Bouncing Ball Manager

Do you remember as a kid going to the grocery store with your parents? Before leaving I would always beg my mom for a quarter to buy something out of the vending machine. It never failed I would always go for the bouncing ball that was sitting in the case. The funny thing about the bouncing ball is when it is in the case it is not moving, causing problems or breaking anything. However, as soon as the ball gets loose it can cause broken windows, sprained ankles and fights amongst kids.

In business have you ever had a manager that you would consider the bouncing ball? This is the person who hops from idea to idea causing distractions and providing no vision. Of course we are all guilty at times of not thinking clearly and reacting rather than processing but not like the bouncing ball manager. The bouncing ball manager will say I want this completed in 12 months and a couple days later will say we really need it by the end of the week. The bouncing ball manager will say we should focus on X but two hours later will question why you are not looking at Y. So here are some ideas on how to deal with the bouncing ball:

· Keep the scope of the project narrow?
· Ask the question, what are we trying to solve?
· This project has a very large scope. What do you want to complete first and when?
· Provide him/her regular updates keeping scope in mind?
· Push back and provide feedback do not be a yes man you will both fail.

Of course the bouncing ball manager will continue to be all over the board and at times will be near impossible to deal with. This is an opportunity to become a leader and manage up. Just because they are the boss does not mean they cannot learn and develop.