Management done well looks easy. Some people seem to be naturals when it comes to managing people, process or money while for others it just seems to be one big struggle. If you are to succeed in management there are certain skills that you need to master, including:
Prioritising
As soon as you become a manager, multi-tasking becomes the norm. You no longer just have to think about one thing, you now need to be able to prioritise your own and usually set priorities for others. Key to this is knowing what your key deliverables are and ensuring that these are given appropriate priority.
Delegating
Management is all about getting results through others. Sadly while many managers recognise this, many struggle to delegate effectively. There are a whole host of reasons why people don’t delegate. They worry that the other person will not do as good a job. They worry that the other person will do the job better. Often they will hold on to things because they like do them. Another common reason is that it will be quicker to do it yourself. The reality is that if you don’t choose to delegate, your chances of success as a manager greatly diminish.
Motivating
Motivating is all about moving people towards achievement of an outcome. It could be a faster close down of a monthly reporting cycle, changing the way a process works or team working. Part of your skill set as a manager is to understand what motivates those that you manage. Everyone is different. Some people want reward in financial terms, others want appreciation or recognition or a happy work environment. If you are to excel as a manager, you need to keep people motivated.
Hiring or Recruiting
So much of your success depends on the results you achieve through others. It is therefore key that you get the right people, with the right skills and the right attributes on your team. Yet many managers are at best competent when it comes to recruiting and selecting. If this is an area where you struggle, invest in acquiring the skills to be a successful recruiter.
Decision Making
People will look to you as the manager to take decisions. An indecisive manager frustrates staff and leaves them feeling lost. People may not always like the decisions that you take but will respect you more if you learn to take a decision.
Problem solving
Your job as a manager is to get results. As you try to get results, obstacles will arise and part of your job is to find or help others find solutions to problems. Part of the challenge is being systematic and making sure that you are tackling the real problem rather than something surface level. Diagnosis of the problem is key before you start thinking about solutions.
Management is challenging but is also rewarding. You can become an even better manager by focusing on developing the essential skills above. So what’s your next step?
By: Duncan Brodie
Posts Tagged ‘Deliverables’
Essential Management Skills
March 30th, 2010Management By Objectives: What Are MBO’s?
March 3rd, 2010
Many have heard the term Management by Objectives or MBO but what is an MBO or Management by Objectives? This is a style of management that involves committing to a set of objectives or measurable milestones within a set period of time say a quarter during the business year. Typically Management by Objectives is done on an organizational basis. Each team writes a set of MBO’s, these are deliverables that will be done in the current quarter. The team submits their MBO’s to the management team above them which then rolls those MBO’s into their own set of MBO’s. Each time the list of MBO’s are rolled up they get more broad and generalized. The lower in the organization the more specific the MBO’s should be.
Writing effective MBO’s. When you are writing your MBO’s you want to be careful to ensure each MBO is measurable or else how would you determine when it is complete? Assign a date to each MBO and stick to it. This will help you prioritize MBO’s throughout the quarter. Typically a team will have 3-6 MBO’s with possible sub deliverables within the MBO. Whan crafting your MBO’s be careful to write them with deliverables that are within your control. I always try to ensure that the success of my MBO is not dependant on others outside of my team of employees. If my MBO involves participation with another management group or department I write my MBO with my part of the project in mind. This generally lets me deliver my portion of the project regardless of the performance of others.
During the quarter and certainly at the end the lists of MBO’s are scored. This score is now the business and management teams can determine if they are on track. Did the business or employee teams meet the objectives they set when writing the MBO’s? If the score is high then the organization is on track. If not then the management teams need to determine why what was done or not done is not in line with MBO’s written by the teams and organization. Hopefully the MBO’s are generally complete each quarter and the business moves forward with a purpose.
By: John Gall
