Continuing from yesterday’s post on The Ability to Manage Yourself, today we will discuss the second key factor in successful management, “How to Manage Your Systems.”
As a manager, you should know what is expected of you from your employer. Your team expects that you know what you are to do, but do you really?
Management personnel need to make sure that they are given a job description and job expectations prior to taking on the title of manager. If you were told “I really need you to whip these people in shape and get the business in good running order” you could be in for a big letdown.
How do you whip people in shape? Do you think by harping on employees it will make them desire to do a better job? I think you know the answer is no.
The best way to manage people is to not manage them, but to manage systems.
Once you know what the expectations are of you, the manager, and what the expectations are of each of your team members then you can begin.
Know what each person is to accomplish each day.
Have clear protocols and defined responsibilities for each person.
Establish routines to ensure what is expected is actually accomplished in an orderly way, each day.
Lastly, be a “walkabout” manager.
What is a “walkabout” manager? It is a manager who a couple times a day does an informal stroll among their staff to see if there is anything they can do to help them if they are having a problem completing their work or to answer any questions they may have.
As a manager have you ever thought of how wonderful your staff would feel to know their manager cares enough about what they have to accomplish each day that they are willing to help them?
When a manager makes sure they stop by each staff member’s desk throughout the day to see if they need anything speaks volumes about how much they care and the company cares about them as employees.
The key to managing systems is having them set up, people trained to do them and then to show those people that they are cared for.
You must show them you care if you want them to truly care about their job.
Comments