Management is not just for people who have a department or team to oversee. We can add it to our personal lives as well. That way, we get some energy from seeing that we are moving in the direction(s) we choose and accomplishing what matters to us. And it’s pretty simple!
Want to make a New Year’s resolution that you’ll really keep this time? Maybe put this pandemic to work for you? Use the basics of “results management” to keep yourself on track.
Empowering individuals and teams in the workplace is not just about pumping their self-esteem. You can make a toolkit available to support them in productive conversations and improving their abilities to collaborate, plan, test and implement organization processes, changes and solutions.
Step Two in “Managing for Accomplishment” is Managing for Production: setting up the structures and agreements that establish (a) success metrics, (b) a workable performance network (you’ll learn what that is if you don’t already know) and (c) agreements for coordination and communication in that network. Without this, production is delayed due to missteps – the reason so many projects exceed their timelines.
Sometimes our communication gets a little sloppy, leaving others with a vague or inconclusive answer. We can fix that, and perhaps help others step up too. Be a stronger leader.
It’s time to stop the “leaders are special people” conversation and pay attention to what is actually happening throughout the hierarchy of organizations. Putting a halo on the people at the very top, or on people of certain “types” or “styles” is not useful. Management is necessary and valuable, and managers are worth hearing, honoring and supporting.
Don’t look for accountability in a person. Create the structures and agreements that support a shared understanding of Who is responsible for producing What results and When those results are due. Then establish regular meetings to update the status of those agreements and modify them as needed.
Sometimes we are so sure we know what other people need and want that we don’t talk with them about it. We just go ahead and give them our solution, then wonder why they don’t appreciate it.
We used to think people should “just do their jobs”. That day is pretty much gone. Now that we need to reinvent the job – often, and sometimes every day – we’d better get really good at productive communication.
People, assignments, resources – lots of things show up late. We can do something to turn it around, or, if not, lateness will become a cultural fixture.
Awarded "Best Management Book" by 800-CEO-READ.
Rated #5 "Best Business Book" by The Toronto Globe and Mail.