| What makes a "good" manager"? | | | | making. If you bounce an idea off the mission |
| First of all, what is management? The dictionary | | | | statement and it sticks, you might do it. |
| defines management as "the act or art of | | | | Otherwise, forget it. For example, if you are in |
| managing: the conducting or supervising of | | | | the business of developing the worlds best |
| something (as a business).". Sounds about right. | | | | diagnostic software, you are not going to open a |
| But then, Atilla the Hun was a manager of sorts. | | | | resturant to raise extra cash. That would be way |
| Clearly, there is a big difference between being a | | | | outside the mission statement. See the point? All |
| manager and being a "good" manager who has | | | | tactical decisions should fit within the mission |
| earned the respect of the people. | | | | statement. |
| It is interesting that the formal definition of | | | | Next, a "good" manager is a strategic thinker. The |
| management includes the word "art", because in | | | | manager should have at least a five to ten year |
| some respects, it is an art as much as a science. | | | | view of the future. Where does the organization |
| Just about anyone can learn the basic mechanics | | | | want to be in five years and tactically, what |
| of becoming a manager. However, there is a | | | | needs to be done today, tomorrow, next week |
| certain amount of mystery in defining that extra | | | | or next month to get there? Nothing can |
| dimension of skills and traits that elevates certain | | | | undermine a manager faster than having the |
| people to a status of "good" manager. What is it? | | | | organization perceive that the manager has no |
| Part of it is charisma. Charisma is a sort of | | | | idea of direction. |
| magical quality of magnetic charm or appeal that | | | | Then, there is integrity. A manager has to be |
| makes people want to follow the person who has | | | | seen by his superiors and his employees as being |
| it. Strong interpersonal skills are certainly critical to | | | | honest and forthright and doesn't play silly political |
| the creation of charisma, but are by no means | | | | games. No one likes a sleazy character that |
| the only ingredient. The perception of charisma | | | | cannot be trusted, especially if that person is in |
| must be earned through accomplishment. | | | | charge of the careers of people. Would you? |
| A strong leader gains the respect of his/her | | | | The "good" manager fights for his/her people and |
| people by actions. Principal among those actions is | | | | they know it. Everyone knows that outstanding |
| the involvement of the organization in decision | | | | performers are amply rewarded and substandard |
| making. How many times have you heard | | | | performers are penalized or eliminated. People |
| someone say, "If I was running the show, I sure | | | | know that the decisions made by the manager |
| wouldn't do it that way!"? It is important that the | | | | well thought out and are in the best interest of |
| manager has the mechanisms in place that allow | | | | the organization. An employee may not like the |
| ideas to bubble up from all corners of the | | | | fact that the manager had to cut their pet |
| organization. No matter how smart we think we | | | | project out of the budget. But if the employee is |
| are as managers, we certainly don't know | | | | in tune with the organization, he/she will |
| everything. Many of the very best ideas come | | | | understand why it had to be done. |
| from the people on the front line of the day to | | | | A "good" manager is highly selective when building |
| day business. We have to have a way for people | | | | the "culture" the organization. People hired should |
| to express those ideas and get rewarded for | | | | "fit" the collective personality of the organization. |
| their contributions if the idea pans out. Delegating | | | | Loners and hotheads should not be merged into |
| many of the day to day tactical decisions in no | | | | an organization of people who genuinely like each |
| way undermines the manager's authority or | | | | other and work well together. Think about the |
| responsibility for the bigger picture. Remember | | | | best sports teams. The very best ones are those |
| this: If people have enthusiastic ownership of an | | | | where the members are more like family than |
| idea, their idea, they WILL make it work, even if | | | | team mates. |
| it is a BAD idea. If not, they can torpedo even a | | | | Finally, the "good" manager will spend the extra |
| GOOD idea. | | | | time to collect the information necessary to show |
| Recognizing people for their contributions is one of | | | | how valuable the organization is to the company. |
| the surest ways to secure employee loyalty and | | | | This can take any number of forms such as cost |
| to earn the perception that the manager is smart | | | | savings, cost avoidance, improved process, |
| enough to understand that he/she doesn't know | | | | improved productivity, and so on. Then the |
| everything. Recognition and rewards are not | | | | manager makes sure everyone knows about it, |
| necessarily monetary. In some cases, simple public | | | | from top to bottom. It is vital that the people feel |
| recognition is all that is required. Recognition | | | | they are important and are making a contribution |
| nurtures the ego and differientiates people from | | | | to the overall success of the company. |
| their peers. Recognition just makes a person feel | | | | There is no magic formula for becoming a "good" |
| good and stimulates the desire to have it happen | | | | manager and the points mentioned above are |
| again. | | | | certainly not an exhaustive list. Some of it is |
| If a manager utilizes the people to help develop | | | | instinct, but it mostly stems from the gut-level |
| the organization's mission statement, then the | | | | understanding that the most important thing in an |
| people will follow. Having a solid and workable | | | | organization is its people. Treat people with |
| mission statement is critical to organizational | | | | respect and dignity and you will get that back in |
| success. It can serve as the basis for decision | | | | spades. |