Becoming an outstanding manager

AS A MANAGER HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED:

Staff being made redundant, given reduced hours or losing bonus opportunities?

Increased pressure on staff to do more?

Increased tension, stress or apathy amongst staff, and a decrease in motivation and engagement?

If you're a manager or supervisor, you'll feel the pressure too; possibly more; because your people's performance is seen by others as a reflection of your own ability to manage.

It's an irony, that when you most need your staff to pull together, to be motivated, creative and productive, the environment often produces the exact opposite.

SO HOW DO YOU KEEP PEOPLE "ON-SIDE"?

KEEPING PEOPLE "ON-SIDE" REQUIRES GREAT PEOPLE SKILLS!

And just because you have two ears and one mouth which work perfectly well, does NOT mean you're a great communicator or relationship builder!

Your "people skills" can make or break your reputation, your results and your chances of promotion.

How good are YOUR people skills?

If you were to do a staff survey right now asking people what they feel about working in your team, what do you think they would say?

DARE YOU ASK?!

And if you did, would they tell you the truth anyhow? Or would you likely get it "all guns blazing?"

Having spent 17 years in the classroom, trying to motivate teenagers (probably the toughest management position of them all - apart from parenting!) and years of studying psychology and how to get the best out of people, I've come to some simple conclusions!

1) I've never yet met someone who gets out of bed in a morning thinking, "Right! How can I do the worst job possible today?"

2) It's my fervent belief, that with few exceptions, everyone who starts in a new job WANTS
a) To do a good job
b) To be recognised, valued and respected
c) To feel that what they do is adding value/has some meaning or purpose
d) To enjoy what they do, to grow, learn and develop

Great managers know this - and do you know what? They don't spend masses of time building great teams and great working relationships. (In fact they probably spend less time than most - because there's no time spent "mopping up" squables, dealing with staff grievances or trying to get people on side)

OUTSTANDING MANAGERS JUST DO SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY TO THE REST

AND THEY DO THESE THINGS CONSISTENTLY

THEY ALSO GET GOOD AT FOUR THINGS:

1) Selecting and recruiting
Whether its selecting for a new post, or which part of a project you want someone to work on, great managers understand a little about human talent and how to make the most of it. They're also clear about the types of talents they'll need for any given post or project, and how to spot them in their staff.

THERE'S A GREAT BOOK FOR THIS - RECOMMENDED BELOW! In it you'll find a code which gives you access to an online quiz which will help YOU identify your own top 5 talents, and give you some ideas of what you could be doing to maximise on these)

2) Setting and managing expectations
Boy is this a biggie! Too many managers I've coached or worked with find themselves in hot water because they're not so good at this one!
From the new manager who doesn't know how to set/manage expectations with someone they used to work alongside, to the manager who fails to ensure staff are crystal clear about goal-posts, boundaries, this core skill can set you up for some massive people problems! Beware!

3) Motivating their people
Outstanding managers understand the basic psychology of motivation. Now don't get me wrong. Many of them have never read a psychology book in their lives - unlike me!" However, they seem to instinctively understand that, if they want to motivate other people, they have to understand them a little better! They have to tap into whateder drives that other person, rather than expect that person will be motivated by the same things they are.
I call it "knowing which buttons to press"! We ALL know how to do this at a subconscious level - (come on, be honest - you know EXACTLY which buttons to press to get your spouse/partner mad right?) - but outstanding managers raise this to conscious level - and hone this skill to an art.
So - you need to understand what key things drive/motivate people, then do what you can to press those right buttons for that person!

4) Developing their people
Now don't get me started on this one!
As someone PASSIONATE about helping people recognise, tap into and maximise their unique talents, I get SO frustrated when I see most businesses use a development model which focuses on people's WEAKNESSES!
For heaven's sake! What's all that about?
You know - you have the appraisal where your boss spends 5 minutes talking about your achievements/what you've done well, then spends at least 5 times as long discussing the "areas for improvement"!
Maybe I'm missing something here - but how exactly does that motivate someone?
If we take the view that most of us will find it far easier to develop and hone skills which come naturally to us, rather than trying to develop what we find doesn't come easy (Think back to school. Which subjects came easy to you - and which subjects, no matter if you got private tuition, a kick up the butt, or spent hours extra working on, would you NEVER be anything other than "OK" at? Maths was mine! I'll NEVER be Einstein, or an accountant!)
VERY FEW PEOPLE CAN BE "GOOD AT EVERYTHING".

Is "well-rounded" a euphomism for "Jack of all trades, master of none?"

So WHY do we, in business, think we can turn an IT specialist, who LOVES spending hours in solitary pursuit of developing the most amazing software into a manager, spending hours working with other people? (who will probably drive him/her mad!) Or why do we force a brilliant salesman to become "more rounded" by identifying his "gap" as admin and sending him on courses to improve excel and database management?

Outstanding managers KNOW trying to turn people's weaknesses into strengths is folly. They KNOW it takes masses of effort - for very little return. They KNOW it's like pushing water uphill!

FAR better to find the IT geek a way of utilising his existing gifts more - maybe making him an "Innovation chief" - with more responsibility for linking boardroom strategy with the practical roll-out? Maybe seeing how that salesman's expertise can help the marketing guys and finding ways of minimising the admin gaps with "quick and dirty" solutions. that way you're tapping into what these guys are interested in, love doing, are naturally good at, and will work harder at! WHY WOULD YOU NOT DO THAT?!

THESE FOUR KEY SKILLS ARE WHAT YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON IF YOU WANT TO "GET GOOD" AT MANAGING.

The pay-offs are enormous.

So what will you do to make a start?

I've written a SHORT (I know you're busy!) handbook outlining these 4 key skills in a little more detail.

To get your copy visit:
www.increasingmanagerialsuccess.com/products

And I LIKE provoking debate!

If you have any comments I'd love to hear them. Even more, I'd love to hear from managers who think they've got it right.
Tell me what you're doing.
Tell me what your organisation does to build great cultures, and highly motivated people . What's helpful? What's not?
What's the hardest part of managing others?

The more I understand, the more it helps me produce support which can make a difference!

HERE'S TO MAKING WORKPLACES - GREAT PLACES!