Better Management Performance - The Easy 3-Step Way

Managers make three mistakes when they try to run businesses. They do too much, they don't trust their people and they don't have enough skills. Here we explore an easy 3-step process to get your business back on track and get a life.

Managers work in increasingly challenging circumstances and workload seems to ever increase. There are opportunities to use the capabilities of each and every one of those who work with them. Yet many managers struggle on, carrying the burden until finally, that straw comes along which breaks the camel's (aka manager's) back.

So what happens? Well, managers choose not to give tasks away, for several reasons.

• The manager may feel obliged to do most of the work - after all, that's what he believes he's getting paid for.
  
  

  There is a knowledge gap.
  
  

• He may not wish to let go of some workload because his role would then be 'let go', so makes himself look very busy and thus indispensible.
  
  

  There is a confidence gap.
  
  

• The manager doesn't have the skills to work closely in collaboration with his people and gradually allow them the trust to get on with it and get it right.
  
  

  There is a skills gap.

Learning that management is about having a clear 'Whats' about the organisations vision and goals and then enabling individual and team capacity to come up with creative and delivering 'Hows', is hard for some managers. They are the ones who complain that there is too much to do; that senior management demands are unreasonable. Giving work up is vital. There is now no knowledge gap.

Management is about letting go of some of the stuff to be done, trusting your people, once given clear criteria and goals and getting on with the true role, developing others, designing growth possibilites and being pro-active and not a fire-fighter. Slowly, they get it more and more right. Their results are better and better. There is now no confidence gap.

Providing all the training sessions in the world, won't make a jot of difference if the manager is not ready for learning and development. Sometimes, hand-holding works, with the support of a mentor or an off-line coach. They learn in a safe place and get better. There now no skills gap.

Gradually, the knowledge, confidence and skills combine to generate a better manager, team and business performance. Organizations can take the lead in helping managers get this right. It is worth it.

Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com

In The News:

---

The Higher You Go

The higher you go, the cooler it becomes. Really? Let... Read More

Effective Meetings - Quick Survey

Here's an easy quiz to check the health of your... Read More

A Comprehensive Sarbanes Oxley Act Summary

Individual and corporate security stand in the center of the... Read More

Focus on Outcomes to Keep Your Business On-Course

Did you know that an airplane in flight is off... Read More

How To Learn Great Management from Our Kids

Learning comes from many places. And one of the most... Read More

Multiple Channels, Multiple Times

I've just been reading about the frustrations of a Human... Read More

I Said Pareto Chart? Not Potato Chart!

Does this sound familiar? You were hired for the new... Read More

What Consultants Want You to Know (But You Never Ask)

I've been both a CEO and a consultant, so I've... Read More

Change Management: Getting Everyone on Board the Change Train

How do you get everyone on board the change train... Read More

Strategies for Planning and Conducting Effective Meetings

Did you know that business executives spend about half their... Read More

Help for the Meeting-Weary Manager

Most of us have found ourselves working on a team... Read More

6 Simple Steps to Dealing with Difficult Managers

The challenge of managing difficult managers can be rather daunting,... Read More

Paretos Law- Your Formula For Success

A 'dirt-world' retail business I used to manage had a... Read More

Use Noncompete Agreements To Protect Your Business

Q: One of my former employees has launched an online... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: The Best Incentives are Free

This article relates to the Recognition competency, commonly evaluated in... Read More

Innovation Management ? Innovation or Profit?

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Challenge of ERP Implementation: Q and A with Rick Maurer

Question: ERPs seem like a good idea, so why is... Read More

How to Delegate More Effectively

Do this simple excercise, and transform your life.First, Make a... Read More

DIVERSITY is a BIG word -- With A HUGE Business IMPACT

Second thought! Just in case. YOU or someone you personally... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Whatever You Do, Do It on Purpose

Decision-making shows up throughout the problem-solving process. The decisions may... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Providing Career Opportunity

This article relates to the Career Opportunity competency, commonly evaluated... Read More

Employee Orientation: The 90 Day Difference

Why do some new managers succeed while others fail? It... Read More

Big Company Intelligence on a Small Company Budget

Information is the lifeblood of the economy. That's especially true... Read More

Stomp Out Leeches In Your Company

Recently, I felt appalled to see a political candidate running... Read More

Ringing Doorbells Without Howitzers

Many operations leaders have been there, done that with re-engineering.... Read More

Christmas Carol Coaching - Help to Get Ahead at Holiday Time!

I've always been fascinated by situations where art imitates real... Read More

Cold Water Comments - What They Are and How to Manage Them!

Cold Water Comments - What They Are and How to... Read More

The 6 Steps to Six Sigma

Step 1Get the proper level of Six Sigma expertise at... Read More

Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: Team Dynamics and Communication

This article relates to the Team Dynamics competency, which evaluates... Read More

Give Yourself a Boss? Day Gift

Become a better boss and reap the benefitsAnother interesting study... Read More

Do You Hear That?

I read a report in the Toronto Star stated that... Read More

Innovation Management - idea selection and valuation issues

Innovation is different and distinct from creativity in that it... Read More

Christmas and Business Gifts for Your Clients and Employees!

Tis' the season for business and corporate gift-giving! If you... Read More