Welcome to Business Management
Monday, July 23, 2007
How To Get The Best Out Of Your Employees
Running a company is not only about profits and sales but also about proper human resource management. Needless to say, for a successful organization there is no more important task than to develop a strong employee structure. It is one of the most valuable asset and a very vital and integral part of any organization or business. Therefore you should know how to get the best out of your staff. Read on to discover the steps by which you can get the most out of your employees-
Don't lose them - You might one day come across one of your employees who think he needs to get out of your organization because he is not growing. Every employee feels the need to be recognized or appreciated. You might lose out on one of your top performers and manpower is one of the most precious assets of any company or business. The performance and attitude of your employees can result in success or failure of any business. Therefore in order to retain them you need to be cooperative and provide them with timely promotions and satisfactory peaks.
Build strong foundation - Employees form the basic foundation of your business. Learn to build a strong employee base. Therefore you should know what your employees expect from you learn to get involved with them on a personal level.
Motivation leads to more efficiency - Motivation can get the best out of any human being and the best way to motivate your employees is to provide proper employee incentives. Employee incentives can be very effective in getting more productivity out of your employees. Proper collaboration and team building also leads to motivation which in turn lead to greater efficiency and productivity from your employees.
In the present day every business needs to develop a good customer base which can be impossible without efficient and productive sales team. Therefore nurture your staff and treat them like family. Therefore treat your employees as one body and clarify the roles and responsibilities. Understand the work flow in your organization and learn how to put values into action. Measure employee performance and provide them with satisfactory incentives may it be in form of money or asset.
Don't lose them - You might one day come across one of your employees who think he needs to get out of your organization because he is not growing. Every employee feels the need to be recognized or appreciated. You might lose out on one of your top performers and manpower is one of the most precious assets of any company or business. The performance and attitude of your employees can result in success or failure of any business. Therefore in order to retain them you need to be cooperative and provide them with timely promotions and satisfactory peaks.
Build strong foundation - Employees form the basic foundation of your business. Learn to build a strong employee base. Therefore you should know what your employees expect from you learn to get involved with them on a personal level.
Motivation leads to more efficiency - Motivation can get the best out of any human being and the best way to motivate your employees is to provide proper employee incentives. Employee incentives can be very effective in getting more productivity out of your employees. Proper collaboration and team building also leads to motivation which in turn lead to greater efficiency and productivity from your employees.
In the present day every business needs to develop a good customer base which can be impossible without efficient and productive sales team. Therefore nurture your staff and treat them like family. Therefore treat your employees as one body and clarify the roles and responsibilities. Understand the work flow in your organization and learn how to put values into action. Measure employee performance and provide them with satisfactory incentives may it be in form of money or asset.
The Morale Myth
Why is it that no matter what you do to boost morale, from parties and picnics to pats on the back, you end up with the same short-lived results? You know, everyone's happy for a couple of weeks, then they default to heel dragging and excuse making again? If you're banging your head against the wall looking for new tactics, the only guarantee is a sore head. Here's why. Traditional tactics address symptoms, not causes of low morale. Look to mechanics rather than people when seeking solutions.
Employees want to feel good about the work they output. Most want to excel and see hope for advancements in position and pay. But when they’re always swimming against the current, they lose hope. As a leader, your role is to equip employees with the right tools to do their jobs well. Functional equipment and systems breed success and maintain hope. Sometimes management tries to make everyone happy without really addressing what’s causing unhappiness to begin with. The mistake is more common than people realize.
Vermont’s Sugarbush ski resort suffered low morale at its ski school a couple of seasons ago. When parents came to sign in their children for daily classes, they could expect to wait at least an hour in long, winding-out-the-door lines. Management directed employees to use the lengthy Disney-Magic-Moment approach to greeting customers: how’s your stay and how’s your life. Overheating under a bazillion layers of ski clothing, sweat-soaked kids whined and wailed about the uncomfortable wait. Tempers flared. Irritated parents and frantic employees clashed, using words so colorful they’d have burned a sailor’s ears. To alleviate congestion, management solicited “group think” from employees. Frazzled, the well-meaning workers spit out ideas like expand the size of the facility and buy faster computers. When in doubt, make a bigger place to house even more angry customers…yeah, right. Good intentions, wrong solutions.
One afternoon, some outside help pointed leadership in the right direction. Solutions emerged when simple questions were asked. By late afternoon, management and staff began restructuring procedures. They didn’t leave until 2:00 the next morning. Here were the questions they asked: 1. “What do our customers really want?” A skier’s “Magic Moment” happens outside, on the slopes. Check ‘em in and move ‘em out like cattle. That meant reworking the ticketing and check-in systems to expedite the process and get adults outside fast. Forms were filled out at stations before customers got in line. The fastest-working employees were put on the front lines. Trainees worked at slower times. 2. “How can we further reduce congestion?” Many people who were waiting in line wanted services unrelated to the ski school. Management stood at the doors to redirect non-ski-school customers to other buildings. Those seeking season’s passes, rentals, and adult lessons comprised nearly 25% of the people clogging up the check-in lines. 3. “How can we direct the flow of people more smoothly?” Too often, people entered (or re-entered) via exit doors. They interrupted check-in employees with unrelated questions, added to confusion, and slowed the process. By removing outside handles on exit doors, no one could sneak in. Anyone entering the building would have to get past the gate-keeping management team guarding the main door.
Even though the sky was overcast and the wind chill factor drove temperatures below zero, the sun shone in the Sugarbush ski school that same day. These few changes shortened wait time from over an hour to less than 10 minutes per customer. Common-sense systems and procedures resulted in happier customers and employees.
So what can you do to get started? Here are some places to look: 1. Check the toolbox. Are you asking subordinates to fix a leaky roof with a sledgehammer? Frustration erupts when there’s a gap between what's expected and what's achievable. 2. Be a matchmaker. Do you have qualified, competent employees assigned to the right positions? Do the positions meet the skills of the available work force? Should the position be human-filled or automated? 3. Get in sync. Do your systems enable employees to meet customers' needs? Remember skiers didn’t want to wait in a bigger building, they wanted to glide through the check-in process and hit the slopes. Find out what customers want. Then use the info as a basis for strategies and tactics. Realize also that customers don't always know what they want: it's your job to know. 4. If you’re the lead dog, get out front. Are you creating a better mousetrap, or are employees constantly thrown into problem-solving exercises? Input creates buy-in, but too much is a burden. Employees want management to plan, direct and lead. 5. Mirror, mirror on the wall… Are employee complaints repetitive? Have you listened to or ignored feedback? Maybe you’re the problem. 6. Walk a mile in their shoes. Have you ever performed an employee's job for a few days? You may find that you’re expecting him to complete jobs that are unclear, work with tools that are broken or slow, and perform with inconsistent direction. You control the checkbook and can fix problems on the spot. 7. Thrill seeking on the job? If you’re always trying something new to keep things interesting, cut it out. People like a change of pace…sometimes. But too much change creates stress. Build good systems and save the adventures for vacation.
Mass mental sludge is a symptom of dysfunctional systems and equipment or lagging employee skills. Morale won’t improve long-term if your aim is to cheer up people. Keep a sharp lookout for real issues plaguing employees to improve morale and give your headache the sendoff.
Employees want to feel good about the work they output. Most want to excel and see hope for advancements in position and pay. But when they’re always swimming against the current, they lose hope. As a leader, your role is to equip employees with the right tools to do their jobs well. Functional equipment and systems breed success and maintain hope. Sometimes management tries to make everyone happy without really addressing what’s causing unhappiness to begin with. The mistake is more common than people realize.
Vermont’s Sugarbush ski resort suffered low morale at its ski school a couple of seasons ago. When parents came to sign in their children for daily classes, they could expect to wait at least an hour in long, winding-out-the-door lines. Management directed employees to use the lengthy Disney-Magic-Moment approach to greeting customers: how’s your stay and how’s your life. Overheating under a bazillion layers of ski clothing, sweat-soaked kids whined and wailed about the uncomfortable wait. Tempers flared. Irritated parents and frantic employees clashed, using words so colorful they’d have burned a sailor’s ears. To alleviate congestion, management solicited “group think” from employees. Frazzled, the well-meaning workers spit out ideas like expand the size of the facility and buy faster computers. When in doubt, make a bigger place to house even more angry customers…yeah, right. Good intentions, wrong solutions.
One afternoon, some outside help pointed leadership in the right direction. Solutions emerged when simple questions were asked. By late afternoon, management and staff began restructuring procedures. They didn’t leave until 2:00 the next morning. Here were the questions they asked: 1. “What do our customers really want?” A skier’s “Magic Moment” happens outside, on the slopes. Check ‘em in and move ‘em out like cattle. That meant reworking the ticketing and check-in systems to expedite the process and get adults outside fast. Forms were filled out at stations before customers got in line. The fastest-working employees were put on the front lines. Trainees worked at slower times. 2. “How can we further reduce congestion?” Many people who were waiting in line wanted services unrelated to the ski school. Management stood at the doors to redirect non-ski-school customers to other buildings. Those seeking season’s passes, rentals, and adult lessons comprised nearly 25% of the people clogging up the check-in lines. 3. “How can we direct the flow of people more smoothly?” Too often, people entered (or re-entered) via exit doors. They interrupted check-in employees with unrelated questions, added to confusion, and slowed the process. By removing outside handles on exit doors, no one could sneak in. Anyone entering the building would have to get past the gate-keeping management team guarding the main door.
Even though the sky was overcast and the wind chill factor drove temperatures below zero, the sun shone in the Sugarbush ski school that same day. These few changes shortened wait time from over an hour to less than 10 minutes per customer. Common-sense systems and procedures resulted in happier customers and employees.
So what can you do to get started? Here are some places to look: 1. Check the toolbox. Are you asking subordinates to fix a leaky roof with a sledgehammer? Frustration erupts when there’s a gap between what's expected and what's achievable. 2. Be a matchmaker. Do you have qualified, competent employees assigned to the right positions? Do the positions meet the skills of the available work force? Should the position be human-filled or automated? 3. Get in sync. Do your systems enable employees to meet customers' needs? Remember skiers didn’t want to wait in a bigger building, they wanted to glide through the check-in process and hit the slopes. Find out what customers want. Then use the info as a basis for strategies and tactics. Realize also that customers don't always know what they want: it's your job to know. 4. If you’re the lead dog, get out front. Are you creating a better mousetrap, or are employees constantly thrown into problem-solving exercises? Input creates buy-in, but too much is a burden. Employees want management to plan, direct and lead. 5. Mirror, mirror on the wall… Are employee complaints repetitive? Have you listened to or ignored feedback? Maybe you’re the problem. 6. Walk a mile in their shoes. Have you ever performed an employee's job for a few days? You may find that you’re expecting him to complete jobs that are unclear, work with tools that are broken or slow, and perform with inconsistent direction. You control the checkbook and can fix problems on the spot. 7. Thrill seeking on the job? If you’re always trying something new to keep things interesting, cut it out. People like a change of pace…sometimes. But too much change creates stress. Build good systems and save the adventures for vacation.
Mass mental sludge is a symptom of dysfunctional systems and equipment or lagging employee skills. Morale won’t improve long-term if your aim is to cheer up people. Keep a sharp lookout for real issues plaguing employees to improve morale and give your headache the sendoff.
How's Your EQ?
I was coaching a manager recently on one of his leadership challenges which was complaints from his staff. He was struggling to understand why they kept complaining about his managerial style. "I'm addressing everything they brought to my attention!" he said in frustration. In our coaching conversations, we discovered that he was weaker in the 3rd EQ skill described in this week's article.
What is EQ?EQ (emotional quotient) is otherwise known as Emotional Intelligence. Now hang on, some folks have an adverse reaction to the words Emotional Intelligence because it sounds.... well... too emotional for the workplace. Is that you? :-) Wait! Keep reading! :-) Even the NFL and the US military have embraced the use EI training because of its profound impact on leadership success. Basically after over a decade of research, it has been proven that your EQ or Emotional Intelligence has the greatest impact on your professional excellence.
Simply put, Emotional Intelligence is your ability to recognize and understand emotions, and your skill at using this awareness to manage yourself and your relationships with others. Your own success as a leader in your organization is dependent on how strong you are in the four EI skills that I'll share below.
1: Self AwarenessHow much are you aware of your own emotions as they happen? How well do you understand your tendencies for responding to different situations and people? Some people struggle with recognizing what emotion they're experiencing in the moment or they may even suppress or ignore it. If you tend to be very aware of your emotions in different situations, you are probably strong in the skill of self awareness.
Quick Tips for Improving: Observe what you are feeling when different situations unfold. Monitor your own thoughts and feelings. Try to discover why you react the way that you do. Record the trends you see. Ask someone you trust to observe you and give you feedback.
2. Self Management If you have a high awareness of your emotions, and you use that awareness to stay flexible, and you can positively direct your own behavior in different situations, you are probably strong in the EI skill of self management.
Quick Tips for Improving: Jot down a couple of situations where your emotions get the best of you. Notice your reactions and buy yourself some time before taking action. Don't ignore or minimize what you're feeling, but slow down and think. If you were watching a movie of yourself in that situation, what advice would you give yourself? Consider your options and choose a positive direction for your behavior or reactions.
3. Social awareness: Ever been in a conversation where the other person got angry at you and you say to yourself "What? Why is he angry? What did I say?" :-) In the scenario I opened with, the manager I was coaching struggled with this particular EI skill. He was not strong on picking up on the emotions of others (his staff) and he continued to be blind-sided by their negative perceptions of him. If you are savvy at picking up on the emotions of other people and you observe what's not being said, you're probably strong in the EI skill of social awareness. You understand what other people are thinking and feeling even when you don't feel the same way.
Quick Tips for Improving The next time a trusted friend or colleague tells you something, try telling them your perception of what they're feeling and see if you are correct. Or, if you are with a trusted friend/colleague in a group situation, share what you think is really going on beneath the surface in that group, or between people and see if they agree.
3. Relationship Management This one comprises the other skills above and can sometimes be the most difficult to achieve. Basically, you are using your awareness of your own emotions and the emotions of others to manage relational interactions to create positive outcomes even in difficult conversations.
Quick Tips for Improving: Get with that trusted friend or colleague again. :-) Ask them a few questions like... What do I have a knack for that helps e get along with other people? What holds me back from relating as well as I could to others? Is there a behavior that you think I can tone down?
Skimming the Surface: I know that in this article, I've only skimmed the surface of how you can excel with Emotional Intelligence. That said, Emotional Intelligence can be developed even if you are weak in all areas. With the example of the manager that I was coaching, we first discovered the areas where he was weaker, then used skill-building techniques over a few weeks. In the end, he was blown away by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from his staff. His success as a manager became almost effortless after his skills in EI dramatically improved.
What is EQ?EQ (emotional quotient) is otherwise known as Emotional Intelligence. Now hang on, some folks have an adverse reaction to the words Emotional Intelligence because it sounds.... well... too emotional for the workplace. Is that you? :-) Wait! Keep reading! :-) Even the NFL and the US military have embraced the use EI training because of its profound impact on leadership success. Basically after over a decade of research, it has been proven that your EQ or Emotional Intelligence has the greatest impact on your professional excellence.
Simply put, Emotional Intelligence is your ability to recognize and understand emotions, and your skill at using this awareness to manage yourself and your relationships with others. Your own success as a leader in your organization is dependent on how strong you are in the four EI skills that I'll share below.
1: Self AwarenessHow much are you aware of your own emotions as they happen? How well do you understand your tendencies for responding to different situations and people? Some people struggle with recognizing what emotion they're experiencing in the moment or they may even suppress or ignore it. If you tend to be very aware of your emotions in different situations, you are probably strong in the skill of self awareness.
Quick Tips for Improving: Observe what you are feeling when different situations unfold. Monitor your own thoughts and feelings. Try to discover why you react the way that you do. Record the trends you see. Ask someone you trust to observe you and give you feedback.
2. Self Management If you have a high awareness of your emotions, and you use that awareness to stay flexible, and you can positively direct your own behavior in different situations, you are probably strong in the EI skill of self management.
Quick Tips for Improving: Jot down a couple of situations where your emotions get the best of you. Notice your reactions and buy yourself some time before taking action. Don't ignore or minimize what you're feeling, but slow down and think. If you were watching a movie of yourself in that situation, what advice would you give yourself? Consider your options and choose a positive direction for your behavior or reactions.
3. Social awareness: Ever been in a conversation where the other person got angry at you and you say to yourself "What? Why is he angry? What did I say?" :-) In the scenario I opened with, the manager I was coaching struggled with this particular EI skill. He was not strong on picking up on the emotions of others (his staff) and he continued to be blind-sided by their negative perceptions of him. If you are savvy at picking up on the emotions of other people and you observe what's not being said, you're probably strong in the EI skill of social awareness. You understand what other people are thinking and feeling even when you don't feel the same way.
Quick Tips for Improving The next time a trusted friend or colleague tells you something, try telling them your perception of what they're feeling and see if you are correct. Or, if you are with a trusted friend/colleague in a group situation, share what you think is really going on beneath the surface in that group, or between people and see if they agree.
3. Relationship Management This one comprises the other skills above and can sometimes be the most difficult to achieve. Basically, you are using your awareness of your own emotions and the emotions of others to manage relational interactions to create positive outcomes even in difficult conversations.
Quick Tips for Improving: Get with that trusted friend or colleague again. :-) Ask them a few questions like... What do I have a knack for that helps e get along with other people? What holds me back from relating as well as I could to others? Is there a behavior that you think I can tone down?
Skimming the Surface: I know that in this article, I've only skimmed the surface of how you can excel with Emotional Intelligence. That said, Emotional Intelligence can be developed even if you are weak in all areas. With the example of the manager that I was coaching, we first discovered the areas where he was weaker, then used skill-building techniques over a few weeks. In the end, he was blown away by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from his staff. His success as a manager became almost effortless after his skills in EI dramatically improved.
5 Tips for Becoming a More Caring Manager
What kind of manager are you? Do you want your people to be successful? Are you genuinely happy for your associates when they experience success, or are you always peering around the corner hoping no one is more successful than you? Are you secretly happy when they fail and get “egg on their face?”
Why is it so difficult to be genuinely happy for the success of others? As children, we cheered for our teammates when they scored the winning run. With our own children we’re always celebrating their achievements at soccer games, plays and spelling bees. My children are a different breed altogether. They are more likely to be working the lights and sound board at the latest production, rather than performing in front of the camera, but rest assured, we always relish their success. The best managers delight in the success of their teams. They realize that their success depends on the achievements of everybody, and that the more the group achieves, the more they will grow and develop.
Short-sighted managers are the curse of any organization. They are constantly looking over their shoulders to see if anybody is gaining on them. Reminds me of my days as a somewhat (much less, really) decorated high school cross-country runner. Common practice for runners was to be continually looking over our shoulders to see who was gaining. We were discouraged from doing this and told, instead, to keep looking ahead. This turned out to be great advice for later in life.
As promised, here are five tips for becoming a better manager!
1) Tell your people how much you need them.
William James, a writer and philosopher, said that the greatest human need is the desire to be appreciated. Get out from behind your desk and start roaming the halls and factory floors. Tell your people you are happy they are on the team. Let them feel valued.
2) Ask for their opinions.
You would be very surprised how much your people know. They can really help, if you let them.
3) Show others that they are superior to you in at least one way.
Let people feel good. You don’t have to have all the answers. I never have. It is much easier to let others shine. One of the parts of hitting the “Grand Slam” with your customers is motivating associates and making it fun to work with you. When people feel motivated they are more likely to do a better job.
4) Create obligations for the right reasons.
Some managers create projects that make their people look bad. For many years I owned and operated a chain of wine stores in Chicago. I remember a few cases where managers gave people jobs that they were destined to fail. Their manager’s objectives were to look better in my eyes. They picked the wrong guy for that nonsense. I wanted everybody to do well.
5) Show your lighter side – create laughter.
Life is hard enough without taking everything seriously. Further, numerous studies show that laughter actually has many physical benefits for the body. Remember how your mother told you not to worry about everything because you would get an ulcer? Turns out she was right. When you experience stress, your digestive system shuts down a little. When this happens too often, the effects (one of them, ulcers) can be very harmful to your health.
Well, that’s enough of the medical advice. I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. Get out there today and compliment someone on your team. Give them some relevant, timely and specific feedback. As the one-minute manager would say, “Catch someone doing something right” and tell them about it right away. The results will surprise and motivate you, not to mention the positive effects on your team.
Why is it so difficult to be genuinely happy for the success of others? As children, we cheered for our teammates when they scored the winning run. With our own children we’re always celebrating their achievements at soccer games, plays and spelling bees. My children are a different breed altogether. They are more likely to be working the lights and sound board at the latest production, rather than performing in front of the camera, but rest assured, we always relish their success. The best managers delight in the success of their teams. They realize that their success depends on the achievements of everybody, and that the more the group achieves, the more they will grow and develop.
Short-sighted managers are the curse of any organization. They are constantly looking over their shoulders to see if anybody is gaining on them. Reminds me of my days as a somewhat (much less, really) decorated high school cross-country runner. Common practice for runners was to be continually looking over our shoulders to see who was gaining. We were discouraged from doing this and told, instead, to keep looking ahead. This turned out to be great advice for later in life.
As promised, here are five tips for becoming a better manager!
1) Tell your people how much you need them.
William James, a writer and philosopher, said that the greatest human need is the desire to be appreciated. Get out from behind your desk and start roaming the halls and factory floors. Tell your people you are happy they are on the team. Let them feel valued.
2) Ask for their opinions.
You would be very surprised how much your people know. They can really help, if you let them.
3) Show others that they are superior to you in at least one way.
Let people feel good. You don’t have to have all the answers. I never have. It is much easier to let others shine. One of the parts of hitting the “Grand Slam” with your customers is motivating associates and making it fun to work with you. When people feel motivated they are more likely to do a better job.
4) Create obligations for the right reasons.
Some managers create projects that make their people look bad. For many years I owned and operated a chain of wine stores in Chicago. I remember a few cases where managers gave people jobs that they were destined to fail. Their manager’s objectives were to look better in my eyes. They picked the wrong guy for that nonsense. I wanted everybody to do well.
5) Show your lighter side – create laughter.
Life is hard enough without taking everything seriously. Further, numerous studies show that laughter actually has many physical benefits for the body. Remember how your mother told you not to worry about everything because you would get an ulcer? Turns out she was right. When you experience stress, your digestive system shuts down a little. When this happens too often, the effects (one of them, ulcers) can be very harmful to your health.
Well, that’s enough of the medical advice. I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. Get out there today and compliment someone on your team. Give them some relevant, timely and specific feedback. As the one-minute manager would say, “Catch someone doing something right” and tell them about it right away. The results will surprise and motivate you, not to mention the positive effects on your team.
What is your Management Style?
Management style includes being proactive or reactive, supportive or punitive. The best managers are proactive and supportive. Reactive managers don’t really manage at all.
The Reactive Management Style
This style is very common. Such managers are often punitive as well. Reactive managers don’t really enjoy the management process. They got promoted by being functional experts. In management they still want to do what they most enjoy doing – devise expert solutions. They may hold regular meetings on a proactive basis, but they want competent subordinates who can get on with their work without bothering them. However, they want subordinates to come to them if they have a problem.
The Punitive Reactive Manager
No one likes to hear about problems. Reactive managers with a punitive style don’t mean to be mean. They just get annoyed when they hear that a project might be off the rails. They may not even lose their temper but their irritation is still visible in their tone of voice and body language. Their immediate priority is to fix the problem. They convey the message that they hope their subordinates have learned from their mistake and won’t let it happen again. This is punitive: it instills a fear of failure in team members and makes them hesitate to inform managers about problems in future. A punitive style increases the likelihood of further errors and an early departure from the company.
The Reactive Supportive Manager
Reactive supportive managers also want subordinates to operate independently. But when problems are brought to them, they behave like a coach, a sounding board and a helper or enabler. They help subordinates see what went well, commend them for good efforts and help them learn from their mistakes in an encouraging manner. But this is still not the most effective management style. Management is like investment. To manage resources invested, it is imperative to prevent errors before they happen. This means being proactive.
The Proactive Punitive Manager
Such managers meet with staff frequently. They have such a fear of failure that their anxiety to avoid error is punitively communicated to their teams. They are always asking questions about progress in a tone that creates fear in their teams and motivates them to hide mistakes if possible.
The Proactive Supportive Manager
These managers also hold regular meetings but staff are asked to talk about what has gone well since the last meeting before the discussion moves on to problems. Issues are anticipated and avoided by cultivating an atmosphere of safety and openness. Positive feedback that is genuinely felt is offered and employees are encouraged to think of solutions to problems in a supportive, coaching manner.
Naturally proactive supportive managers deal firmly with serious performance problems but they are more effective than the other styles because they cultivate a positive team spirit
The Reactive Management Style
This style is very common. Such managers are often punitive as well. Reactive managers don’t really enjoy the management process. They got promoted by being functional experts. In management they still want to do what they most enjoy doing – devise expert solutions. They may hold regular meetings on a proactive basis, but they want competent subordinates who can get on with their work without bothering them. However, they want subordinates to come to them if they have a problem.
The Punitive Reactive Manager
No one likes to hear about problems. Reactive managers with a punitive style don’t mean to be mean. They just get annoyed when they hear that a project might be off the rails. They may not even lose their temper but their irritation is still visible in their tone of voice and body language. Their immediate priority is to fix the problem. They convey the message that they hope their subordinates have learned from their mistake and won’t let it happen again. This is punitive: it instills a fear of failure in team members and makes them hesitate to inform managers about problems in future. A punitive style increases the likelihood of further errors and an early departure from the company.
The Reactive Supportive Manager
Reactive supportive managers also want subordinates to operate independently. But when problems are brought to them, they behave like a coach, a sounding board and a helper or enabler. They help subordinates see what went well, commend them for good efforts and help them learn from their mistakes in an encouraging manner. But this is still not the most effective management style. Management is like investment. To manage resources invested, it is imperative to prevent errors before they happen. This means being proactive.
The Proactive Punitive Manager
Such managers meet with staff frequently. They have such a fear of failure that their anxiety to avoid error is punitively communicated to their teams. They are always asking questions about progress in a tone that creates fear in their teams and motivates them to hide mistakes if possible.
The Proactive Supportive Manager
These managers also hold regular meetings but staff are asked to talk about what has gone well since the last meeting before the discussion moves on to problems. Issues are anticipated and avoided by cultivating an atmosphere of safety and openness. Positive feedback that is genuinely felt is offered and employees are encouraged to think of solutions to problems in a supportive, coaching manner.
Naturally proactive supportive managers deal firmly with serious performance problems but they are more effective than the other styles because they cultivate a positive team spirit
5 Practices of Extraordinary Leaders
After extensively researching ten thousand leaders and fifty thousand staff members, the authors of the book The Leadership Challenge uncovered 5 principles for how leaders get extraordinary things accomplished in organizations across the globe.
While in my senior management roles, I read The Leadership Challenge book and also attended their leadership training. I embraced these principles whole-heartedly. These five leadership principles are by far some of the most powerful yet simple ways to excel as leaders. And if you are an aspiring leader, this is a great place to start--the authors embrace the reality that, in organizations, leadership is everyone's business. Do you live out these five leadership principles? Read on to find out...
1: Challenge the ProcessLeaders tend to challenge the norm and with challenging they innovate. They are willing to step out and take risks to find new and better ways to do things. A good question to ask is what norms are you living with and how can you challenge yourself and your staff to innovate their way to new and better ways to work and accomplish goals. And mistakes along the way are simply learning opportunities through which you can innovate even further. What's one status-quo in your organization that can benefit from you or your staff challenging the process?
2: Inspire a Shared VisionSuccessful leaders possess the ability to inspire others and get them excited about how things can change, the way things can be and the path to getting there. First, leaders must be personally passionate about those possibilities. Also, leaders must know their people well enough to connect with their interests when sharing the leader's vision for the future.
People act when they believe that their leaders understand them and have their best interest at heart. Consider where it may be a challenge to get your staff on board with a new task or initiative. How well do you know your staff? Do you know them well enough to enlist their support by connecting your vision with their interests?
3: Enable Others to ActIt probably goes without saying that leadership is a team effort. The book suggests that a simple test for detecting if someone is on the road to true leadership is in the frequency of the use of word "we." Leaders do not hoard power; they give it away. People feel a strong sense of ownership when they are included. Is your language as a leader fostering teamwork? In what ways can you make your staff feel more enabled? Effective leaders make people feel strong and capable and they provide the training where needed to enable their staff to act.
4: Model the WayModeling the way begins with first becoming aware of our own values and beliefs so that we can then stand up for them. Leaders model the way through personal example and not through eloquent speeches. They model the way through simple daily acts and they are willing to do what they are asking their staff to do. As a leader, consider how clear you are about your values, principles, and beliefs and how consistently those values are lived out as a model to your staff. What are some small ways in which you can model the way for your organization?
5: Encourage the Heart Let's face it, work can sometimes be challenging. People in our organizations can become frustrated and sometimes discouraged. Leaders who display genuine acts of caring inspire their staff to carry on. They do this through group celebrations and individual recognition. We often underestimate the value of a personal handwritten thank-you note for example. And we sometimes get so busy meeting one milestone after another that we forget to stop and celebrate the accomplishment.
While in my senior management roles, I read The Leadership Challenge book and also attended their leadership training. I embraced these principles whole-heartedly. These five leadership principles are by far some of the most powerful yet simple ways to excel as leaders. And if you are an aspiring leader, this is a great place to start--the authors embrace the reality that, in organizations, leadership is everyone's business. Do you live out these five leadership principles? Read on to find out...
1: Challenge the ProcessLeaders tend to challenge the norm and with challenging they innovate. They are willing to step out and take risks to find new and better ways to do things. A good question to ask is what norms are you living with and how can you challenge yourself and your staff to innovate their way to new and better ways to work and accomplish goals. And mistakes along the way are simply learning opportunities through which you can innovate even further. What's one status-quo in your organization that can benefit from you or your staff challenging the process?
2: Inspire a Shared VisionSuccessful leaders possess the ability to inspire others and get them excited about how things can change, the way things can be and the path to getting there. First, leaders must be personally passionate about those possibilities. Also, leaders must know their people well enough to connect with their interests when sharing the leader's vision for the future.
People act when they believe that their leaders understand them and have their best interest at heart. Consider where it may be a challenge to get your staff on board with a new task or initiative. How well do you know your staff? Do you know them well enough to enlist their support by connecting your vision with their interests?
3: Enable Others to ActIt probably goes without saying that leadership is a team effort. The book suggests that a simple test for detecting if someone is on the road to true leadership is in the frequency of the use of word "we." Leaders do not hoard power; they give it away. People feel a strong sense of ownership when they are included. Is your language as a leader fostering teamwork? In what ways can you make your staff feel more enabled? Effective leaders make people feel strong and capable and they provide the training where needed to enable their staff to act.
4: Model the WayModeling the way begins with first becoming aware of our own values and beliefs so that we can then stand up for them. Leaders model the way through personal example and not through eloquent speeches. They model the way through simple daily acts and they are willing to do what they are asking their staff to do. As a leader, consider how clear you are about your values, principles, and beliefs and how consistently those values are lived out as a model to your staff. What are some small ways in which you can model the way for your organization?
5: Encourage the Heart Let's face it, work can sometimes be challenging. People in our organizations can become frustrated and sometimes discouraged. Leaders who display genuine acts of caring inspire their staff to carry on. They do this through group celebrations and individual recognition. We often underestimate the value of a personal handwritten thank-you note for example. And we sometimes get so busy meeting one milestone after another that we forget to stop and celebrate the accomplishment.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Time Management for SME Owners
SME owners have to manage everything: from the hiring and managing of employees to seeking clients to planning the business strategies for the company. Is there a more efficient way out?”
“I just haven’t got the time”
Does that sound familiar?
Well, it sure does to the majority of SME owners. What probably once started out as a “One person operation” has now grown into a real business and in some cases has turned into an uncontrollable monster that has got out of hand.
The problem?
From juggling the accounts and doing all of the hiring and firing through to creating more business and forming the company strategy, the SME owner usually finds it hard to let go. After all, they were responsible for the initial growth of the business, indeed they still are, but there must be a more efficient way of getting everything done and still having a life too!
The notion of us not having enough time is not new. However, time cannot be managed.
Time cannot actually be controlled! We can only manage ourselves and our use of our time.
So what can the SME owner do to make the most efficient use of their time?
In order to do this, the SME owner needs to identify two critical areas:
1. What they should be doing on a daily basis to add the maximum amount of value to their business;
2. What are their current time stealers? The tasks and the occurrences that get in the way of them achieving No 1 above.
Many SME owners get so bogged down with “The doing” that they fail to identify what it is they should be doing and what actually gets in the way of them doing it!
Know what you are worth…
An old mentor of mine once said:
“If you could take the tasks that you are currently doing that have the biggest impact upon your business in terms of profit and turnover and just do them all day, every day, what would they be and what would the impact be?”
These were wise words!
As soon as I started to only do the tasks that were on a par with or above my hourly rate and gave the rest out to others, my business soared.
The same can be said with SME owners.
Many SME owners think that by “letting go” of certain tasks or hiring others to do them, it adds to their cost base. Yes, it does add to the cost base but what does an additional 80 per cent of you doing what you are best at generate for your business in terms of turnover and profits?
Identify the time stealers and put a plan in place to arrest them!
Where does your time go?
Many SME owners get so caught up in the day-to-day running of their businesses that they just don’t realize where their time goes. Before they know it, it’s 6:00pm and if you ask them what they have achieved they probably couldn’t tell you.
The first step in sorting out your time management problems is to identify where your time goes – keep a log of what you do and when you do it.
Complete that for a week or two.
After you have compiled your log, take a look at it and identify the most frequent time stealers that reduce your effectiveness in the workplace.
These could include:
• Doing work that others should be completing
• Answering emails/too many emails coming in
• Telephone interruptions that should not have got through
• Interruptions from staff that could have gone elsewhere
• Unnecessary meetings
• Tasks that you should have delegated
• Tasks and decisions that you have been putting off
• Getting involved in the “doing” too much
• Putting out fires
• Poor communication
• Duplication of work
• Lack of skills or knowledge
• Lack of planning
• Tiredness
• Can’t say NO
• No system to organize your day
All is not lost, however. You can reclaim your time!
Here are 10 techniques and strategies that you can use to manage your time more effectively. Top 10 time management tips
1. COMPLETE A BUSINESS AUDIT EACH MONTH
Take a look at your business and make a note of your top priorities for each day/week/month. Make a decision on where you want to focus your energy and then look at everything else you have been doing and decide what to do with it.
2. DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
Work out what areas you add the most value to the business and make a decision that at least 80 per cent of your time will be spent on these activities.
3. DELEGATE
Let go of the reins and delegate your work more often. Whatever task you do from now on ask yourself “Should I really be doing this?” and “Can someone else do this instead?”
4. OUTSOURCE
You and your staff do not need to do everything you know! Nike doesn’t actually make shoes! Could you outsource some of your tasks and operation to a third party outsider?
5. PERSONAL ORGANISATION
Make proper use of TO DO lists and your diary – make using them a habit. Can you automate any tasks like getting email on your mobile phone?
6. PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
By simplifying your business and your processes you can make it a lot easier to run and this in turn will lead to saving you a lot of time.
7. IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS
You will get the most out of your staff and save yourself a lot of time in the process if you can communicate what you want in a clear, concise manner. Assertiveness skills will also allow you to say “NO” in the right way to requests and will allow you to manage the frequent interruptions that you get on a daily basis.
8. FOCUS ON STRATEGY
Know where you are heading and why you want to get there. This will keep you focused on what is important. Continually revisit your strategy to make sure you keep on track and away from all of the distractions.
9. IMPORTANT AND URGENT TASKS ARE NOT THE SAME
As soon as you can make this distinction you will be able to categorize your tasks accordingly and know what to do with each one.
10. KEEP ON IT!
Keep analyzing where you are spending your time on a monthly basis and make adjustments to what you should be doing and how you are doing it. We all stray off track from time to time so don’t beat yourself up about it, just take stock and move forward.
“I just haven’t got the time”
Does that sound familiar?
Well, it sure does to the majority of SME owners. What probably once started out as a “One person operation” has now grown into a real business and in some cases has turned into an uncontrollable monster that has got out of hand.
The problem?
From juggling the accounts and doing all of the hiring and firing through to creating more business and forming the company strategy, the SME owner usually finds it hard to let go. After all, they were responsible for the initial growth of the business, indeed they still are, but there must be a more efficient way of getting everything done and still having a life too!
The notion of us not having enough time is not new. However, time cannot be managed.
Time cannot actually be controlled! We can only manage ourselves and our use of our time.
So what can the SME owner do to make the most efficient use of their time?
In order to do this, the SME owner needs to identify two critical areas:
1. What they should be doing on a daily basis to add the maximum amount of value to their business;
2. What are their current time stealers? The tasks and the occurrences that get in the way of them achieving No 1 above.
Many SME owners get so bogged down with “The doing” that they fail to identify what it is they should be doing and what actually gets in the way of them doing it!
Know what you are worth…
An old mentor of mine once said:
“If you could take the tasks that you are currently doing that have the biggest impact upon your business in terms of profit and turnover and just do them all day, every day, what would they be and what would the impact be?”
These were wise words!
As soon as I started to only do the tasks that were on a par with or above my hourly rate and gave the rest out to others, my business soared.
The same can be said with SME owners.
Many SME owners think that by “letting go” of certain tasks or hiring others to do them, it adds to their cost base. Yes, it does add to the cost base but what does an additional 80 per cent of you doing what you are best at generate for your business in terms of turnover and profits?
Identify the time stealers and put a plan in place to arrest them!
Where does your time go?
Many SME owners get so caught up in the day-to-day running of their businesses that they just don’t realize where their time goes. Before they know it, it’s 6:00pm and if you ask them what they have achieved they probably couldn’t tell you.
The first step in sorting out your time management problems is to identify where your time goes – keep a log of what you do and when you do it.
Complete that for a week or two.
After you have compiled your log, take a look at it and identify the most frequent time stealers that reduce your effectiveness in the workplace.
These could include:
• Doing work that others should be completing
• Answering emails/too many emails coming in
• Telephone interruptions that should not have got through
• Interruptions from staff that could have gone elsewhere
• Unnecessary meetings
• Tasks that you should have delegated
• Tasks and decisions that you have been putting off
• Getting involved in the “doing” too much
• Putting out fires
• Poor communication
• Duplication of work
• Lack of skills or knowledge
• Lack of planning
• Tiredness
• Can’t say NO
• No system to organize your day
All is not lost, however. You can reclaim your time!
Here are 10 techniques and strategies that you can use to manage your time more effectively. Top 10 time management tips
1. COMPLETE A BUSINESS AUDIT EACH MONTH
Take a look at your business and make a note of your top priorities for each day/week/month. Make a decision on where you want to focus your energy and then look at everything else you have been doing and decide what to do with it.
2. DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
Work out what areas you add the most value to the business and make a decision that at least 80 per cent of your time will be spent on these activities.
3. DELEGATE
Let go of the reins and delegate your work more often. Whatever task you do from now on ask yourself “Should I really be doing this?” and “Can someone else do this instead?”
4. OUTSOURCE
You and your staff do not need to do everything you know! Nike doesn’t actually make shoes! Could you outsource some of your tasks and operation to a third party outsider?
5. PERSONAL ORGANISATION
Make proper use of TO DO lists and your diary – make using them a habit. Can you automate any tasks like getting email on your mobile phone?
6. PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
By simplifying your business and your processes you can make it a lot easier to run and this in turn will lead to saving you a lot of time.
7. IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS
You will get the most out of your staff and save yourself a lot of time in the process if you can communicate what you want in a clear, concise manner. Assertiveness skills will also allow you to say “NO” in the right way to requests and will allow you to manage the frequent interruptions that you get on a daily basis.
8. FOCUS ON STRATEGY
Know where you are heading and why you want to get there. This will keep you focused on what is important. Continually revisit your strategy to make sure you keep on track and away from all of the distractions.
9. IMPORTANT AND URGENT TASKS ARE NOT THE SAME
As soon as you can make this distinction you will be able to categorize your tasks accordingly and know what to do with each one.
10. KEEP ON IT!
Keep analyzing where you are spending your time on a monthly basis and make adjustments to what you should be doing and how you are doing it. We all stray off track from time to time so don’t beat yourself up about it, just take stock and move forward.
Management Crisis - How We Got Here and What to Do to Improve
Management is in a state of crisis. Managers, in the aggregate, are doing a poorer job than ever. There is much evidence to support this claim. The causes are formidable, but not insurmountable. Improvements can and must be made.
Evidence of the current management predicament is substantial including but not limited to the following:
1) Studies
In his book, Engagement is not Enough, Keith Ayers references a Gallop Organization study that performs research on worker engagement - a direct reflection on management. Results indicate that only 30% of American workers are engaged. 54% are not engaged, and 16% are actively disengaged.
In The Speed of Trust, Stephen M.R. Covey, cites British sociologist, David Halpern’s study that reports only 51% of employees have trust in their senior management and only 36% of employees believe their leaders act with honesty and integrity.
2) Anecdotal Evidence
When prompted, there are few people that don’t have at least a half dozen management horror stories. Scott Adams, of Dilbert fame, has had enough material sent to him by readers to last multiple lifetimes. Management, with good reason, is ridiculed more than ever. The insanity that goes on in the workplace routinely supports the adage that truth is stranger than fiction.
3) Wholesale abandonment of Responsibilities
Not only do many managers occasionally neglect certain responsibilities, but many have completely abandoned them. For example, it used to be that one could obtain career advice and counseling from her/his manager. This crucial management service is to a large extent non-existent, so much so that an entire new industry, career coaching/life coaching, has sprung up to fill the unmet need.
The situation is severe. The costs to individuals and American businesses are astounding. How did we get to this state?
Again, there are many reasons, but a primary one is the assault on management in the past few decades. Downsizing, Rightsizing, etc. have decimated the ranks of middle management.
Managers are scared to death that they are next on the chopping block. Their main goal is to stay employed, so they do everything in their power to avoid the hatchet. This results in a climate dominated by a complete aversion to risk, where change is non-existent, policies are followed robotically, and sucking up to superiors and dodging responsibility have evolved into an art form. These practices have been institutionalized. They are passed on via example from one manager to the next.
Managers are also being asked to do more. They are being asked to do their “day job” and manage groups on the side. As organizations continue to flatten in the name of cost-cutting, they are asked to manage more and more people and organizations.
Managing people is a very difficult job. The above conditions don’t make it any easier. Combine them with the fact that managers are frequently selected on a whim, provided little to no training and coaching, are not adequately measured on or held accountable for their performance, etc. and there is little wonder that lunacy has becomes commonplace. Many poor performing managers actually think they are doing a great job which enhances the lunacy.
What is the solution? How do we get out of this mess?
There is no silver bullet - no million dollar manager in a minute. Instead, managers must return to effective execution of the basics.
A manager’s main job is to achieve the organization’s mission which involves returning positive results through the resources at her/his disposal (people, process, tools, etc.). In order to achieve increased productivity and efficiencies, the manager must care for the resources. Start doing it! Teach team members. Help them with their careers. Get them the training they need to do their jobs better. Break down the administrative barriers. Cater to their needs.
Bring honesty back into the workplace. Keep commitments. Achieve goals. If there are no goals, create them. Share them. Complete projects on time. Give timely and accurate feedback. In other words, start doing what we all know we should be doing.
But what about the lack of time? Managers must prioritize better, and educate their bosses of the importance of doing so. Organize the work week. Block off time to do the most critical things. Learn to say “no” to new responsibilities so there is time to concentrate on those that are most important.
It’s not easy. If it were, everything would be just dandy. There is indeed more pressure on managers. That’s no reason to give up. We need to do better. The good news is that even small incremental improvements result in significant progress. The key is to ACT. Concentrate on the executing the fundamentals. Good things will follow for you, your organization and your company.
Evidence of the current management predicament is substantial including but not limited to the following:
1) Studies
In his book, Engagement is not Enough, Keith Ayers references a Gallop Organization study that performs research on worker engagement - a direct reflection on management. Results indicate that only 30% of American workers are engaged. 54% are not engaged, and 16% are actively disengaged.
In The Speed of Trust, Stephen M.R. Covey, cites British sociologist, David Halpern’s study that reports only 51% of employees have trust in their senior management and only 36% of employees believe their leaders act with honesty and integrity.
2) Anecdotal Evidence
When prompted, there are few people that don’t have at least a half dozen management horror stories. Scott Adams, of Dilbert fame, has had enough material sent to him by readers to last multiple lifetimes. Management, with good reason, is ridiculed more than ever. The insanity that goes on in the workplace routinely supports the adage that truth is stranger than fiction.
3) Wholesale abandonment of Responsibilities
Not only do many managers occasionally neglect certain responsibilities, but many have completely abandoned them. For example, it used to be that one could obtain career advice and counseling from her/his manager. This crucial management service is to a large extent non-existent, so much so that an entire new industry, career coaching/life coaching, has sprung up to fill the unmet need.
The situation is severe. The costs to individuals and American businesses are astounding. How did we get to this state?
Again, there are many reasons, but a primary one is the assault on management in the past few decades. Downsizing, Rightsizing, etc. have decimated the ranks of middle management.
Managers are scared to death that they are next on the chopping block. Their main goal is to stay employed, so they do everything in their power to avoid the hatchet. This results in a climate dominated by a complete aversion to risk, where change is non-existent, policies are followed robotically, and sucking up to superiors and dodging responsibility have evolved into an art form. These practices have been institutionalized. They are passed on via example from one manager to the next.
Managers are also being asked to do more. They are being asked to do their “day job” and manage groups on the side. As organizations continue to flatten in the name of cost-cutting, they are asked to manage more and more people and organizations.
Managing people is a very difficult job. The above conditions don’t make it any easier. Combine them with the fact that managers are frequently selected on a whim, provided little to no training and coaching, are not adequately measured on or held accountable for their performance, etc. and there is little wonder that lunacy has becomes commonplace. Many poor performing managers actually think they are doing a great job which enhances the lunacy.
What is the solution? How do we get out of this mess?
There is no silver bullet - no million dollar manager in a minute. Instead, managers must return to effective execution of the basics.
A manager’s main job is to achieve the organization’s mission which involves returning positive results through the resources at her/his disposal (people, process, tools, etc.). In order to achieve increased productivity and efficiencies, the manager must care for the resources. Start doing it! Teach team members. Help them with their careers. Get them the training they need to do their jobs better. Break down the administrative barriers. Cater to their needs.
Bring honesty back into the workplace. Keep commitments. Achieve goals. If there are no goals, create them. Share them. Complete projects on time. Give timely and accurate feedback. In other words, start doing what we all know we should be doing.
But what about the lack of time? Managers must prioritize better, and educate their bosses of the importance of doing so. Organize the work week. Block off time to do the most critical things. Learn to say “no” to new responsibilities so there is time to concentrate on those that are most important.
It’s not easy. If it were, everything would be just dandy. There is indeed more pressure on managers. That’s no reason to give up. We need to do better. The good news is that even small incremental improvements result in significant progress. The key is to ACT. Concentrate on the executing the fundamentals. Good things will follow for you, your organization and your company.
People Management - 5 Key Secrets For Management Success
To get the best results you have to be very good at managing your people. These are skills that are mostly ones that you can learn and develop, and, of course, it really helps if you have a natural capacity to get on well with people too.
Practicing and building your abilities is not as hard as you might think. Here are the simple secrets that you can focus on to make the difference.
1. Do What It Says On The Tin - Manage!
Your people see the name on your badge, or your door (or your parking space) and they expect you to do what's expected of you. They want you to lead from the front and show you're in charge. This is about leadership; being the last on the ship and heading the charge into battle. When things get tough you dig in and show up.
Managing is about making sure you recognize what your responsibilities are and deliver them, and only them. People management skills deliver by giving others some responsibility and letting them get on with it. And that you are accountable for it all. No-one else; no shirking and blaming others. It's you.
2. Build A Great Team
If you really want to make the best of your people asset, you get great at leveraging the amazing talents of all your people. Squeezing their potential to the full by supporting, guiding and coaching (maybe even 'coaxing' them!), to realize what is possible.
You see, a manager's role is to deliver success. And not just in the results in their business - psst, it's more. People management skills are totally about a legacy of developing and utilizing capability fully. Gluing individual talents together. Making the whole bigger than the sum of the parts.
3. Ooops - And Let's Not Forget Those Results
Bottom line, is that you have to deliver the day to day, year by year business and profits or other success measures expected of you. It's what pays you and your people.
So, you have an obligation to keep your eye on the ball and deliver. Your people will depend on you to lead them to success, with their help, of course (and believe it, they will be your rocks, if you do this right). They trust you to work hard enough to make the numbers stack. In the tough business world we inhabit, their jobs depend on it.
4. Build Relationships
OK - let's rewind a little. It helps you as a people manager if you get on well with people. If you are a people person. It's pretty much a pre-requisite. When you are wringing out performance from your people, it really helps if you have a rapport together.
And it's easy to do.
You show an interest in them. You ask them questions that show an interest in them as people and not just colleagues - what's important in life to them. You listen effectively and hear what they say. More, you start to anticipate what they are on about when they talk to you. Or before even. And, of course, you treat them as equal human beings and show trust and respect to them.
Then it works.
5. Accept Feedback
The final key people management skill is an ability to show a little humility. You aren't perfect - not at all. The very best managers listen hard and learn much from their people too. It's a fine-edged balance that they get just right. Managing how they absorb and react to feedback is a testament to who they are. And they get back the reward for the way they handle what their people share with them about them.
Listen, your best advocates are the people you listen to and help you develop yourself. Then they listen to the constructive way you help them. It's two-way traffic and mutual support. It's invaluable. It's terrific.
Five little steps that will help your people management skills succeed. You may need to flex and change a bit. You may need to gulp down a bit of your pride too and change your behaviors.
Practicing and building your abilities is not as hard as you might think. Here are the simple secrets that you can focus on to make the difference.
1. Do What It Says On The Tin - Manage!
Your people see the name on your badge, or your door (or your parking space) and they expect you to do what's expected of you. They want you to lead from the front and show you're in charge. This is about leadership; being the last on the ship and heading the charge into battle. When things get tough you dig in and show up.
Managing is about making sure you recognize what your responsibilities are and deliver them, and only them. People management skills deliver by giving others some responsibility and letting them get on with it. And that you are accountable for it all. No-one else; no shirking and blaming others. It's you.
2. Build A Great Team
If you really want to make the best of your people asset, you get great at leveraging the amazing talents of all your people. Squeezing their potential to the full by supporting, guiding and coaching (maybe even 'coaxing' them!), to realize what is possible.
You see, a manager's role is to deliver success. And not just in the results in their business - psst, it's more. People management skills are totally about a legacy of developing and utilizing capability fully. Gluing individual talents together. Making the whole bigger than the sum of the parts.
3. Ooops - And Let's Not Forget Those Results
Bottom line, is that you have to deliver the day to day, year by year business and profits or other success measures expected of you. It's what pays you and your people.
So, you have an obligation to keep your eye on the ball and deliver. Your people will depend on you to lead them to success, with their help, of course (and believe it, they will be your rocks, if you do this right). They trust you to work hard enough to make the numbers stack. In the tough business world we inhabit, their jobs depend on it.
4. Build Relationships
OK - let's rewind a little. It helps you as a people manager if you get on well with people. If you are a people person. It's pretty much a pre-requisite. When you are wringing out performance from your people, it really helps if you have a rapport together.
And it's easy to do.
You show an interest in them. You ask them questions that show an interest in them as people and not just colleagues - what's important in life to them. You listen effectively and hear what they say. More, you start to anticipate what they are on about when they talk to you. Or before even. And, of course, you treat them as equal human beings and show trust and respect to them.
Then it works.
5. Accept Feedback
The final key people management skill is an ability to show a little humility. You aren't perfect - not at all. The very best managers listen hard and learn much from their people too. It's a fine-edged balance that they get just right. Managing how they absorb and react to feedback is a testament to who they are. And they get back the reward for the way they handle what their people share with them about them.
Listen, your best advocates are the people you listen to and help you develop yourself. Then they listen to the constructive way you help them. It's two-way traffic and mutual support. It's invaluable. It's terrific.
Five little steps that will help your people management skills succeed. You may need to flex and change a bit. You may need to gulp down a bit of your pride too and change your behaviors.
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