At , we’re always looking for new ways to improve our , and if we manage to be more efficient in the way we work as a team at the same time, well, we can call it progress.
We take this approach because it helps us get better results and, in turn, we can offer better products and services to keep us on top.
What is Task Relevant Maturity?
The Relevant Maturity for Tasks is an approach that determines how to delegate, monitor, and manage performance.
The term was first used by Andy Grove in his book How to increase the performance of managers. It’s a combination of training, experience, and a willingness to take responsibility and use it to achieve amazing results.
A person with a high TRM must have a balance of both ability and will. If a person does not discover the sweet spot, the relevant maturity of the task is reduced.
A combination of education, training and experience are part of personal skills. The disposition and the will to assume responsibilities, as well as an achievement orientation, are part of the person’s attitude.
Likewise, the TRM is not an absolute and generalized quality, but it is highly dynamic for the same individual that varies from one task to another.
One of the key principles that Andy Grove mentions in the book is that “The result of a manager is the result of the organizational units that are under his supervision or influence.”
There are many ways a boss or manager can influence their employees (leading by example, coaching, giving feedback, coaching, etc.).
However, the main question is how much supervision should a boss or manager exercise over his team? What if complete freedom or micromanagement is better in terms of productivity?
The general consensus tends to consider micromanagement to be highly flawed, although in the context of TRM it depends on individual scenarios.
TRM errors
- Define the TRM as a trusted source. If we think that we can give our employees new projects, new roles and new responsibilities while maintaining the same level of involvement and advice that they had before.
- Assuming everyone has the same amount of context as you. After delegating a task, let the person find and open their own way.
- Promote to management positions by personal achievement. The person will have a low TRM for leadership skills and will fail in their management role.
- Thinking that everyone should learn from their own mistakes. While it’s okay to fail and learn from your own mistakes, a manager should always teach their employees as much as possible to avoid mistakes in the first place. Our clients do not have to pay for repetitive mistakes.
Implement the TRM scheme in practice
It is highly unlikely that employees will have a high TRM at all times. This is especially true in dynamic organizations, since the personal TRM changes with each new task, new role or project. It will be up to the manager to adjust the work using the TRM scheme.
Evaluation for the TRM
To evaluate the TRM for a specific task, you first need to take time for yourself, especially at the beginning. One of the most important key initiatives for you is to have frequent personal meetingsat least once a week (the concept of personal meetings is extensively discussed by Andy Grove in his book How to increase the performance of managers).
During meetings, don’t start by explaining the situation, but instead take the time to ask your team member to explain the situation to you. Remember that, the more they explain why they are doing or what they want to do, the faster you will understand their TRM level.
Ask a team member to create an action plan and explain each step. If you make any corrections to the plan, after discussing it, ask the person to repeat the changes again, in their own words. This will allow you both to be on the same page.
Delegate based on the TRM
After evaluating the TRM, it should be clear when you can delegate and when you keep the task to yourself or if it should be assigned to someone else on the team.
When a person has a high TRM, the manager can delegate more freely, and therefore focus on higher weight activities. If the task is very important or urgent, even if it has been delegated, you should make sure that the process is going well, monitoring from time to time.
Since the TRM framework is dynamic, it does not always mean that people with little maturity for the task cannot do it on their own. It simply means that you will have to spend more time monitoring the progress of this task. Nevertheless, never delegate tasks of great importance and that are very urgent to a person with a low TRM – is a direct ticket to costly mistakes.
If the importance and urgency of the task are low, you can safely delegate it.
Management style based on the TRM
“The frequency in which you supervise should not be based on what you think your employee can do in general, but on their experience with a specific task and their previous performance on it” — Andy Grove
Your management style must also be adapted to the TRM. When you give a new task or function to a person who lacks experience, you must pay close attention to this person.
Personal meetings should be scheduled at least every one to two weeks, with small updates between each meeting.
No matter how busy your schedule may be, this is the time when a person needs extensive and highly structured training with clear instructions and knowledge that you can share should your employee need it.
As the TRM improves over time, you will need to reduce the intensity of monitoring. Thus, these types of meetings will become less instructional and more goal-oriented, with reviews every three to four weeks.
Carlos is a professional in digital marketing, eCommerce and website builders. He loves helping businesses grow online through his tips. In his free time, he is surely singing or practicing martial arts.
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