Most of us start the new year with a resolve to make changes and to improve over the prior year. Unfortunately, it’s very easy to fall back into old patterns. Habits are hard to break, and new ways of operating are difficult to establish. The trick is not allowing ourselves to be defeated by the challenge, but to become more determined to make the changes that are needed.
Think over the last year and what you might have done differently, in hindsight. Then look over the following list of important management lessons and consider incorporating them into your plan for the new year.
10 Important Management Lessons for 2013
1. Hire the right people for the right jobs
Knowing what you want in a new employee BEFORE you start interviewing makes all the difference. Managers are often in a hurry to fill a vacant position and settle for less than they need. Minimize your risk by:
Also make sure to assess how well the applicant fits with the culture of your company and your team. However qualified the candidate may be on paper, personality counts, and nobody will be happy if the new hire results in a culture clash.
2. Provide training, development, support and coaching
Employees and teams will not succeed without development and support. Beyond adequate new-hire training, ensure that your staff continues to develop new skills, and that you provide continuous support and coaching. Resist the urge to dictate everything or do it yourself, and help staff members learn to solve their own problems by coaching and mentoring them.
3. Motivate and reward your staff
Employees who are never thanked quickly lose enthusiasm for their work. Reward success, and do it in ways that your staff members actually find rewarding. Realize that monetary rewards and promotions are not the only answers – some people might be more motivated by extra time off, public recognition, opportunities for professional growth or increased responsibility and autonomy.
4. Ensure your staff has all the resources they need
Always provide all the necessary resources to help your staff get their jobs done effectively. Asking employees to do too much with too little is setting them up for failure. Inadequate resources lead to conflicts, missed deadlines, and demoralized staff members.
5. Communicate expectations clearly
Your staff should always know what you expect of them. Goals and expectations must be communicated clearly and consistently. A lack of communication leaves your employees stranded, fumbling in the dark and trying to guess what you want. Clearly communicate your goals and expectations, and define staff member’s roles and responsibilities.
6. Provide timely, constructive feedback
Providing timely and meaningful feedback to your staff is crucial. It’s important to let employees know what they are doing right, as well as what they need to work on or change. Constructive criticism should focus on actual observed behaviors, not personal issues. Emphasize what should be done rather than what should not be done.
7. Delegate
Delegate responsibilities to staff members in a fair and equitable manner. When delegating, resist the tendency to dictate every step of the process – give the employee a goal, access to the necessary information and resources, and let them perform the work in their own way while remaining available for support and to answer questions.
8. Lead by example
People don’t follow if you don’t lead. Practice what you preach, and don’t expect your staff to live up to standard you don’t hold to yourself. If you want them to be conscientious, hard-working and productive, set an example for them. Respect is not freely given – it must be earned.
9. Solicit input from your staff
Communication must flow both ways. Feedback from your employees can help you to evaluate your own success as a manager, as well as assess the effectiveness of your company’s procedures and policies. Ask for employees’ opinions, remain available to field their questions and concerns, listen carefully, and take their input seriously. Not only will you gain valuable insights, your staff will feel heard and appreciated, which improves morale.
10. Be fair and be flexible
Be fair and consistent with your staff. Reward success and correct problems in a timely and helpful way, and don’t play favorites with your staff, especially in conflict situations. At the same time, don’t be too rigid and hidebound. Take a flexible approach in employee interactions – let them be themselves, allow them some autonomy in their work, and take their personalities and preferences into account when communicating and motivating individual employees.
Baker Communications offers leading edge Management Training solutions that will help you address the goals and achieve the solutions addressed in this article. For more information about how your organization can achieve immediate and lasting behavior change in managing others, click here.
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