A Bottleneck Transformed

The true story of a controlling manager who became a model of empowerment

by Tom Terez

The meeting happened five years ago, but it left such an impression that Thad Adamaszek tells the story like it was yesterday.

He and his colleagues were mapping out the process for developing and scoring civil-service tests -- that's what their office did. And as they reached the end of the flowchart, all of the lines were pointing to one person: Thad. He was the office's only person with the power and know-how to set the passing criteria for these important tests.

His boss turned to him and announced the obvious: "Thad, you're a bottleneck!"

Indeed he was, but being a bottleneck had its perks. As Thad describes it today: "Imagine having a piece of information and a skill that no one else has. It was tantamount to magic. I was the guru on the mountain."

Thad is a licensed psychologist with a quick wit, high IQ, and deep knowledge of statistics and testing. Now 62, he has worked for state government for 32 years. Nearly all of his time has been spent with civil-service testing, and he's now the manager of Test Services.

In true statistician form, Thad had a conversation with some friends a long time ago about ... imaginary numbers. They were talking about managerial power, likening it to a magic number invisibly written on a person's forehead. The higher the number, the greater their power. "We were all working to make our numbers high," he says. It meant keeping information, decision-making power, and authority close to the vest.

The flowchart meeting rattled his way of thinking. "That mapping really made it clear. Sometimes we run on automatic -- until something is drawn out clearly and shows you that there's a more efficient way to do things."

Thad went on to train two people in the science of setting those all- important passing criteria for tests. Then he spent a few months coaching them in the art of it, helping them work through the gray areas and judgment calls that every statistician wants to minimize.

It wasn't a painless process. "At first it felt like I was tearing a chunk of flesh off of me, because I was giving something up," Thad says. "But then I realized how competent these two individuals were and how well they could do it."

Five years have passed, and Thad is so pleased with the changes, he could be a spokesperson for empowerment. Some 35 tests are developed each year, and in the old days, he'd be spending hours on the details, coming up with the passing criteria himself. Now he's doing the work of a manager. "I'm freed up to act as a consultant to my staff and to the other agencies," he says happily.

Thad pulls few punches in his advice to managers of managers. "You'll have a normal distribution" when a workplace is trying to change its management approach from controlling to empowering, he says. Some people will change immediately, some who will need help in the transition, and some just won't change. An effective manager will work with the first two groups and try to work with the third group, "but with that third group, it's like a last-chance program -- you either go with it, or it's time to go somewhere else."

He also urges managers not to go so far with empowerment that it turns into abandonment. "Don't give them the power then hide in your office," Thad says. "People still need feedback and direction."

As he contemplates retirement, Thad seems almost thrilled that he had that flowchart revelation -- and the willingness to change his own management style. "It feels great to see the members of the team being stronger contributors and making the team more successful because you've been able to facilitate, train, and give constructive direction."


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Terez is a speaker, workshop leader, and author of 22 Keys to Creating a Meaningful Workplace. His Web site, http://BetterWorkplaceNow.com, is filled with tools for building a great work environment. Write to Tom@BetterWorkplaceNow.com or call 614-571-9529.

Copyright 2002 by Tom Terez