed the markets in six provinces. vacancy).Wang Tao previously worked as a regional manager in a foreign-funded company and has nearly ten years of industry experience. During the training at the headquarters, Wang Tao had close communication with his boss, the sales director, Ma Jun. He is a mild-tempered person. In 15 years, he has been a salesman since the start-up and has been in his current position. In the company, there is almost no negative comment on Ma Jun.

Wang Tao is glad that he has met a good boss. In the second week after returning to the South China branch, Wang Tao called 5 regional managers and more than 10 office managers from major cities to hold a meeting in Guangzhou.At the meeting, Wang Tao listened to market briefings from various places, and also discussed the implementation of recent sales indicators. Wang Tao did not give more instructions and subjective evaluations. He has two plans: one is to visit major markets in one month, Visit agents and retail terminals, and then explain your operational thinking and specific requirements to your subordinates on the spot or at the next regular meeting; second, understand the actual situation of several subordinates through relatively friendly and extensive management within two months. performance and ability to work, and then make relevant adjustments.

Things are not going well.In all parts of South China, the market share of the company's products is far lower than that of several major domestic competitors. Unbelievably, those regional managers seem to have accepted this reality.A few days before closing the account at the end of the month, Wang Tao deliberately did not take the initiative to call various places to see if anyone would consciously report the local situation.No one did it.Wang Tao doesn't know what the regional managers who are on long-term business trips are doing, so they really ignore the "monthly indicators".In Wang Tao's previous company, the week before the end of the month was the time when everyone communicated most frequently. Although there were months when tasks could not be completed, at least we could feel everyone's tension and work together.And not here.

Wang Tao has made several telephone reports to Ma Jun, and also made some explanations by e-mail. He wants to get clear instructions from his boss so that he can clarify other medium and long-term requirements of the headquarters for the South China branch besides sales indicators. .Ma Jun didn't give more instructions, more like he didn't understand, he comforted Wang Tao on the phone, "Go more, don't rush". The boss's attitude changed from dark to bright, and several recent incidents made it even more difficult for Wang Tao to understand.Ma Jun came to South China a week ago. When he was "chatting" with a regional agent, he actually agreed to a purchase discount proposed by the other party on the spot, which made him very uncomfortable sitting on the side.Although Ma Jun said afterwards that he did this to give the other party a "gift" to pave the way for future contract increases, but Wang Tao believes that the discount will be more effective if he operates it.When visiting the Hainan market, the local regional manager reported in a decent manner for more than an hour. When Wang Tao communicated with him alone before, he kept nodding and said that he had no other feedback. The company manager puts it in his eyes.

Along the way, Wang Tao felt that Ma Jun actually knew the situation of the South China branch very well.When he made it clear to Ma Jun that he wanted to adjust some regional managers, Ma Jun raised objections. Ma Jun believes that the replacement is another "experiment" with no result for the company. Now, the most direct and effective method is to "sink the focus of work at all levels" (Ma Jun's original words). Director, will be more involved in branch management in the future; and Wang Tao, as a branch manager, will also be more directly involved in the business of the regional market.Ma Jun suggested that Wang Tao start with a province in South China, assist the local regional manager, re-plan and integrate, and establish a solid network before moving to other provinces.

That night, Wang Tao suffered from insomnia. Wang Tao could not accept Ma Jun's way of operating.If it was absolutely necessary for him to do it one by one in the initial stage of the branch, but now the structure of the entire branch is relatively mature, and each province and city also has a relatively independent customer network, which is not suitable.It will only create a group of useless regional managers, and he will pay ten times more energy, and the result may be only a temporary market. Wang Tao called Ma Jun, and the gentle Ma Jun still told Wang Tao persuasively: to sink to the front line of the market, to be a "shepherd dog", and to be with the sheep, not a "herdsman" waving a whip.

Wang Tao recalled Ma Jun's words, which seemed to make sense.But then I thought, as a branch manager, is this what he should do? Now, let's imagine that if you were Wang Tao, would you be ordered to carry out the intention of your boss, or would you try to persuade?Or is there any better way?If you were Ma Jun, how would you guide your new subordinate?Will the same arrangement be made?Which of these two people is more intelligible to you?What advice would you give him if you happened to be around him? Neither Ma Jun nor Wang Tao can go to extremes in dealing with the relationship between the leader and the led. In the short term, Wang Tao wants to quickly achieve his own performance, and it is correct to establish his own position in the company.Therefore, Ma Jun should understand the meaning of "shepherd" and "shepherd dog" to the work of his subordinates?What is your true role as a leader?Giving full authorization and motivation to the new subordinates is what Jun Ma should do first.

Both Ma Jun and Wang Tao are in an awkward environment: on the one hand, Ma Jun proposes to be a "shepherd dog" and stay with the sheep instead of a whip-wielding "shepherd".In this case, Wang Tao felt that he was "empty", had no real power, could not display his ability, and had the idea of ​​finding another job; on the other hand, Ma Jun felt that his new subordinate was more "impetuous" and refused to listen to him. My own "command" has a grudge in my heart. The dilemma encountered by Ma Jun and Wang Tao is very common in real business management.Similar management contradictions and conflicts exist every day in our enterprises, companies, and even government agencies.

For Ma Jun, should he strengthen the management and "help" of Wang Tao, let Wang Tao go to the front line to exercise more, or rest assured that the power that the regional manager should have should be handed over to Wang Tao, so that he can display his talents? ?Should Wang Tao be positioned as a "shepherd dog" or as a "herdsman"?To answer this question, I think Ma Jun must understand what the role of a leader is?What should leaders do?The famous management scientist Kurt pointed out that what leaders should do is: leaders do not make plans, but determine the direction; leaders do not organize and staff, but let employees coordinate; leaders do not solve problems and control, but It is to motivate employees.

After understanding the role of the leader, let's look at Ma Jun in the case.He has been the sales director of this famous home appliance company since its inception as a salesman. It can be said that he worked step by step from within the company based on his performance and strength. From small to large, I have developed a habit of doing many things by myself and doing everything by myself.Ma Jun has worked in this company for 15 years, and he has a good grasp of the culture of this home appliance company. This kind of "in place" has led to the mindset that Ma Jun may form.On the other hand, the performance of the South China region has not been very good, and the managers of several branches have accepted this reality. As the new regional manager, when Wang Tao proposed to replace the candidate of the branch, Ma Jun disagreed. The opinion of the new subordinate.We have to look at this issue from two perspectives. One is that Wang Tao has just taken office, and his work seems a bit "adventurous". "Relationships, because Ma Jun has worked with these branch managers all the year round, they have more or less personal relationships in it. As a leader, Ma Jun, due to his close relationship or lack of leadership, cannot Make the work of these branch managers very consistent with the company's business objectives.

Ma Jun, as the sales director of the company, can be said to be very good at handling the interpersonal relationship within the company. He has worked in the company for more than 10 years, and there is no negative comment about Ma in the company.This is enough to illustrate the "smoothness" of the horse.As a leader, you actually have to find a balance between the courage of leadership and the handling of interpersonal relationships.Handle interpersonal relationships very well, and don't offend interest groups and people with insufficient work ability. Everyone's "harmony" will affect the efficiency of the organization. This kind of tact will directly lead to lack of work courage and lack of leadership.If you pay too much attention to the courage of work and ignore the handling of interpersonal relationships, especially in some companies with complicated internal relationships, your company will be in trouble and your work will not be supported by employees. From these perspectives, Ma Jun needs to change his own consciousness and cultivate his own leadership.Ma Jun must cultivate his own leadership from three aspects.First of all, we must cultivate our own ability to determine the direction and positioning, instead of talking to customers or running branches by ourselves.Of course, as a sales director, it is only natural to run around the market and understand the sales situation at the front line.But the problem is that you can't intervene in the specific sales work and do some work that should be performed by Wang Tao.Determine the positioning of Wang Tao, and what is the future development direction of the South China market?A common mistake made by overmanaged and under-led companies is to use long-term planning as a panacea for their lack of direction and inability to adapt to a constantly changing and increasingly competitive business environment.Ma Jun formulated a long-term plan for Wang Tao and told Wang Tao how to do it.But this is not in line with Wang Tao's positioning. Wang Tao has good management experience and his own management methods.In this case, Ma Jun should give Wang Tao a good position, and then grasp the general direction. As a leader and management team, Ma Jun's more role should be to make the branch managers and regional managers under his jurisdiction, as well as the employees under his control, coordinate and work hard for the company's goals and vision.Instead of spending a lot of time considering candidates for branch and regional managers, listen to the work reports of branch managers and regional managers that should be directly under the management of Wang Tao.Ma Jun is the sales director. He has already done what should belong to the branch manager himself, and "deprived" the candidates and team power that should have been adjusted by Wang Tao.These are not in line with Ma Jun's position as a sales director.To be precise, what Ma Jun should do is to authorize Wang Tao to manage the South China branch well, and make several area managers and city managers of the South China branch follow Wang Tao's leadership and move towards a common goal.In a word, it is to make the employees of the coordinating company and their subordinates keep pace. Another point that Ma Jun needs to correct in his role positioning is that he tries to motivate Wang Tao and his employees instead of strengthening his control over Wang Tao and the South China branch.From the case, we can see that Ma Jun proposed his so-called "shifting the focus of work down step by step", which can be seen as a "beautiful lie".Ma Jun's purpose is to strengthen his control over the South China branch, strengthen his control over Wang Tao, and go to the front line to solve some problems by himself, so as to ensure his own authority.As a leader, to enable subordinates and employees to realize the company's long-term goals and vision, employees often need to have a drive.Motivation and encouragement can inspire people, but the means they rely on are not to push people in the right direction like controlling machines, but to meet some of their basic needs, such as a sense of accomplishment, belonging, recognition, self-esteem, and ability. Take control of your own life, realize your ideals, and more.This feeling will make employees deeply moved and make good performance.Just imagine, if Ma Jun can give Wang Tao sufficient authorization and good incentives, then Wang Tao will definitely devote himself to his work and achieve good performance.The reality is that Wang Tao did not have much authorization, nor did he receive good incentives, so his morale naturally declined, and he naturally had a "grudgery" in his heart.With this feeling, it is difficult for us to say that Wang Tao will cooperate well with Ma Jun in work matters in the future. Ma Jun is obviously successful as an excellent SALES, but there is still a long way to go to become a successful leader.Successful leaders are those who offer subordinates and employees more of a managerial role, allow them to take risks, and learn from successes and failures.Cultivating one's own extensive leadership skills and leadership vision is the knowledge that many sales directors and sales executives should learn. Wang Tao's confusion comes from his own management misunderstanding.In his subconscious mind, he is trying to solve the problems in the new enterprise with methods that have been proven to be effective in the past ten years of professional experience, or he is proficient, or he is accustomed to it, while ignoring changes in reality, resources, and management styles.As a result: he has subordinates, but does not have a "follower"; he has a boss, but he is indifferent, and has not established basic trust and identity. The only one who can save Wang Tao is himself. 1. Wang Tao must clearly judge his "position" in this company; A "branch manager" plays different roles in different companies.Some branch companies are entities with a relatively complete organizational form, establishing a branch management structure including multiple functions such as personnel, finance, logistics, marketing, sales, and service; while some branch companies have single functions, only The company is at the "input end" of local customer orders, and the function of the branch manager is "a big salesman leading a group of small salesmen"; some branches are completely condensed into a virtual management position, and the manager is only Symbolically representing managers, more management and sales functions have been relocated to regional offices or operations departments. What is Wang Tao's branch like?What kind of responsibilities does management assign to him in a similar position?What is the management's future positioning of the branch's functions?For these, Wang Tao must take the initiative to obtain confirmation from multiple sources, not just from his direct supervisor.Only after confirming these, can he know whether he is suitable for this company and how to adjust his management style and methods, instead of "taking it for granted" based on past experience. (I am also wondering about these issues. As Wang Tao, who has ten years of professional experience, he should think and judge when choosing this company and candidate for this position.) 2. Wang Tao should not only regard Ma Jun as his boss, but also as a "reference" for his own growth; Sales Director Ma Jun is a person worthy of Wang Tao's careful analysis.Although Wang Tao also made some "market research" on this boss before, he concluded that he is a diligent, gentle, and well-known person.But these information only stop at the perceptual evaluation of a natural person's temperament. Wang Tao should make more comparisons of Ma Jun's growth experience, management style, market thinking, the company's history and current situation, the external market pressure of the sales department and the internal organization status, etc. Think systematically.He will understand: What factors led his boss to grow from a salesperson to a director?What style of sales manager does this company need?What regional management method is more conducive to the overall goals set by the boss?What kind of change and innovation is acceptable to this company? If Wang Tao hopes to achieve something in this domestic company in the future, Ma Jun should not be simply regarded as a "boss", but should be regarded as a perfect "reference object".Many problems and confusions in the future growth may be answered by Ma Jun. 3. Wang Tao must be highly integrated with his boss and "manage" the boss well; There are also people who think Ma Jun is "wrong", and think that Ma Jun must have some "little ninety-nine" in his heart. Basically, he just wants to squeeze out Wang Tao, an airborne soldier from another camp. I don't think so. Ma Jun does have behaviors such as "leapfrogging" downwards and poor guidance. I think this is only related to the limitations of his own management quality, not out of other intentions.And in fact, we have also seen that before this, Wang Tao and Ma Jun had not established effective communication and trust. Personnel risks of inappropriate employment.It is these various misunderstandings that lead to differences in behavior between the two parties. Of course Ma Jun is not perfect, how to "manage" this boss well is the key to Wang Tao's success in self-help.My suggestion is to really "approach" your boss and tell him your confusion and intentions; systematically compare two people's different operating strategies for the same regional market, and finally make a trade-off between benefits and risks; tell Ma Jun clearly, You are his soldier, and you will be directly responsible to him (this is an unspoken rule in many companies, and Wang Tao once dissociated from the "interpersonal chain" between the boss and his subordinates). The first few months of the newcomer's employment were difficult. I sympathized with Wang Tao's experience. Indeed, some things were not as expected, and some things could not be recognized.But you know, to be a "shepherd dog" or a "herder"?This depends not only on your own subjective judgment, but also on the management style of that company and your boss, and even more on the current sales situation and team situation.Wang Tao has to make trade-offs and compromises if he wants to have a "happy" career in this company. The thinking about whether to be a "shepherd dog" or a "herder" is more reflected in a conflict of marketing management thinking. Every marketing manager has a different concept and experience of marketing and management.As Ma Jun and Wang Tao, both have more than ten years of experience in their respective industries. Ma Jun has grown from a salesperson to a sales director, and Wang Tao has more than ten years of industry experience in foreign capital. He was newly hired as the manager of the South China branch. It can be regarded as a "relatively successful person" in marketing management. When they are intertwined, Ma Jun's management style and Wang Tao's management style will inevitably produce various conflicts. In thinking about being a "shepherd", we see more: In marketing management, should we be a coaching guide or a standardized marketing system manager?Is it a question of "dots" or "faces"?For sales director Ma Jun, perhaps the biggest problem he is currently facing is the poor regional sales performance and his inability to change the status quo, so he places a lot of hope on Wang Tao.For Wang Tao's current situation, it seems quite embarrassing: Ma Jun, the sales director, has been clearly designated as a "shepherd dog", and he is full of confidence and ready to do a big job according to his own ideas. Manager) but tends to work as a sales director. He has not yet recognized his work, and is instructed by work inertia to work step by step. So, how should Wang Tao position himself, should he "assimilate" or "break through"?This is already the biggest confusion he faces.And these phenomena are also the most common problems in the marketing management of enterprises. Do "coach-style" guidance or "standardized" market management, do "points" or "surfaces"?We can always find answers to these in real business cases, and there will be many critics. This is a debate about "marketing methodology".Here, we try not to discuss methods, but pay more attention to thinking, to seek results along the direction of thinking, and to seek the intersection of their thinking. Let’s take a look at Ma Jun’s thinking points from the case: 1. Fifteen years of work experience in the company, familiar with the company's situation, including unspoken rules. Second, the recognition and satisfaction of the current marketing situation of the company. 3. Visiting the market can be regarded as maintaining one's own influence on the company's front-line sales staff, distributors and various resources. Fourth, the dealer's "discount" policy shows the expectation of "good sales performance" in the market. Wang Tao's thoughts: 1. Positioning of one's own responsibilities (branch manager).It is reflected in being responsible to Ma Jun, the sales director, in charge of six regional sales personnel, distributors and various market resources. 2. Be full of enthusiasm (passion) for work, and full of expectations and confidence in the "good sales performance" in the market (continuously report market conditions to Ma Jun, adjust personnel suggestions, etc.). 3. Be confident in your ability to work.More than ten years of working experience in foreign-funded enterprises, compared with the current status of enterprise marketing personnel, there is a huge contrast, and I want to work hard to change.However, he has doubts about Ma Jun's work suggestion and thinks that he should be a "herdr".It should not be a "shepherd dog", otherwise no matter how hard you work, you will not gain much. From this we can see that the two are almost different or conflict except for "good sales performance", and "good sales performance" has become the intersection of their thinking.So how does the "good sales performance" in the market come about?We reflect on their behavior along the intersection of their thinking "good sales performance", and all problems will be solved accordingly. Ma Jun is the most common practice of a typical marketing director of a mature company, and the company seems to default (as can be seen from his colleagues' evaluation of him).In this case, it is difficult for Ma Jun to make any major changes. He is a bit qualitative, but it is Wang Tao who can change. It can be seen from the case that Ma Jun is very clear about the sales situation of the company's South China market and the work of his subordinates, but he seems unable to change (or unable to change) the status quo, while Wang Tao reported to him the market situation he already knew The attitude shown by the next person is justifiable - he is just too many people to report to the market, and the following market visits and salesmen's conversations can also be seen as a reconciliation of Wang Tao's unreliable work in the new market. doubt.The "discount" for dealers may be due to the pressure of market sales and the expectation of good sales performance.In Ma Jun's mind, the biggest concern should be "good sales performance", which also comes from the requirements of the post.And when Wang Tao proposed to replace the regional manager, he did not let Ma Jun see the inevitable connection between the market performance and the regional manager, so he was naturally rejected.Constantly suggesting to Wang Tao that "the focus of work should be lowered" is based on his own diagnosis of the company's current regional sales situation, and must be adopted before Wang Tao puts forward better marketing suggestions.This is the characteristic of his personal marketing work. This may be the epitome of the more typical "status quo of marketing management of mature enterprises". Wang Tao's behavior: Wang Tao's behavior is more like a "standardized market manager", managing according to the rules he understands and requires (although it is a good system), with idealistic characteristics.In the short time since he entered the company, he was eager to change the status quo and led the regional managers to implement various system innovations in order to achieve good sales performance in a relatively short period of time.In order to prove their ability to work.These starting points are obviously good, but his actions have not been approved by his boss Ma Jun, and even his manager cannot communicate. This kind of wish is obviously going to fail, and it is an immature idea.As a manager with ten years of experience in the industry, Wang Tao obviously lacks the ability to adapt to the environment. He does not understand that his work performance is the result of the coordination and joint efforts of various factors such as the people around him and the environment, which is individualistic. color.When coming to a new company, "adapting to the environment" is the first element, while "influencing and changing the environment" is the second stage of work.When faced with Ma Jun's "stability, stability, and conservative" boss, it will be the most effective way to coordinate the relationship with colleagues and actively create performance. Good sales performance will be the most effective data.In this case, Wang Tao seems to pay more attention to "restraining the outside world first", focusing on his own feelings and experiences rather than the performance of the market. Under this premise, it is difficult to get the approval and support of his boss Ma Jun (unless You have special experience and status). Now companies are more and more inclined to be practical (conservative) rather than aggressive in marketing, and the phenomenon of "getting rich overnight" caused by crazy investment is becoming less and less.Coupled with the general lack of social morality, legal omissions, and the deterioration of the competitive environment, business leaders are full of doubts and uncertainties, and they are cautious about the market (unless they have ulterior motives).However, in the minds of the leaders, there has never been a lack of demand for a booming sales situation and deified sales performance. This is a strange game.The conflict between the two thinkings represented by "Ma Jun" and "Wang Tao" is just the embodiment of this relationship.Who is more willing to believe whom?Who will give who a chance?are full of uncertainties.When we can't get the answer from it, why not start from the intersection of our thinking to seek our common goal.Leaders may prefer to work with practitioners, while marketers prefer to work with enlightened bosses, but the reality is often there is no choice.Then let the market sales performance prove our respective ideas. In the growth process of the enterprise, the horses are the cornerstone of the stable development of the enterprise. After experiencing the accumulation of entrepreneurship and development, they will usher in another transformation.As a new force, Wang Taos should fully consider the actual situation of the enterprise when they enter the enterprise. Enter the new environment, make use of every opportunity given by the company, and make performances, so that the horses can change from "doubt and caution" to "support and reassurance" about their work.Thus forming a virtuous circle.In the work of dealing with subordinates (regional managers), make full use of my ten years of experience in foreign companies, introduce some effective practices, and drive them to create market performance.Only by creating "good performance in the market" can we fundamentally resolve various market contradictions and confusions caused by conflicts in thinking. The shepherd is both the leader of the "sheep" and the leader of the "dogs".If he always forgets his identity, being a shepherd dog will make the shepherd dog as uncomfortable as the "sheep".Because the "sheep" can only adapt to one management method, one value, and complex relationships, conflicting roles can only make the "sheep" mess up, which can only lead to inefficiency in the end.It's better to make a rule, set the goal requirements, clarify the rules of the game, and leave the rest to the shepherd.As for the wolf eating the sheep, the shepherd can avoid the risk of the sheep running away by itself. The shepherd only needs to be responsible for checking whether the sheep are fat or not, and the number is enough. Both Ma Jun and Wang Tao in this case are undoubtedly in trouble. As an airborne soldier, Wang Tao did not have good communication with his superiors before. He only relied on hard work and enthusiasm to achieve results in his own way in a short period of time, which eventually led to differences in understanding between the two parties. This is his mistake. As a leader, Ma Jun has climbed step by step from the beginning of the sales staff to the current sales director. For a long time, he has developed the habit of doing many things by himself and doing everything by himself.Can it be said that it is precisely his consistent thinking and management style that have affected the further development of the company?I personally think that Ma Jun, as a leader, should change his management style. First of all, it is necessary to communicate, manage the communication of awareness, and clarify the role positioning. At the beginning of Wang Tao's employment, Ma Jun should have effectively communicated with Wang Tao and told him what kind of responsibilities the management of the new company entrusted to him in his current position?What is the management's future positioning of the branch's functions?Only when subordinates have a clear position can they do what they should do within the prescribed scope of power. Second, balance the handling of "interpersonal relationships". If interpersonal relationships are handled in a comprehensive manner, and interest groups and destroyers with insufficient working ability are not offended, the organization will wander in low efficiency, which will directly lead to the lack of leadership ability.In this case, Ma Jun paid too much attention to interpersonal relationships, and did not deal with the regional managers who were not capable of working. Again, valid authorization. The famous management scientist Kurt pointed out that leaders do not make plans, but determine the direction; leaders do not organize and staff, but make employees coordinate; leaders do not solve problems and control, but motivate employees. The management of modern companies is no longer just a simple method of "doing things", but an art of "making people do things".In a normal operating enterprise, managers should spend a small amount of time and managers on the daily management of the company, while most of the time should be used to focus on the company's overall development strategy and management at the strategic level.To put it simply, when assigning work, give subordinates corresponding rights and allow subordinates to dispatch manpower, material and financial resources within a certain range; at the same time, allow subordinates to make their own decisions in order to achieve tasks. In this case, Ma Jun spent a lot of time considering candidates for branch and regional managers, and listened to the work reports of branch managers and regional managers who should have been directly under the management of Wang Tao.As a sales director, he has already done what should belong to the branch manager, and "deprived" Wang Tao of the management power that should have been done.These are not in line with the positioning of a sales director.Ma Jun should fully authorize Wang Tao to reposition himself.As the sales director, he should listen to market reports from various places, analyze problems, draw up plans, and make implementation plans. At the same time, he is responsible for helping Wang Tao and others, and let his subordinates do other things boldly.