Why District Managers Struggle
When District Managers struggle and don’t deliver the expected results, Franchisees usually think that it's a people problem. In reality, it is a role problem and even a training problem.
This blog post will break down why District Managers struggle, what they are being asked to do without any proper multi-unit leadership training, and why effort alone is not enough to compensate for that lack of preparation, knowledge, or skills.
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Lack of Clarity on The District Manager Job
One reason many District Managers struggle so much is that the role was created after the growth had already happened. This makes the position become the dumping ground for the franchise owner's stress and all the unresolved unit problems.
They are asked to support managers, enforce standards, coach for performance, and report accurately on the status of each unit. And they do all of this without authority, training, or the necessary tools to execute these tasks effectively.
It even happens that District Managers are hired just to have someone available to address all the managers’ questions and needs, not because there’s a specific goal in mind.
As a result, most District Managers feel stuck in uncertainty and ambiguity because they don't fully understand how to handle the responsibilities they're expected to handle. Can you imagine that? Put yourself in their position… It would be pretty stressful, wouldn’t it?
To give them some clarity about their role and expectations, you, as a Franchisee and Direct Supervisor, need to define whether your District Managers:
- Are coaches or enforcers.
- Are responsible for the results, or just support the Unit Managers and their daily work.
- Directly fix problems or develop leaders who will handle issues.
You also have to decide how they will be measured and whether their success will depend on store performance, manager performance, or effort and availability. That way, they will be able to tell if they are winning or failing.
Finally, make sure they understand your expectations as the franchise owner. Without clear guidance and direction, they will guess what to do, thinking their assumptions are right, rather than doing what you actually want.
Don’t miss: The Multi-Unit Leadership Gap That’s Hurting Your Growth
Lack of Ownership
Another strong reason District Managers struggle is that everything is a priority. They are firefighting all the time, and their phones are blowing up constantly because they have to handle everything at once. You should know that when this happens, nothing really is owned.
The situation gets worse if the owners don't really know how to guide or empower these District Managers to do the job they were hired or promoted to do.
- Something to think about: if your District Manager cannot, in one sentence, tell you what their job is, that means that neither can you.
Kerp learning: The Key Parts of the District Manager's Job Description
What Training Do District Managers Need?
There are many areas where District Managers need to be prepared. This is especially true for first-time District Managers who require professional training because they didn’t develop these skills as Unit Managers, as the two roles are very different.
However, an experienced District Manager may not have received proper multi-unit leadership training either.
- I challenge you! Ask any District Manager how they were trained in their previous jobs, or if they have gone through a structured program to learn the role. More than likely, all of them will answer that they learned on the job.
What skills or qualities should a new or experienced District Manager focus on developing?
- How to lead leaders. If they were promoted from within, remember these leaders used to be peers with their Unit Managers and team members. So, they need to become a leader by influence, not just by position. That requires specific leadership skills.
- How to hold managers accountable. The District Managers must understand how to make their peers responsible for their actions and unit results, but without being the bad guy or “the Prince of Doom,” as I call one of the six types of District Managers, who only finds the worst when they show up at the stores.
- How to manage performance through data. They need to be able to analyze the information to make the proper decisions for every unit that they are responsible for.
Keep learning: Secrets to Developing Great District Managers
Hard Work Does Not Mean Results
Surprisingly, Franchisees usually don’t prepare District Managers to lead; they just hope that they will.
Remember: it is not the same to be a strong operator as it is to be a leader of leaders. The skills that made them successful as a Unit Manager will not make them successful as a District Manager. It just does not automatically scale.
To compensate for the lack of preparation, District Managers tend to work long hours. However, you do not fix a broken role with more hustle! Effort just increases activity; it does not improve results.
- More unit visits do not equal better performance.
- Longer hours do not increase clearer standards.
- Faster responses do not mean better responses.
All of this leads to confusion. The District Managers become reactive rather than proactive. Unit Managers rely on District Managers rather than being empowered to handle responsibilities within their units. As a result, the organization gets overly dependent on each other and loses scalability.
Everyone in your franchise organization has a role, and those roles must be clear so that everyone can take ownership of their responsibilities.
This means that you must have clarity on what is a Unit Manager, what is a District Manager, and what your role is as a Franchise owner.
Every one of these roles is different, and that clarity will empower your leaders for the job they're supposed to do.
Before assuming the District Manager is struggling because of the person, take a really conscious look at the role and the guidance that you have provided them. When District Managers struggle, it is rarely because they're not capable of doing the job. It is mostly because they don't have clarity on what that job is.
- Leadership does not fail randomly. It fails predictively when the roles are not clear.
If you want to provide your District Managers with clarity on the role and guidance on how to execute their responsibilities, and do it well, our LEAD Program for District Managers interests you.
This is a 10-week training program and Multi-Unit Leadership Certification designed to give men and women clarity about their roles, responsibilities, and routines so they can be effective and successful without burning out. It will also provide you with that clarity because you will be going through this program together!
Reflections:
- How many hours are your District Managers working?
- Are they delivering the expected results?
- Are your District Managers able to lead leaders?
- Can they translate the data into a strategy to move the business forward?
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