JR’s top 10 lessons of management. This guide summarizes lessons learned.
1. Conduct performance reviews on time. Coach your employees towards their maximum contribution.
Explanation: Schedule performance reviews in cooperation with your employee. Although these dates are sacred to the employee your schedule may interfere with expectations. Get it scheduled so you both have an an opportunity to plan for this important event.
2. Manage and document the performance of your staff. Communicate standards and make sure they know what is expected of them. Recognize, respect and reward good work.
Explanation: Successful managers don’t assume that their employees know what needs to be done. Although it might seem like “I already told my team about……..” tell them again. Goals, standards and expectation must be stated, repeated and reviewed frequently. Use these meetings or events to recognize achievements.
3. Communicate, communicate, communicate……and support the corporate goals rather than communicating negative opinions about corporate goals and objectives.
Explanation: The corporate goals and strategies are designed to share managements vision for the growth and development of the company. This allows us to have consistency in our day-to-day decision making. The synergies created by people working in a common direction create a powerful force.
4. Address employee issues because the issue(s) won’t go away auto-magically.
Explanation: Managers have to deal with and deliver all the news. Good or unpleasant it’s a managers duty to the health and welfare of the company to deal with all the issues in a timely manner. Problem employees or situations don’t go away on their own.
5. Lead by being the right example. Act now, show care and concern.
Explanation: Do you set the example for your employees when dealing with customer problems or concerns? Our customers give us a chance for tomorrow based on our efforts today. The lack of attention to their problem erodes confidence and opens the door for our competition.
6. Respect the organization’s money as if it was your own.
Explanation: Every manager has “purchasing power”. Companies try to control the outflow of money by assigning budgets. Management that conditions its managers to spend it or lose it are teaching the organization to be wasteful. Just as we act at home, if we don’t need it we don’t spend it establishes a respect for money. Understanding the impact your actions have on the financial health of your company allows you to make effective financial decisions. Its easy to identify managers who don’t understand the magnitude of their control. When asked to make cutbacks or identify a strategy for savings they seek solutions such as reducing paper costs, pens, pencils and ??????? (fill in the blank). This is missing the big picture. Follow the money as you would do at home.
7. Know the difference between “casual Friday and “scruffy all week”.
Explanation: Respect our work and our customers by creating an environment that represents the products (or services) we provide. Everyday shouldn’t be casual Friday. Look presentable.
8. “Yes” men shouldn’t work here.
Explanation: We all know a “yes man”. Those individuals who always agree with authority aren’t good for the organization. Discussion and productive debate ensures a quality of action and decisions that move the organization forward.
9. Give yourself deadlines…….be true to yourself.
Explanation: Putting off for tomorrow what needs to be done today is not acceptable for managers. Informally, managers who approach their work by establishing personal goals and deadlines experience a high level of satisfaction. Keeping promises to yourself can be very rewarding.
10. Managing is treating your staff fairly…..not managing is treating your staff equally.
Explanation: Management is about coping with complexity. We are a collection of individuals requiring a unique approach. Management controls people by coaching them in the right direction. Leadership motivates them by satisfying basic human needs.