Effective Management Techniques

8/2/2019 Effective Management Techniques

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Be a mentor. As a business owner or manager, one of the greatest gifts you can give youremployees is sharing your knowledge and experience. Showing your employees firsthand howyou close a deal or forecast sales is far more effective than just talking them through it.

Give reviews. Employees need feedback about their performance to improve their skills andgrow professionally. Set up a formal review program and give performance appraisals once ortwice a year. If you set goals and give performance reviews in the same meeting, make sureyou spend equal time addressing past performance and future goals.

Have a heart. Family emergencies, illnesses and other unplanned events always arise, soget used to it. Show employees some compassion by being flexible with work hours and timeoff so they can tend to important matters. Employees always appreciate a sympathetic boss,and as long as your business won't suffer, make every effort to accommodate workers whohave special needs.

Take the time to be a manager. During busy times when work's piling up, don't forget to bea manager. Employees depend on your strength and guidance - especially when they'restressed out or faced with new projects that require your time and input. Give employees yourundivided attention when they want to talk. If you can't do that in your office, head out to a

neighborhood caf and chat over a cup of coffee.

How can you spread ensure that these good techniques are instilled throughout your business?There are thousands of management training opportunities available today, delivered via all possiblemedia. Read our article, Effective Training Programs for Managers, to learn what to look for in apromising program.

All levels of the company must contribute to make a productive workforce, and your internal system ofrewards and feedback is crucial to ensuring that everyone is working as they should. Starting with aclearly established and communicated set of expectations for all employees, you can launch a systemthat will support everyone and allow you to identify areas for improvement. Our article, Setting Up aPerformance Management System offers guidance in getting that feedback look established.

Find more tips formanaging employees to keep your business running efficiently at AllBusiness.com.

Copyright 1999 - 2007 AllBusiness.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

Whether you are faced with handling the basic principles of personnelmanagement, human resources management, behavioral management,conflict management, time management, project management, and evenclassroom management, this web tutorial can help you find some answers tothe questions you may have about how to deal with people and improveemployee performance.

You have most likely arrived at this management page for one of two reasons:You have a desire to become a manager, or, you are already working in amanagement position and want to improve upon your techniques of dealingwith people.

So, lets begin by looking at the definition of the word, manager. Webster'sDictionary provides the following:

A person who directs a team or athlete.
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That doesn't seem to be a very lengthy definition. But there is one key wordthat needs to be recognized above the others, and that is the word, directs.The definition does not say anything about being the boss, orbossy, ordomineering, oroverbearing, orheavy-handed, orforceful, orauthoritarian, ordemanding, orcontrolling, ordictatorial, or . . . need we continue?

Before we continue, you need to understand that MrKent is NOT anti-management. In fact, the results of aptitude tests he has taken have always

indicated that he is generally pro-management. This has by and large beenproven throughout his life by the positions he has held: He spent many yearsas a classroom teacher. He next became the manager of a radio station. Hewent from there to become the Chief Administrator of a boys' boarding school.

And from there he moved on to become the Director of Instruction of a careertraining institution.

In the process he was able to learn though experience what does and whatdoes not make a good manager. This page is his attempt to help you becomethe best leader of others that you can be.

Now that we have an idea what a good manager is NOT, lets look at thehierarchy of management:

1. Owner2. CEO3. Supervisor4. Manager5. Lead6. Associate

Not all businesses are set up strictly in this order but this is a generally

common picture of how the management tree is set up. The Ownerissometimes also the CEO, and Supervisor, and Manager, and Lead - andmaybe even the Associate. Especially if we are speaking of a small company.But most companies are large enough to be able to break down the duties intoan order very similar to that shown here.

Now we must ask ourselves, Is the Lead person a manager? The answer isYes! How about the Owner, or CEO? Is that person a manager? Again, theanswer is Yes! Remember the definition? A manager is someone whoDIRECTS others! And that pretty much includes everyone on the above list.

So, no matter where you fall in that list, it is a good bet that you would probablylike to move up to the next level at some time in the future. Reading thefollowing material can help you do just that.

We begin by discussing what it means to directothers. A good starting pointwould be to think back to a time when you watched an old western movie. Doyou remember the part where the stage coach is pulling into town? Theteamster (that's the driver) is sitting up above the team of horses holding a setof reins in his hands. He whistles and shouts at the team as well as pulling onthe reins in order to get them to go in the direction he desires. The teamseems to do exactly what the teamster is directing them to do.


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That's a pretty good picture of what we call Effective ManagementTechniques.

We have four or more horses following the direction of one person. Butconsider what it has taken to make all of this work together smoothly. Thereare a couple of very important requirements that need to have already takenplace. First, you can't just take any old horse and hook it up with this team and

expect it to know what to do. Each horse needs to be well trainedfor theposition it takes in the team. Also, each horse must wantto follow thedirections of the teamster. Without training and motivation the teamster ishelpless to accomplish his goal of making that stage coach travel down theroad. Without training and motivation the teamster can end up looking quitefoolish.

The associates that work under your management position need to have thesame to ingredients if you want them to perform in such a way that youaccomplish the goals you desire without looking quite foolish.

The above illustration is a pretty accurate definition of the word manager. Thatis to say, a GOOD manager. I'm sure we have all had the experience ofworking under managers that seemed to lack the ability to make us want tofollow his or her direction.

When MrKent was in college he worked at a very fancy ship restaurant.People paid a lot of money to eat there and they usually left very large tips.There was live musical entertainment every night of the week and going towork was a pleasure - except for one thing: There was a manager who we willcall Ruby. She was in charge of the waiters and bus boys. Under high-pressure situations (usually on Friday and Saturday nights) Ruby's personality

weaknesses became evident. She would become short-tempered. She wouldbegin tellingpeople what to do instead ofaskingin a polite manner. She alsohad the habit of giving you an assignment, then, giving you another before youhad finished the first, and then, scolding you later when she discovered thatyou had not finished the first.

You could always count on Ruby to be yelling at everyone under herleadership before the evening was over. Week after week it seemed to getworse and worse as the pressure continued to build and the contentionbetween Ruby and the crew steadily increased. Finally, the group met afterwork one night and decided that the next time Ruby became violent they would

all walk out and never come back. Without fail, she stayed true-to-form thenext Saturday evening. In the middle of the dinner hour, at the peak time of theevening, all of the waiters and bus-boys walked off the job. No one knowswhat ever happened to Ruby.

In another situation MrKent worked part-time at a Wal-Mart store in thehardware department after his retirement. During the four years of employmentthere he had the opportunity to watch as several (want-to-be) assistantmanagers crossed his path. Some really understood what the job of amanager really requires. Many others seemed to be blinded by their ownselfish desire to climb the ladder of success. But there was one assistant


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manager (we'll call him William) who knew exactly what it took to make hisassociates wantto follow his direction. And today he holds the topmanagement position of a very successful Wal-Mart store. William climbed theladder of success the easy way. His followers helped him get there.

So, how does a GOOD managerget folks to wantto follow his or herdirection?

The answer to that is simply finding out what people need and then trying tomeet that need.

One of the most basic needs that drives people to find a job is the need for $$$. But the need for money is met on the employee's first day of work. So themanager doesn't generally need to be concerned about meeting anemployee's financial needs. At least not on a daily basis.

Another basic need that an employee has is to be appreciated by his or hersuperiors. A good manager finds many opportunities to meet this basic need.

Verbal recognition - You are doing a find job. - Thanks for helpingyesterday. - etc.

Pitching in - I've got a few minutes, let me help you with that. Written recognition - A short note that says, You're doing a great job. Friendly relationship - A smile - a pat on the back - sharing a thought -

telling a joke.

Another basic need is that of being treated like a human being. A goodmanager does NOT flaunt his or her position. Many want-to-be managers thinkthey will lose control of their position if they allow themselves to appear to beon the same level as their employees. The truth is this: You, as a manager, will

gain the respect and admiration of your employees by doing all you can tomake them feel important.

Trying to make your employees feel inferior to yourself is more likely to arousetheir anger and distain toward you. Employees have feelings and an alertmanager will do all he can to keep those feelings positive.

If you are not the owner of the business but simply hold a managementposition you have a great responsibility to your superiors to be sure theemployees under you are satisfied. Dissatisfied employees always producemuch less than those who are contented with their jobs. Your supervisor has

given you the responsibility as a manager to be sure that the employees underyou are working at their full potential. When your employees perform well it notonly makes your job much easier, it also helps to boost your standing with yoursupervisor.

If your superiors are happy with the performance of the employees under you,you can also be quite sure that the customers who do business with yourcompany will also be satisfied. When every part of a business is workingsmoothly and all employees feel they are part of the team, it brings about anattractive representation that seems to delight your customers.


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As a manager you can also expect to run into problems from time to timewhich are difficult to solve. In most cases these problems involve people ratherthan equipment or products. Non-personnel problems are much easier totackle than personnel problems. A machine or product can always be fixed orreplaced but that is not the case with people.

The most effective way to handle personnel problems is through dialog. Takingtime to listen is the most important part of handling personnel issues. We are

not talking about listening to the words being spoken. Rather, we are referringto the person speaking these words. Listen to the person. When you sit downas a manager with one of your employees while trying to resolve an issue youneed to understand that the whole reason for the meeting is because theemployee feels as though their back is against the wall. Or, maybe they feelthey are down and can't see any way of getting back up. Whatever theproblem, remember that you are dealing with a real, live person who is lookingfor answers.

Take the time necessary, within reason, to make the employee feel you reallydo care and are trying to understand their feelings and the problems they face.

Once you have heard the issue at hand, then begin to create a dialog that isaimed at a resolution. The best way of resolving an issue is to reach as muchof a compromise as is possible in they eyes of the employee. This may or maynot always be possible. But you should work toward that goal.

By the way, fewer issues will arise if you have already set up a loose, friendlydialog with each one of your employees. Neglecting their needs or makingthem feel as though you have no concern for them as a person is much morelikely to create problems between you and your employees. It also creates atension that can generate issues between the workers themselves.

A good manager is always alert and looking to spot trouble in order to begindealing with it before it has an opportunity to become an issue that needs agreat deal of attention.

As a manager you also want to be on the lookout for the positive attributes ofyour employees. Don't just come to work and do your job and go home. Cometo work and keep your eyes open to see if you can spot the positivecharacteristics possessed by your employees. Look for special talents somemight have. This becomes a real plus when placing someone in a position forwhich they are perfectly suited. It also helps you avoid doing just the opposite.Placing someone in a position for which they are absolutely not suited can

become a catastrophe.

Finally, keep your eyes open for that person who casually displays aconsiderable amount of leadership ability. If there are management orsupervisory positions that fall under your management level you will find itmuch easier to fill those positions with qualified personnel if you already knowwho can do the job and who cannot. This is very important when needing toreplace a manager or supervisor who has either moved up the ladder or whohas resigned his or her position.

In the end, you will find it much easier to manage people if you will make it


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your goal to keep your focus on meeting their needs rather than selling yourproduct or service.

Effective Management Techniques

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