can be ‘ready’ Of Fundamentals, Change And The Winning Concoction Of Management Mantras
It is said one can never be ready for the changing dynamics of the work place and its management. There is something new to be dealt with every day; be it employees, competition, mar-ket place, product, pricing, promotion, customers, legal issues or, feedback. Everyone that is part of an organisation have their hands full with one or, most of the time, many of these issues. Some deal with it on an ‘as-it-happens’ basis, others have a well-planned model that rings with their personal attitude, faith and respect towards work and work place. Having an established ritual of following certain principles in management, can boost your persona, relationship with co-workers and the business in the long run.
Being in business and be-ing a business leader are two different things. As is being the person that leads the latter kind of organisation. Manag-ers and business leaders who make things happen have a se-cret recipe that help them and in turn their organisations stay right on top through all kinds of weather. Whichever side the tide turns, some businesses will stay rooted and growing without a hint of distress. Such businesses are not just the re-sult of terrific business deci-sions but of people who con-tribute to them on an everyday basis. People who can anchor a business to steady growth also invest in best practices thereby keeping the employee-organisation relationship on a high. Their practises are their addictions. And at the end of the day, it is those addictions that make it possible to run efficiently and successfully a multi-tiered, multi-talented organisation where thousands of employees from different backgrounds check-in. A busi-ness is like the stock market– fall when its employees fail it and be all bullish when the employees are inspired. So what are these wining mantras great managers and CEOs follow? What lethal combination of ideas and hab-its do successful people have? We categorise these best prac-tices into ten.
Mantra 1:
Be audacious in your vision
Scarcity of vision is the first impediment to any business, not funding. In a country like ours, opportunities are aplenty. Exploring and exploiting the times with a great idea/vision is the key. Define what you are looking to be and where you want to be.
Best managed companies have no dearth of vision. They have an air of audacity about them that was missing from the business scene as less than a decade ago. Today, markets and consumers are open wide to acceptance of newer ideas, products and ser-vices. Investors are lapping up good opportunities driven by people with a great and thor-ough vision. If you are in busi-ness, ask why you are in busi-ness. If you are an employee in the business, ask why you are there. That is the only way you will arrive at what you goals are, where you want to be and how you are going to get there.
Mantra 2:
Say hello to your core competencies
Build your work around your core competency. Man has the innate urge to be Jack-of-all because we believe we are superior human beings of all times. Any organisation will expect you to be a Jack and you should be. However, the primary reason behind hiring you is your core competency. Spot your strength and flaunt it. Keep constantly working on it. Find newer ways to impro-vise every time. Be thorough. Be creative and go for the kill. Businesses that have leveraged their core strengths are the ones that have been able to scale up and exceed expectations on the balance sheets every year.
Mantra 3:
Make a great government
Great governance creates great employees.
Congratulations to you if you have established a great organisation that thinks on its feet when it comes to handling employee concerns. While every rule in the book need following in order to avoid confrontations or bias, adding a personal touch while dealing with people and treating every co-worker as an individual is the right thing to do if you want to keep your co-workers/employees close. Some of the finest managers stay on top by taking a step down to work hand-in-hand with their teams. The best loved and respected CEO doesn’t even summon his un-derling to his cabin, he appar-ently walks over into his for a discussion! Talk about a lesson in humility.
Mantra 4:
Awaken the leader
Employees are any organ-isation’s strength and invest-ment. You should allow that in-vestment on its way of natural progression.
Allow them the berth to grow. Choose, prune and train team members to take on higher positions. It not only boosts an employee’s confi-dence, it inculcates a spirit of competition and faith in the organisation. It allows the em-ployees to believe that the or-ganisation cares for them and their improvement and, also leads them to believe in them-selves because their manager/organisation believes in them. Step away from conven-tional methods of looking outside for replacements every time and awaken your underlings to assume leadership positions.
Mantra 5:
Pursue quality with zeal
Quality is a concept that pervades all sectors and each business. No matter how press-ing your deadlines, bat for quality. Value is created and measured by the quality of out-put produced. Quality of work is what will drive customers to your business, it is also what will make you a winner and dependable source in the eyes of your boss and underlings.
Mantra 6:
Revolutionise for your customers
Any business is customer dependent. Increase in the satisfaction index of your cus-tomers is directly proportional to business growth. Innovate to add value to your customers regularly. It not only helps you put competition far behind and earn better bonuses at work but inspire greater ideas for a bet-ter world.
Mantra 7:
Be the leader everyone aspires to be
The thing that has changed dramatically over the decade is a shift from ‘command and control’ to ‘collaboration and teamwork’. Around 80 to 90 percent of the job is how we work together toward com-mon goals, which requires a different skill set. A combina-tion of strategic thinking and tireless, relentless execution and extraordinary people skills are the make of managers who win the day. As a leader, cre-ate and inspire a culture of re-sponsibility within your team. Be the driver to that culture personally as well. People feel good when they establish what falls under their ring of responsibility. Give them op-portunities that will challenge them. Challenges make people grow. Credit them when things go well. Never steal their thun-der. Assume responsibility for your employees’ mistakes. Do-ing this allows your employees to innovate and, ultimately, to learn or grow. Workers who learn from their mistakes will grow to become better work-ers. As Peter Drucker said, “Leadership is doing the right things. Leadership also in-cludes enabling others to do right things.” Inspire disci-pline in the people you work with. Also be trustworthy and approachable.
Set realistic goals for the team. But also be that person who shoots for the moon. A manager who never punches above his weight can come across as lacking ambition. Take calculated risks backed by research and understanding of the market you operate in.
Inculcate the same in your un-derlings. Make sure everyone knows what’s expected and offer goal-specific feedback. A great conductor leads by blending into the background. If you are a great manager, your boss can tell, not just by the way your business unit is doing but also by the way your underlings hold you.
Mantra 8:
Acknowledge your own missteps
Everyone makes mistakes. Own up. Be big about your mistakes. Acknowledging your mistakes is also one of the tricks of the trade; it shows your underlings and co-work-ers how they should handle their mistakes. They will par-take in your mistake in their heads without your asking. They will work to ensure that such an event does not hap-pen again. Members of a good team will look out for one an-other. Maintain an open chan-nel of communication so that you can spot problems and fix them as soon as possible.
Mantra 9:
Listen
Listening is the mark of a great communicator. Listen to your co-workers carefully. Clarify what you are hearing so that everyone knows that they are understood perfectly. That way you can ensure that there is no room for error. Take an interest in your employees.
Every interaction with your underlings and co-workers need not be strictly business. Make an effort to know them – establish a per-sonal connection: ask after their well-being, tell them about yourself. Treat every-one equally – be they the of-fice boy or your boss, they are all human and deserve respect. A person is known by how he treats others.
Mantra 10:
Give back to the society
We are part of the society. We derive a lot from the so-ciety as business people who closely engage with it either as business owners or as em-ployees who help the business achieve its goals. Contributing to it also means contributing to our own growth. It is investing in ourselves and our tomorrow. Organisations have realised that enriching the environ-ment they operate in help their employees flourish along with the business. This is a dream scenario for any organisation.As a good employee and citi-zen one needs to partake in the organisation’s contribution to society. Support a cause you believe in, give it your time. Being involved with people and helping them will incul-cate in you a feeling of inclu-siveness. This is the new yoga for the soul. After every outing for a social benefit, you will come back inspired.
BUDDING MANAGERS
MARCH 2014 ISSUE
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Posted On: Thursday, 10 April, 2014 - 15:24