On my personal blog, I’ve written about Bill Swanson’s 25 Unwritten Rules of Management. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the list, it provides a set of potential pitfalls and common mistakes for new management.
I’ve read a lot about management – of both people and things. Anything from managing HR disputes to ITIL integration and management, the fundamental axioms of management strategy remain consistent: focus on pragmatism whilst maintaining your long term vision.
1. Learn to say, “I don’t know.” If used when appropriate, it will be often.
Upper management tend to be masters of their craft, having climbed the corporate ladder through a combination of technical prowess, charisma and blind luck. Confidence is a large part of being successful in a management role, indeed the ability to identify your strengths and build on them enables you to better yourself within the industry in which you are involved and differentiates you from those who may lack the talent or passion to succeed in a management role. The other side of the double edged confidence sword however, is that people tend to see those who are good at what they do as arrogant or unapproachable.
Having been operational for so long, new managers may find it difficult to step back from operational duties to give oversight to business process. As a manager, you need to trust your employees to be good at what they do, so you can focus on being good at what you do. Micromanagement, whilst effective in some scenarios, tends to negatively affect morale, especially when dealing with skilled workers.
If you notice your employees quipping about your technical skills, don’t become defensive – if you are doing so much operational work that they are able to successfully gauge your level of skill, then you’re too busy doing their job for them. Instead of being reactionary to their accusations, take a step back and identify the ways in which you can improve your approach. You spent many years developing your operational skills, so why is it so that when you’re in management, you don’t spend that time honing your management skills?
2. It is easier to get into something than it is to get out of it.
I have written about this previously in an article called “The Metaphorical Toffee Apple”, which I will post here again at some stage. In small business especially, it is very easy to make promises and deviate from core business in an effort to engage new clients. A perfect example of this is reactionary pricing.
Pricing is a misunderstood beast, especially in the service industry. The quality of your service is judged both by its own merits but also by its price. Price changes quite literally have the ability to change your target market, despite what your advertising intends – this has the potential to render tens of thousands of dollars in branding and brand saturation useless, as your target market makes assumptions about the service based on its cost point.
When a competitor introduces disruptive pricing, don’t be so quick to match or beat – your business model worked before their pricing structure existed, so without supporting anecdotal evidence to support otherwise, there is no reason that it shouldn’t work afterwards.
3. If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.
You can’t please everyone. No matter how hard you try, you will always encounter people who disagree with your management style (or perhaps just plain don’t like you). This is human nature – learning to deal with criticism is an integral part of management.
When in a management position, you are constantly in the spotlight and you’ll find that your employees are less forgiving than they would be towards one of their coworkers.
It’s important to not let the fear of criticism restrict you from making the decisions that you need to make. Some decisions are just plain unpopular, but if they are in the best interests of the business, you will have the support that you require to follow them through.
You work to make money, not to make friends.
4. Look for what is missing. Many know how to improve what’s there, but few can see what isn’t there.
Business improvement is integral to success. Remaining stagnant within your industry is a sure fire way to drive your business into the ground – this is exemplified by businesses such as General Motors, who have failed to identify their shortcomings and improve their business.
Methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma provide a fantastic framework for encouraging all members of your business to identify non-performing business process and identifying gaps in business process, with the intent of increasing efficiency.
Be sure to get your employees involved in business improvement – despite the fact you may believe you have visibility of their day to day operations, your employees are in the best position to identify gaps in business process and are often the best people to provide suggestions and methods for bridging these gaps. Not only does this give your employees a sense of involvement, but it also relieves you of the pressure of business improvement.
5. Viewgraph rule: When something appears on a viewgraph (an overhead transparency), assume the world knows about it, and deal with it accordingly.
Visibility is the key to success. When you run your business transparently, it gives you and your coworkers/employees the ability to identify gaps, even between disparate business units and management tiers. When someone provides visibility of an issue, it becomes your responsibility to address this issue. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to be the person who fixes the problem, but you do need to manage the process behind its resolution.
Not dealing with visible issues generates significant frustration, as employees feel that their input is not valued – this also often leads to them addressing these issues with an upper management tier, fortifying your employees claims as to your incompetency. By being proactive, you’re not just helping improve the business, but you’re also ensuring that your own input is valued by developing a reputation for being proactive.
6. Work for a boss with whom you are comfortable telling it like it is. Remember that you can’t pick your relatives, but you can pick your boss.
As I touched on earlier, building positive relationships with your management is integral to your success within the organization. There are times, however, when your input is not valued by those people who seek it.
Whilst mediation can be effective, there are times when management may even proactively fight any input that you provide: it is important to identify when this is the case, as there is little point in continuing to fight a losing battle. There are many workplaces that actively seek those who add value to their business – apply for a job with them!
7. Constantly review developments to make sure that the actual benefits are what they are supposed to be. Avoid Newton’s Law.
Like dust and those people with poor fashion sense, nonsense attracts nonsense. Enough said.
8. However menial and trivial your early assignments may appear, give them your best efforts.
Your initial work are what your colleagues will judge you by – it provides a yardstick from which to measure your performance. Creating a good first impression is just as important when stepping into a new role as it is when joining an organization for the first time.
Ensure that you remain focused and positive, despite the nature of the work that is thrown at you – it’s easy to become disillusioned by the seeming lack of change when moving into a new role. Remember that, as much as you need to grow into the role, the role also needs to grow into you. You may have operational work that you need to follow up before you’re able to focus on the responsibilities of your new position – this is a blessing in disguise, as management will see you as being focused, proactive and effective within your new role, even though you are merely fulfilling your previous duties. With this mindset, you may find your approach is different.
9. Persistence or tenacity is the disposition to persevere in spite of difficulties, discouragement, or indifference. Don’t be known as a good starter but a poor finisher.
This is intrinsically linked to point two which we spoke about earlier. If you find yourself in a little deep, be prepared to see that through. Having a reputation for not finishing what you start is a sure fire way to ensure you never get to touch project work.
10. In completing a project, don’t wait for others; go after them, and make sure it gets done.
You’re the manager – your job is to manage. As mentioned before, when in management, operational duties become second to the management of the process which surrounds them. Ensure that the people who you rely on are supporting the decisions that you make and are understanding and performing the duties that you have delegated them.
The responsibility for non-performing employees rests not only on the employee, but also on your ability to motivate and guide them – do not be quick to write them off, but attempt to coach them. Retained knowledge is expensive to replace.
11. Confirm your instructions and the commitments of others in writing. Don’t assume it will get done!
As follow-on from the previous point, ensure that you have written correspondence between your employees. Documentation is king and as frustrating as a paper trail can be to follow, it ensures that both yourself and your performing employees are covered in the event that a particular team member does not fulfill their responsibilities.
12. Don’t be timid; speak up. Express yourself, and promote your ideas.
Although it is obvious, sometimes it needs to be reiterated: communication is the key to success. Without expressing your ideas, it is impossible for you to progress or provide input within your role.
An important part of communication is the method in which you deliver it – be sure to provide room for healthy discussion, especially if you’re doing a presentation. Ideas often spark other ideas and improvements and it is through these discussions that innovation occurs. Don’t be tempted to stifle that discussion from a fear of someone “stealing your thunder” – if you’ve taken the time to present your ideas formally, you will be recognized for the contribution that you have made.
13. Practice shows that those who speak the most knowingly and confidently often end up with the assignment to get it done.
We have covered this already.
14. Strive for brevity and clarity in oral and written reports.
You’re no longer in high school or university – reports do not require a minimum word count and overuse of buzzwords just gives the impression that you’re covering for a lack of knowledge. Be concise, but not short or arrogant. Those people reading your report want to get the information they want then head to the water cooler to talk about what they did on the weekend. Chances are, if your report is lengthy and dull, nobody will read it anyway – so what was the point in writing it in the first place?
15. Be extremely careful of the accuracy of your statements.
People remember everything you say and promise. Check, double-check and get someone you trust to check all statements before release. People never remember the thousands of instances where you’ve provided them with factual, relevant evidence and will always pick you up for your mistakes. Whilst these mistakes are inevitable, ensure they are not recurring.
16. Don’t overlook the fact that you are working for a boss.
Your boss signs your timesheets. They’re usually a good person to keep happy. Remember that they have their own priorities and responsibilities and will often ask you to perform duties as a favor to them – if you feel that these need to be re-prioritized then speak up, but if your boss assures you of their priority then don’t argue – time spent doing so is time you could be spending just doing what they asked.
17. Promises, schedules, and estimates are important instruments in a well-ordered business.
Whilst this is very true, it is also very important to successfully manage expectations. Breaking promises, especially to public-facing customers, does not bide well for your companies image.
Estimates and schedules are powerful tools which allow for time management and prioritization. Ensure that these are progressive but realistic – both stagnation and over-aggressiveness are responsible for the murder of productivity.
Don’t be scared to make estimates or promises, but be prepared to back them up with a disclaimer. Never promise without a disclaimer, or your false expectations will come back to bite you.
18. Never direct a complaint to the top. A serious offense is to “cc” a person’s boss.
Remember, your boss signs your timesheets, recommends you for promotion and is in a pretty good place to make your life a living hell. If you have a problem with the way your boss approaches situations, express these concerns with them directly – this allows them visibility of the issue and gives them a chance to address it before it is escalated. If it does need to be escalated, ensure that your boss has visibility, otherwise him/her will feel threatened and chances are you’ll come off worse for the experience.
19. When dealing with outsiders, remember that you represent the company. Be careful of your commitments.
Remember to manage expectations, both internally and externally. Your companies PR department speaks on behalf of the company, not yourself.
20. Cultivate the habit of “boiling matters down” to the simplest terms. An elevator speech is the best way.
Lean, lean, lean. Over-complication leads to misunderstandings and frustration. People already have faith in your capabilities, so there’s no need to constantly prove yourself to them. By doing this, you will create a culture of minimalism and simplicity, which will allow you to better communicate during crisis situations.
21. Don’t get excited in engineering emergencies. Keep your feet on the ground.
Emergencies are exciting, motivating and are a fantastic way to prove your ability to think and act quickly – something that will place you in good esteem for a role in upper management. Don`t be quick to label an emergency; however, as engineering crisis scenarios will earn you a reputation for being impulsive and reactionary. Remain calm, assess the situation and spend a few minutes to plan before taking any action.
22. Cultivate the habit of making quick, clean-cut decisions.
Decision making is a major part of management – learn to make quick decisions without getting caught up in assessment. Whilst major decisions will require significant input and consideration, you don’t need to call a meeting to decide which brand of coffee everyone most likes. That’s what email was invented for.
23. When making decisions, the pros are much easier to deal with than the cons. Your boss wants to see the cons also.
This is another facet of communication – ensure that the business has visibility of all expected outcomes – this allows them to give better input and plan disaster avoidance/mitigation strategies that surround the decision.
24. Don’t ever lose your sense of humor.
Everyone screws up – that’s life. Remember to laugh at yourself when you do – people see it as a sign of character and also acknowledge that you’re human. Your employees will react much better to this than they will to someone who snaps at them.
25. Have fun at what you do. It will reflect in your work. No one likes a grump except another grump.
Management is rewarding – make sure that you enjoy what you do and that the enjoyment is reflected in the way that you treat the people that you work with. You rely on your team to get the job done – you can’t do it all, and if you could then they wouldn’t have hired the people that work underneath you. If you don’t enjoy it, identify the things that frustrate you and take positive steps to address them. There is no reason to not enjoy management or work in general, though you can’t expect these things to be handed to you on a platter.
You need to seek to improve not just business process, but the environment in which you work as well. This will allow you to improve morale and in turn increase productivity.