THE MANAGER’S
Sample
INTELLIGENCE REPORT
An insider’s fast track to better management
Pay special attention when
recession’s victims join your staff
New hires who had been unemployed for
a long time might be happy to land a job
but nervous about their ability to keep it.
Their faith and confidence shaken, they
can have a hard time getting up to speed.
Here are some suggestions for helping
them with the adjustment:
• Review career achievements. Encour-
age new employees to talk about what
they’ve accomplished in previous
positions. They’ll relive the feelings of
pride they experienced and will get
comfortable discussing their earlier
employment in a new setting.
• Set goals for the new job. Work with
employees on objectives for their first
100 days with your organization, goals
that are realistic and significant to the
employee and your organization. A few
Take action before violence
strikes your workplace
The prospect of violence in your work-
place may seem remote, but you should
have a prevention plan that goes beyond
advising your employees to dial 911 at the
first sign of trouble. Here are some steps
to take that can keep your workforce safe:
• Make a statement. Start with a written
policy advising employees that violence
will not be tolerated in your workplace
and that your organization will disci-
pline and prosecute any violent
behavior.
• Prohibit weapons. Your employee
manual should ban any kind of
weapons at your organization’s offices
or property.
• Designate a “critical incident coordi-
nator.” You or another manager should
be prepared to act as a leader in the
event of any emergency or threat.
early successes will boost their confi-
dence.
• Ease into the culture. Tell new
employees as much as you can about the
atmosphere and history of your
workplace so they know what to expect.
Introduce them to the people they’ll be
working with so they don’t feel isolated
or different.
• Don’t add to the stress. Some new
employees try to prove themselves as
quickly as they can. This can create
additional stress while they’re still
coping with all the changes in their
lives. Support them in pursuing
meaningful goals, but let them know
you don’t expect miracles from them
right away.
—Adapted from The Wall Street Journal
• P repare for emergencies. Work with
employees, your attorney, and local law
enforcement on possible responses to
threats or actual violence. Build a
relationship with the authorities ahead
of time.
• Train your employees. Go through
your policies regarding behavior and
violence during orientation for new
employees, and repeat the training once
a year or so to keep it fresh in workers’
minds.
• Look for security loopholes. Periodi-
cally audit your workplace for areas
where security might be loose. Can
outsiders wander in through a side
door? Are stairwells and parking areas
well lit and secure?
—Adapted from the National Association of
Counties website
Quick tips
Point employees
toward success
One good way to keep your work-
force engaged and focused on
priorities is to clearly identify your
organization’s “Key Performance
Indicators” (KPIs). These track the
most important activities that
employees are responsible for and
which directly support your bottom
line—products sold per week or
month, for example, or defective
products returned.
Make these KPIs visible to your
workforce. Post charts in your break
room or other areas where employees
congregate, and change them often so
people recognize their importance.
Discuss the numbers in staff meet-
ings. You want your people to be
thinking about the same success
factors that you and other top
managers are concentrating on.
—Adapted from the Business Resource
Centre website
Reward yourself
for to-do list success
If, like many managers, you find it
hard to get through your to-do list,
try linking each item with a reward.
Fill up your list this way:
To do/reward
Write report/get a latté
Agenda for meeting/take a walk
outside
Performance reviews/make weekend
plans
This takes some of the emphasis
off the chores by reminding you of
something positive once you’ve
completed the task.
—Adapted from the I Need Motivation
website
2 The Manager’s Intelligence Report

Cross-training your workforce can head off a crisis

What happens when the one employee
who knows how to fix paper jams in the
photocopier goes on vacation?
It may be a facetious example, but
it’s a real risk: When only one employee
knows how to do something, you could
face real problems if he or she is
unavailable for any reason.
Cross-training your workforce can
prevent catastrophe. Follow these
guidelines:
• M  ake the case. Employees may think
you don’t trust them or you want to
replace them. Explain the reasons
behind the need for cross-training so
they see how it benefits everyone.
• Analyze your needs. Identify
potential gaps in your workforce—
tasks that only one or two people can
perform adequately. Also, determine
what level of training you want: Do
you need employees to become
expert, or just good enough to fill in
temporarily?
• Initiate training. Once you know
what knowledge and skills need to be
shared, work up a schedule so
employees can get started. Make sure
your employees are following
through; talk to trainers and trainees
separately and cut through problems
and communication issues.
 est people. At some point, ask
• T
people to switch jobs or tasks and
evaluate how well they can perform
the skill they’ve been cross-trained in.
If necessary, ask for a second round of
training to get the new skill firmly
established.
• Reward people. Express your
appreciation both to trainers and to
learners. If you plan any kind of
bonus or tangible reward, be sure
they’re equal in value so neither side
feels less important to the cross-train-
ing effort.
—Adapted from the Fistful of Talent blog

Techniques for managing better,

‘Boss, I want a raise’—
how to respond
and decide yes or no
Money isn’t the only factor in employee retention and
engagement, but it’s high on the list. When an employ-
ee asks for a raise, what should you do? Whether it’s a
reasonable request or not, follow this advice:
 on’t respond immediately. Whatever your initial
• D
opinion on the matter, take some time to consider
the request seriously. You don’t want to appear
impulsive to your employees.
 ook at the marketplace. Are your salaries competi-
• L
tive? If not, you’ll have a harder time retaining top
performers, although intangibles like culture and
career opportunities can help close the gap.
• C
 onsider your organization’s compensation
strategy. Do you give raises based on merit, seniority,
hitting specific targets, or some other criteria? Your
decision needs to take precedent into account,
although that doesn’t necessarily mean following
precedent as if it’s carved into stone.
 ook at your financial situation. Can you afford a
• L
raise? Don’t put your bottom line at risk, even if
you’re trying to retain a top performer. Consider non-
cash alternatives like recognition, extra vacation, or a
flexible schedule.
 e honest. If the answer is no, explain why. If
• B
performance is an issue, talk about what the employ-
ee needs to do in order to merit an increase. If
finances are the problem, tell the employee you’ll
consider the request when circumstances improve.
—Adapted from the SFGate website
one unique worker at a time
One secret of being an effective manager is to respect your
employees’ individual uniqueness. Some people work best on a
team, others by themselves; some want feedback and encour-
agement, whereas others function at their best when they’re
autonomous.
Meet individually with your employees when they start
working for you or when you take over a department. Ask
them what they hope to gain from working for your organiza-
tion, and how they believe they can contribute best. Observe
them to be sure they’re being honest, then do your best to give
them what they need.
Remember that simply meeting with them and listening
to them will show your commitment to helping them do their
best work.
—Adapted from the Denver Business Journal
Career enhancement:
Three quick methods
Career development doesn’t have to take a lot of time. If you
think only a lengthy training workshop will enhance your
opportunities (or those of your employees), try these quick
development tips:
• Ask someone from another department to explain his or
her job to you. This will increase your overall knowledge of
how your organization works.
• Go to lunch with your boss. Don’t talk about yourself—ask
questions about how he or she sets priorities, solves prob-
lems, and handles the pressures of the job.
• Build a portfolio of your achievements. Highlight your
successful projects and key accomplishments. This can be a
useful tool for enhancing your career prospects.
—Adapted from the Berks & Beyond website
 The Manager’s Intelligence Report 3

Improve productivity:
Marginal performers? key factors to watch
Follow this action plan Certain workplace factors can have a
direct effect on employee performance
In Garrison Keillor’s fictional Lake Wobegone, all the children are above and productivity. Pay more attention to
average. But in the real-life workplace, you’re going to confront at least a few these areas, and you’ll have a workforce
employees who are consistently below average in their work performance. of effective, efficient employees:
What should you do? Don’t act in haste. Follow this strategy: • Expectations. What do you want
• Diagnose the problem. Review the employee’s background. Check his or employees to achieve? Be specific in
her job description, workload, training, and so forth. Has the employee terms of quality, quantity, timeliness,
advanced in his or her career up to this point? What external factors might and cost. Set up a system to measure
be affecting his or her performance? results and standards.
• Discuss expectations. Don’t attack the employee. Sit down for a calm • Policies and procedures. How is
conversation about his or her job and career. Explain what you’ve observed work organized in your department?
without criticism or judgment, and listen attentively to the employee’s Does the workflow system make
response. Look for solutions together. If training or coaching is needed, sense? Do employees have the tools
provide it. Set a timeline for improvement, and be clear about the benefits needed to succeed? What is the
of improvement and the consequences of failure. environment like? Are co-workers
• Document the discussion. Write up a report on your meeting and ask the supportive of one another?
employee to review and sign it. This protects both of you from confusion • Feedback. As manager, your job is to
and misunderstandings later. deliver timely feedback on whether
• Follow up. Employees want to know whether you’re serious about employees are meeting expectations.
improvement. The best way to show them is to check back on a regular Otherwise, employees have no sense
basis to review their progress. Be sure you have objective criteria to of how they’re performing.
evaluate: “Do a better job of ensuring quality” isn’t as effective as “Reduce • Incentives. Whatever rewards you
defects by 10 percent of their present level every week.” offer for good performance should be
• Reevaluate. If the employee improves, great. Maintain your level of consistent and tied to company
attention until you’re confident the problem won’t reappear. If not, you objectives. Try to offer frequent awards
may have to let the employee go. Be sure the employee knows that this is a and acts of recognition. These are
possibility, and keep him or her informed so dismissal doesn’t come as a much more effective than larger, but
surprise. more distant, ones (e.g., annual
—Adapted from the Apsley Recruitment website reviews).
—Adapted from Bottom Line/Business

CONNECTIONS
The No. 1 reason people leave an organization isn’t inadequate pay or benefits.
It’s the day-to-day relationship with their immediate superior.
John Putzier, founder of FirStep

Five habits to become a more effective leader

If you want to have a positive impact on
your organization and your people, you
can’t limit your daily activities to
paperwork and meetings. Build your
leadership skills by practicing these
“exercises” every day on the job:
• Visualize your goals. To achieve your
objectives, you’ve got to keep them at
the front of your mind, not scribbled
on a Post-it somewhere. Review your
goals every day. Look at them in three
dimensions: short-term (what can you
do right now?); mid-term (where do
you want to be in three to six
months?); and long-term (what’s the
ultimate result you’re aiming for?).
• F ocus on income. Your organization
can’t sustain itself for very long
without revenue. When setting
priorities and making decisions,
concentrate on what’s most likely to
benefit the bottom line.
• Cultivate personal development.
Make learning a part of your day:
Talk to as many people as you can,
read widely, ask questions, and open
your mind to new perspectives. Go
beyond what you already know, and
expose yourself to new ideas.
• Network with successful leaders.
Cultivate relationships with people
you can learn from, both inside your
industry and in the broader world.
Keep in touch as frequently as you
can: Meet for lunch or coffee, chat on
the phone, or get together for a
brainstorming session whenever your
schedule permits.
• Believe in yourself. You can’t be an
effective leader unless you feel like
one. That doesn’t mean adopting an
arrogant persona, but don’t let doubts
and worries get in the way of making
decisions. Focus on what you’ve
achieved, and maintain a healthy level
of self-confidence in order to keep
moving forward.
—Adapted from the Impact Factory website
4 The Manager’s Intelligence Report

Ask 6 crucial questions before launching change

Managing change is one of your most
important and difficult tasks. The key is
to be sure it’s necessary so you can
explain it persuasively to your work-
force. Before rushing into anything,
answer these critical questions:
• Why change? Analyze the status quo
thoroughly. Look beyond the
symptoms to determine the root
cause of the problem you want to
address before deciding on a solution.
• Who agrees with the need to
change? Look for evidence and
support from experts and other
organizations. If you’re the only
person who sees the need for change,
you’ll have a tough time persuading
the rest of the organization to follow
you.
• Do you have a plan? An idea isn’t a
plan. Before launching a change
initiative, or even announcing it,
work up a detailed strategy for
getting to where you want to be. This
will inspire confidence in the people
whose support you’ll need.
• What might get in the way?
Consider all the obstacles you might
confront. You may not be able to
anticipate everything, but you’ll be
better prepared to deal with unex-
pected roadblocks if you’ve already
thought through your response to
predictable problems.
• Can you persuade people? You can’t
implement change all by yourself.
Sure, you can change a rule, but you
need your workforce to understand
and accept it in order to get results.
Be ready to offer evidence and stand
up to objections, and work on your
communication skills so you can
bring people around to your side.
• Do you have the resources? Employ-
ees may need to be trained. You may
need to purchase new equipment or
supplies. And everyone will take some
time to adjust. Can you afford all
this? Draw up a budget and timeline
that make sense.
—Adapted from the Entrepreneur website

LEADERSHIP
Leadership—like motivation—is quicksilver and ephemeral.
It’s hard to define precisely but easy to recognize when you encounter it.
—Frank McNair, author of Golden Rules for Managers

Alignment: Ask employees to track their work

To set better goals,
begin at the end
Like a road map, a well-defined
goal tells you where to go and how
to get there. But without a specific
endpoint, a map is just a piece of
paper that can send you anywhere.
Setting a goal is like unfolding a
map—it’s a beginning, not a
destination.
Before you set any goals in your
workplace, clarify your organiza-
tion’s strategic objectives. What does
your company want to accomplish
in the long term? Build your goals
around these big-picture achieve-
ments.
Goals that support strategic
objectives will make more sense to
your employees, leading to greater
commitment and effort as everyone
moves forward.
—Adapted from the Birmingham
Business Journal
Want to stay on top of what your employees are doing? Need to make sure their
activities are aligned with your organization’s goals? Try asking them for a monthly
progress report.
Don’t make it a lengthy requirement, just a short document reviewing what
projects and tasks they’re working on, what they’ve accomplished since the
previous work, and any training they’ve received—or they think need.
Meet one on one to discuss the report and make adjustments as necessary.
You’ll come away with a clearer view of your employees’ efforts and workload, and
they’ll get a better sense of your priorities.
—Adapted from the True You Marketing website
What message is your body language sending?
You can send a strong message to employees without uttering a single word. And it
may be the wrong message.
Make sure your body language doesn’t tell employees you’re not interested in
them. Three quick tips:
• Look employees in the face. Even a slight turn when people are speaking can
indicate a lack of interest in what they’re saying.
• Remove physical barriers. Any obstacle between you and the other person—a
desk, a cubicle wall, etc.—can create a feeling of distance that interferes with
your rapport.
• Lean forward. This expresses interest in what the other person is saying—as
long as you don’t invade his or her personal space. In most workplace situations,
you’re best standing about 2-3 feet away.
—Adapted from the Dallas Business Journal
 The Manager’s Intelligence Report 5

Address poor performance with hard questions

The answer to employee performance
problems isn’t always complicated.
Sometimes it’s a matter of asking the
right question. Here are some common
reasons for poor performance:
• Does the employee know what to
do? This is basic, but vital. Explain
the requirements of the job or task
clearly so people know what’s
expected.
• Do employees know why their tasks
are important? Tell them what their
action is supposed to accomplish and
how it affects customers, co-workers,
and your bottom line.
• D oes the worker know how success
is measured? Letting employees
know how results will be evaluated
allows them to monitor and adjust
their efforts.
• Have you explained the rules?
Employees must understand proper
procedures and restrictions, as well as
why following them is important.
• Do they understand the conse-
quences? Tell your workers how their
performance will affect them
personally. Clarify any incentives for
success, and the possible penalties for
poor performance.
• Do they have the proper training?
You can’t expect employees to success-
fully complete tasks they don’t know
how to carry out. Ask them how they
plan to do the job, and provide
adequate training on equipment and
procedures before they begin.
• Do you show your appreciation? A
paycheck isn’t sufficient if you want
to earn an employee’s full commit-
ment. Be sure to thank employees for
doing their jobs. They’ll remember
your words when you assign new
tasks.
—Adapted from the Open Loops blog

How to keep your cool Walking the talk effectively:

in moments of conflict
Many managers are understandably afraid of conflict at
work. Although it can’t be eliminated, you can take steps to
prevent it from spiraling out of control.
Here are some tips for managing conflict so it doesn’t
become destructive:
• Identify your hot buttons. Often we overreact to conflict
because of other factors: lack of sleep, frustration with
technology, personal problems, etc. The more people
know what’s likely to trigger an outburst, the better they
can control and respond to stressful situations.
• Take responsibility. Don’t fall into the “he made me get
mad” game. Learn to assume responsibility for your own
responses to conflict. By controlling yourself, you’ll set an
example for the people around you.
• Focus on solutions. Instead of blaming other people or
factors outside your control, start fixing the problem that’s
making you and other people upset. You’ll quickly forget
your anger if you’re engaged in constructive action.
• Listen to others. Often we shut out other people when
we get angry. Teach yourself to take a deep breath and
consider what your employee, colleague, or boss is trying
to tell you. You’ll de-escalate the tension and move into a
better mindset for solving the problem.
• Watch your language. In the heat of the moment, we all
say things we regret later. Don’t make problems for
yourself down the line. Avoid name-calling and foul
language that can poison your relationships with people
whose cooperation you need.
• Pace yourself. You may need a few moments to calm
down. Ask for a break or offer to discuss the problem at
a later time if you sense that you might lose control of
your emotions.
—Adapted from the Memphis Business Journal
How to practice MBWA
Your management duties shouldn’t prevent you from
getting away from your desk and talking to your employees as
much as possible.
“Management By Walking Around” can enhance your
overall efforts to communicate and engage with your work-
force.
Just remember these caveats:
• You may not agree with everything you hear. Don’t
punish people or get angry when they disagree with you, as
long as they do so respectfully.
• You’ve got to stay focused. One-on-one conversations
show people you take them seriously. Don’t try to include
everyone in your informal talks.
• Business isn’t everything. Don’t limit yourself to what’s
going on around the office. Ask about families, activities,
and anything else to show your interest in employees as
individuals.
—Adapted from the Washington Business Journal
Deal with these concerns
on an employee’s first day
When employees show up at your workplace on their first
day, they have a lot of questions. Three of the most important
questions you have to address are:
• “Is my boss competent?”
• “Can I trust this organization?”
• “Do people here care about me?”
You may not be able to conclusively answer these
questions on the employee’s first day, but you can address
them from the beginning and start winning the employee’s
confidence and engagement.
—Adapted from the Cube Rules website
6 The Manager’s Intelligence Report

Mavericks at work: How to keep them in line

You’ve got a star performer who’s
difficult to control. The advantages of
his or her high performance may be
obvious, but you can’t let even your best
people ignore rules and do whatever
they want.
Here are some suggestions for
reining your mavericks in:
• F eed their motivation. Discover
what drives them, what they want to
accomplish in their careers. Offer
incentives that address their goals and
values to motivate positive behavior.
• S et explicit expectations. Top
performers may be so busy getting
things done that they’re not paying
attention to what they should be
doing. Emphasize what’s required
during feedback sessions. This
eliminates excuses and may help
them set priorities better.
• Give them some freedom. Set
reasonable boundaries, but don’t
micro-manage your mavericks. Give
them as much autonomy as you can
in how they do their work—flexible
scheduling, for example—as long as
they adhere to the rules.
• Help them grow. Often your best
people are the most ambitious, and
they’ll grow bored and resentful if
they feel stuck in one role. Talk to
them about career opportunities and
steer them toward conferences and
seminars that will stimulate their
imagination so they’re not concen-
trating on what they can get away
with.
• Introduce them to top manage-
ment. Mavericks may feel isolated
because they’re so focused on their
own success. Bring them into contact
with upper-level managers and other
key stakeholders so they better
understand how their performance
reflects on the organization as a
whole.
• Give honest feedback. Top perform-
ers need feedback as much as any
other employee. Tell them what
they’re doing well, but don’t neglect
areas that might be limiting them in
their careers. They can’t change if
nobody tells them why they should.

THE EDGE
So how do you gain advantage and truly stand out from the crowd?
The key is to forget about keeping up and set a new standard for yourself and your company.
—Daniel Burrus, technology forecaster

Ask these questions

Get more value from your day before finalizing
through thoughtful planning that promotion
Some people see moving up into
The secret of using your time efficiently is to be sure that every action you
management as the only way to
take supports your goals and job requirements. But this is usually easier said
advance in their careers.
than done. Instead of checking things off a to-do list, make sure each item on
But not everyone is cut out to be
your list is tied to one of your main goals. Follow these guidelines:
a manager.
1. Review your goals regularly. Each week, review your goals and link them
Before promoting a talented
to your activities for the week. This will help you stay on target.
employee to a management role, ask
2. Prioritize your efforts. Ask yourself whether each activity takes you closer
the person these questions and watch
to your goals. Prioritize tasks that contribute to those objectives.
his or her responses carefully:
3. Set deadlines for all critical activities. Then, do what’s necessary to meet
• “What do you enjoy about your job?
them. This will boost your self-esteem and establish your credibility.
Would you be disappointed if you
4. Plan your day in advance. Each day, plan your schedule for tomorrow to
weren’t doing that any more?”
support your goals. Remember to allow some flexibility to handle emergen-
• “You’ve seen what managers do every
cies and leave room to respond to last-minute changes. If you schedule
day—would you like to do those
your day too rigidly, you will create unnecessary additional stress when
things? Could you do them better?”
things go wrong and you have to juggle your plans.
• “Do you want to mentor and coach
5. Schedule creative or challenging activities for your peak hours. For
people?”
example, if you are a morning person, schedule a negotiation at 8 a.m. and
• “Can you hold people accountable?
return all your calls at 3 p.m.
Are you willing to fire or discipline
6. Do less. Spend your time doing those things that only you can do. Use
an employee?”
delegation to develop employees and help them grow so they can take on
Honest answers will tell you a lot
more responsibility. When you delegate, don’t follow the person around.
about the employee’s readiness for a
Define parameters, guidelines, and expectations, and then let the person
management position.
handle the task as he or she sees fit.
—Adapted from The New York Times
 The Manager’s Intelligence Report 7

Eliminate the roots

Don’t dither: A step-by-step of employee turnover
problem-solving formula Staff retention is always a concern for
managers. Even if you’ve got a healthy
In order to solve problems effectively, it’s important that your teams have a pipeline of recruits, interviewing and
formal system in place. hiring take time and energy. If you
Use the following process to solve problems, generate creative solutions, realize your organization is having
and evaluate whether those solutions are working: trouble retaining good people, examine
1. Identify the problem. What exactly is the problem you are trying to solve? these issues:
How does each member of the team see the problem? What is causing the • Are you hiring the right people?
problem? How would things change if the problem were solved? Look beyond the superficial. A
2. Generate alternative solutions. Tell your team to pretend that there are candidate may have gone to an Ivy
no constraints. What kind of solutions can you generate? List as many League school, or have worked for a
solutions as you can; at this point, there are no bad ideas. Fortune 50 firm, and still not be a
3. Establish objective criteria. What do you want the solution to accom- good fit for your culture.
plish? How will you measure whether it’s a success? • Are you describing the position
4. Decide on the solution that best fits the criteria. Take each alternative accurately? Analyze job descriptions
through the criteria, and figure out which one stands the best chance of and compare them with what
succeeding. Ask yourself whether this is the best solution possible. employees actually do, so new hires
5. Put the decision in place. What needs to be done in order for the don’t experience unwelcome surprises.
solution to happen? Who needs to do what? Assign tasks to people, and • Are you keeping your promises?
make them responsible for putting the solution in place. Don’t over-promise and under-deliver
6. Evaluate the solution. After a while, go back and examine the solution. Did it when it comes to things like advance-
solve the problem? Did it do everything it was supposed to do? Did it meet ment and salary reviews. Employees
each of the measurable criteria you laid out in the problem-solving meeting? who feel they’ve been misled won’t
stick around for more.
—Adapted from How to Lead Work Teams, by Fran Rees (Jossey-Bass)
—Adapted from the Small Business Online
Community website

For productive meetings, start with the conclusion

One reason many meetings fail to
accomplish their objectives is that
managers don’t know how to conclude
them. As a result, the meeting drags on
for too long, key points are forgotten,
and no decisions are made and acted
upon. For a big finale to your next
meeting, follow these guidelines:
• Leave enough time for review. If
you are working from an agenda,
build in time to review what has been
talked about, reiterate the action that
needs to be taken, answer questions,
and outline expectations. It usually
takes about five to seven minutes to
conclude a one-hour meeting
effectively.
• Repeat key items. Even the best
meetings are wasted if everyone leaves
with different ideas about what was
decided and who needs to do what by
when. During the conclusion, write
down every action that needs to be
taken as a result of the meeting; assign
each action to a person, with a specific
deadline; and distribute copies of these
assignments to everyone as a follow-up.
• Finish on time. In addition to
winning the respect and gratitude of
everyone who attends, closing the
meeting on time forces everyone to
be sharp and stay focused on the
agenda. The most unproductive
meetings are those that drag on and
on, long after anything worthwhile
has been accomplished.
—Adapted from We’ve Got to Start Meeting
Like This, by Roger K. Mosvick and Robert
B. Nelson (Park Avenue)

THE MANAGER’S
INTELLIGENCE REPORT
An insider’s fast track to better management

Published 12 times a year by Mark Ragan, CEO © 2010 Ragan Management Resources, a division
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8 The Manager’s Intelligence Report

Be an assertive manager—not an aggressive one

Successful managers are assertive. That
doesn’t mean you have to be hostile or
authoritarian with your employees. You
just need to be firm about what you
expect.
Here’s how to be assertive and
effective:
• E stablish your role up front. Don’t
be afraid to tell employees what you
need from them. They’re looking to
you for direction, so give them a clear
idea of your expectations as manager.
• H old employees accountable. When
you set expectations for your people,
stick to them. Backing off will send
the message that you don’t care about
results and can reduce motivation in
people who want to do a good job.
• Acknowledge good performance.
Tell people when they’ve done a good
job. This may seem obvious, but it’s
easy to forget in the rush to get things
done and move onto the next task.
Behavior that’s praised and rewarded
tends to get repeated.
• Delegate with direction. You’ll need
to assign tasks to employees for two
reasons: to free up your own time and
to help them develop important job
skills. When you delegate, give clear
instructions, deadlines, and param-
eters. Invite questions and schedule
progress reports so you stay on top of
how the employee is doing.
• Connect employees with company
objectives. You take your employer’s
goals seriously; you should work to
ensure that your employees do the
same. Tell them how their work
affects their co-workers, customers,
and the organization’s bottom line.
Let them know why their perfor-
mance is important, and they’ll
understand your priorities better.
—Adapted from the Articles Base website

ABUNDANCE
I believe people have tried to amputate the humanness from business.
When we’re abundant, make magic, and are real, we can still produce amazing results.
—Jill Blashack Strahan, founder of Tastefully Simple

Check—and confirm—expectations at work

Are your expectations clear to your employees—and vice versa? Try this exercise:
For each employee, list five major expectations you have. Then list what you
Motivate yourself
believe to be the five most important expectations they have of you. Ask each one in minutes a day
of your employees to do the same thing. One at a time, sit down with your Motivation doesn’t have to take a
employees and compare lists. You may be surprised by the discrepancies—and the lot of time. Try using some short
similarities. Dig deep to be sure you understand each other. For example, if your motivation exercises to stay
employee expects you to support him or her, ask what “support” means. focused on your goals. Here’s
At the end, you should have a better idea of what you expect from each other. how to do it:
—Adapted from the Larry Johnson Web site Every morning, spend two
minutes reviewing your goals and
going over what you can do that
How to ask employees to work overtime day to meet them.
Your employees already work hard. How are they likely to respond when you ask Every afternoon, spend
them to work overtime? another two minutes reviewing
You’ll get a better reaction if you keep them informed. Tell them what’s going what problems you have already
on before you request overtime. If they understand that a customer has just placed solved, which goals you have
a massive order, or a key employee is out sick, they’ll be more ready to pitch in. achieved, and what else you should
Show your appreciation for their extra effort, and be willing to join in and do before the end of the day.
help out to show you’re not above doing “real” work with them when necessary. Finally, spend two minutes
—Adapted from the Gaebler.com website at the end of every day reviewing
the goals you have achieved, and
setting up tomorrow’s goals.
Set time limits for better brainstorming sessions Done right, this may be the
A brainstorming meeting can generate lots of good ideas. You know the drill: Focus most productive six minutes you
on a single question, record every idea, quash criticism, and so on. spend all day.
One useful point to remember: Don’t go on too long. Most groups will run —Adapted from 1,001 Ways to Inspire
out of steam—and ideas—in about 15 minutes, and letting the meeting drag on Your Organization, Your Team, and
Yourself, by David E. Rye (Career
past that point won’t produce the good ideas you need. Press)
Call a halt and start evaluating ideas while people still have energy.
—Adapted from the Business First website