The Expert Trap

I am working with a group that is experiencing a rebirth.  They are working well together and hitting their goals like never before. What has changed? A new manager.

Before I describe the new manager, let me talk about the one she replaced.  He was in the eyes of all a perfect choice.  A super smart, absolute expert in the complicated financial transactions the group handled.  And, from what I can tell, that very strength, overplayed, was the problem.  He fell into what I’ll call The Expert Trap.

Here’s the behavior I observed.  

–    When direct reports came to him with a problem, he immediately solved it for them.  
–    He represented the team in all meetings with senior management.
–    He let everyone in the company know he was the “go to guy” for tough calls.
–    In meetings when the group was asked a question, he always answered first.
–    He could foresee mistakes the team might make and micro-managed to avoid them.

He is a kind person, but his behavior got in the way of his team’s growth and motivation and inevitably its results. But there’s  a happy ending.  He moved to a new company and a position better suited for him. And a new manager took over. 

The new manager has experience in finance, but not in the specific type of transactions the group handles.  She was successful in turning around another team in the company and is a skilled manager, but she is definitely not an expert.  And this one change seems to be the key factor in the team’s rebirth.  

She did not repeat the behavior of her predecessor primarily because she couldn’t — she simply does not know as much as he does.  The result? Team members get heard more, have to solve problems themselves, have to think ahead, have to “step up” … and they do.

I’m not saying: Expert managers are bad.  But I am saying: If you are one, be diligent so you don’t fall into The Expert Trap!