Management/Leadership Tips
Read these 8 Management/Leadership Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Businesses tips and hundreds of other topics.
I just can't say No!
If this describes you, you have two choices. One, admit
that you will always turn over control of your time,
energy, and life to other people. (This isn't my favorite
of the two!) Two, admit that you have this tendency and
make some changes to control it.
As with most other impulsive situations, one of the keys to
managing the inability to say no is to make no immediate,
knee-jerk responses when you are asked to take on a task.
Politely inform the requester that you need to get back to
him and will do so in a time frame that gives you a chance
to make a good decision - often the next day will suffice.
After you have bought some time, evaluate what you're
considering doing. Do you really want to do this? Many
motivations can play into answering this question, but
answer it you must. Otherwise, you are often saying "yes"
just because you've been asked. If you're still considering
the request at this point, think about how doing the task
will impact the rest of your life. What time will you have
to give up? Will you be investing in meaningful activity if
you do this task? If any of these questions give you
serious pause, turn down the request. Tell the party who
asked exactly why you're saying no (no excuses here) so
that he will consider your reasons the next time he makes a
request of you.
Don't let others take control of your life!
A Simple Exercise To Improve Time Management
To more effectively manage your time, why not focus on how
you waste it? Try this exercise: take one day on your job
to list all the things you do that don't contribute to
achieving your goals. You'll probably be surprised at the
length of the list! Then each week, pick one of the
time-wasting items on your list and do what's necessary to
eliminate it from your work habits. Understanding how we
waste time can be our first step in using it more wisely.
Which Came First, Management Or Bureaucracy?
Nothing is as frustrating as dealing with an organization
burdened with mounds of red tape. If you could turn back
the clock and view the history of the organization, you'd
likely see that it hasn't always been that way.
How does the bureaucratic burden develop in an
organization? Usually, the catalyst is the effort put into
solving a problem. Management tends to address problems
with more rules and procedures. What starts as a process
requiring a few steps to accomplish a given task soon can
balloon to a much longer, more involved procedure. If it
feels burdensome and ridiculous to those who are working in
the company, imagine how the customers perceive the
boondoggle!
Since management gives birth to complexity, you might
correctly guess that only management can kill the beast. A
planned program of procedural review should be part of the
effort of every management team. One of the steps of this
type of review must always search for any way to simplify a
given task while maintaining the integrity of what is being
accomplished. Management must continually look for ways to
reinvent the various processes within the company to
communicate to others that this freedom of thought is
available throughout the organization.
Making A Successful Move To Management #2
To be successful, first-time managers face a host of challenges.
Employees will test your authority.
Bosses may have unrealistic expectations.
Training may be inadequate and you may find yourself in situations you simply don't know how to handle.
All new managers need information and support to learn and adapt to their new roles.
If your company has a mentoring program, ask for a mentor.
If not, find someone in your company from whom you can learn management skills and suggest an informal mentoring relationship.
Just remember the relationship should be of benefit to both of you. Define expectations early on.
Preventing and Handling Fighting
When a situation arises that involves fighting, what should you do?
- Tell all employees that fighting will not be tolerated. Explain to them they will be subject to disciplinary procedures, up to and including termination, and that you are willing to call the police if the situation merits it.
- Communicate your policy, along with other prohibited conduct rules, in every way that is effective and feasible. Post the rules, provide employees with written copies, and discuss them when necessary.
- Educate yourself (and other supervisors, if applicable) in conflict resolution. Make sure you know how and when to intervene in situations and when to call the police.
Whatever you do, be consistent in the way fighting employees are treated. If you enforce your policy inconsistently, you may have more trouble than just violent employees on your hands.
How To Manage The Big Producer
Every company has one of these. You know the type - he's
the guy who brings in the biggest share of the company's
business, the proverbial "rainmaker." Unfortunately, the
characteristics that make this person so professionally
effective can make her a managerial nightmare.
Effective customer generation types often have big egos. In
addition, they are used to persuading and cajoling until
they get their way, causing them to create "win-lose"
scenarios with their fellow workers. In addition, they may
be well aware of the high value they have to the company
and expect special treatment because of it.
The need to discipline a rainmaker results in a quandary.
The choices are tough, but few. You can bite the bullet and
replace the individual. But short of the upheaval caused by
this action, you might consider surrounding him or her with
people who are able to effectively and happily deal with
the behavior and temperament of this individual. This may
create a partnership that is easier to manage.
Desk Management Is The First Step
Most people feel somewhat challenged by their time
management skills. Of the thousands of people I meet every
year, a tiny percentage are truly, totally organized and
efficient with their time.
If you are struggling in this area, your desk (assuming you
work from one) is the starting spot. Desks tend to gather
lots of pieces of everything - phone messages, memos, to do
lists, jobs to work on, files, and so forth. You must
determine everything you have before you can effectively
organize for optimal time management.
Touch every piece of paper on your desk. As you do, make a
list of all of the pieces by category. The ones mentioned
in the previous paragraph are a good start, if you're not
sure what groupings to make. You decide which ones are
appropriate for the work that you do.
By now, you can probably use the furniture polish on places
you haven't seen in quite a while. Enjoy your cleaning!
Making A Successful Move To Management #1
Becoming a good manager is a lot like learning to ride a bike.
At first, you may need training wheels and lots of support.
You'll probably pick up a few bruises as you test your balance and independence.
And after lots of practice, you'll be flying along on your own, still finding some bumpy roads but much more equipped to handle them.
If you're a first-time manager, here are a few suggestions to help you refine your leadership skills:
--Even if you don't feel like the boss, act like one. Don't let employees or your boss see you sweat.
Accept that you will make mistakes.
--Don't try to make friends at first.
That will come later.
Establish your authority by making decisions, including unpopular ones, and sticking to them.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Sheri Ann Richerson |
