Home / Blog / Being a Great Manager

Being a Great Manager

As I prepared to write a blog about being a great manager, I thought it would make sense to consult an expert on the subject–a man who has been managing people for nearly 6 decades and seems to have mastered the art of human interaction both in and out of the workplace. My father, a PhD chemist, has spent his professional life running plastics companies. As he embarks on his 80th year, he refuses to retire. I am convinced that this is because he has a lot to offer; that, and the fact that his favorite hobby is his work. He provides an interesting perspective on the topic of managing people.

Great management begins at the interview. It’s all about finding the person you can trust to fulfill the duties inherent in the role. Attitude is as critical as skillset. One person with the wrong attitude can poison an organization. If an employee can’t peacefully coexist with coworkers, you as the manager have a problem. I have found that those who are hung up on blaming a former employer for his issues, will inevitably come back and bite you at some point. Challenges will occur, and that “victim” employee will become a problem for you just as he was for his former employer. Remember, it’s far easier and less expensive to weed the wrong people out at the interview. Dedicate the resources to get as clear a picture as you can before bringing someone new into your organization. If you are not doing multiple interviews and bringing your key employees into the interview process to get 2nd and 3rd opinions, you need to do more.

The essence of Managing is influencing people to drive towards the best possible outcome. The critical steps are:
1. Putting the right people in the right places
2. Providing employees with a clear vision of where the company is going
3. Inspiring them to take the necessary action to achieve the vision
4. Measuring their progress
5. Providing constructive feedback along the way
6. Holding them accountable for the outcome.

Great managers are motivators. They empower, rather than force their people to carry out tasks -the carrot over the stick. The stick is reserved for rare occasions when no other options exist.

Poor managers are often a result of a failure to communicate effectively. The easiest way to overcome this is to set expectations for an employee when he starts the job. Micro-manage for the first month, until desired habits are set in place. Remember, you can always get more lenient, it’s far more difficult to get more demanding after the employee gets set in his ways.

Take some time to think about how you are managing the people in your life. Would people tell you that you are being a great manager? Reflect on what you have done right, and wrong. Keep in mind, management doesn’t end with your subordinates. You must manage up, (your boss) and sideways, (your peers). You must also manage any relationship you have both inside and outside the workplace. Identify a few relationships you feel you can manage more effectively. What are the necessary steps to make those changes happen? Put them on your to do list and begin with your next interaction.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, and experiences. Shoot me an email at [email protected].

Posted by Joel Brookman in Manage Up, Management, managing people and tagged management.

 

Join the discussion by commenting below!