If this was a water slide, it would be awesome, but it’s not. (image from FreeDigitialPhotos.net)

As a manager, do you change your management style during volatile economic times?  If you don’t, you absolutely should and here is why.

You can’t stick your head in the sand

Where are you reading this article from?  From Europe? America? Australia?  Mexico?  You know what all these places have in common?  Volatile economies.  And what makes the problem  worse is that in the age of 24 hour news cycles, the media loves to report on the poor economy… all the time.

Every time I turn on CNN or the BBC, all I see is some taking head reporting on the debt crises in Europe, the slowing growth in China or the impending fiscal cliff in America.

So what does this all mean?  It means….

Your employees are nervous

Of course your employees are nervous.  If everyone keeps telling you that the sky is falling, eventually you are going to start believing that the sky is falling.

Then what happens if your company starts to lay off staff?  Now it hits close to home and if you thought your employees were nervous and anxious before, they will be 10 times as much now.

Nervous employees are unproductive employees

You can’t blame your employees for being nervous in a situation like this.   They read newspapers and watch t.v, so they are hearing all the negative talk, and if your company does begin to lay off staff, then it’s only natural for people to begin to wonder “am I next?”.

The problem is that if your people are spending this much timing worrying, their productivity will start to drop  and that is a problem.  Why? Not being productive will lead to a dip in your team’s performance.  And while you always should strive to have a high performance team, you definitely need to  ensure that you don’t have a low performance team during difficult economic times.   After all, poor performing business units are the first to be let go.

image from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Being a Manager in a Bad Economy

As a manager operating in a bad economy it is important to understand that the world around you has changed.  Therefore you can’t operate like nothing has changed.

The way I see it, you essentially have 3 objectives as it pertains to your team.

1. Maintain the productivity of your team
2. Keep your employees engaged
3. Don’t focus on what you can’t control

And you can achieve these objectives by making some minor changes to your management techniques.

1. Be as Transparent as possible

I am a big proponent of the transparent management style.  Readers of this site will now that I think it’s a mistake (within reason) to withhold information from your staff.

When I took over as Senior Manager of my current business unit, it was at the start of the terrible economic recession in late 2008 / early 2009.  I was able to keep my group whole, largely thanks to my transparent approach.

All I did was to increase the frequency of my team meetings from monthly to bi-weekly and I would share with my team everything I knew about the financial stability of our company.

How you deliver this message depends on how much your company and your specific division have been impacted by the poor economy.

The worst case scenario is a situation where not only are you operating in a bad economy, but your specific company has begun to lay off staff.

Here you need to be as transparent as possible.  Let your people know everything that you are aware about.  If there haven’t been discussions about trimming staff from your department, then reinforce that message with your team.

During the darkest days of 2009, I would begin every team meeting with a variation of the same message.  “Folks, I know you have been hearing a lot of rumors but I can tell you that there hasn’t been any talk of cutting staff in our department.   No one can predict the future, but I will let know as soon as I hear anything to the contrary.”

Now, if the decision is made to cut staff in your own department.  You need to shift gears to ensure that you fight for a fair severance package for your people.  And again, let them know as soon as possible.

2. Put things in perspective

However, if you’re in a situation where your company is healthy and profitable, congratulations you job as manager is a lot easier.

You need to provide your people with some perspective.  Communicate to your team that your company remains profitable and that you are not aware of mass lay-offs that are being discussed.

It’s easy for you people to become overly anxious due to the excessive reporting on television or print.  So reassure them as often as needed that the company is healthy and not in danger of bankruptcy.

Repetition is the not a bad thing.  If your employees are hearing bad news so often, you need to counter it with “real” news.

3. Tighten the control

As I mentioned before, a bad economy sharpens the need for all departments to operate efficiently as possible.  Two steps that I’ve taken in the past to ensure that my department is running efficiently as possible are A – proactively cut any excess staff that I don’t need and B – temporarily take on full control of projects and expenses.

I know some of you have just ready tip A and have just done a double take.  But I assure you, there is a method to my madness.  By proactively cutting any excess staff that I have, I achieve two things.  Number 1, it saves me making deeper cuts later or someone else making this type of decision for me in the future.    Secondly it demonstrates to my bosses that I’m thinking strategically and in the best interest of my company.

Being a manager is never an easy job, but a bad economy makes it a hard job.

That’s it folks, let me know what tips you have.

What Next?

Step 1:  If you like what you’ve read on this site, help us build MSC into the most helpful resource on the web for managers.  Like us on Facebook  to help spread the word (oh look, there is a handy link below ).  Thank you for being an early supporter.

Step 2:  Questions about what you’ve read on our site?  Comment,email, tweet or facebook us.

Step 3:  Don’t forget to signup for your FREE copy of our Monthly Managers Guide.

The post Being a Manager in a Bad Economy appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.

image courtesy freedigitalphotos.net

Anyone who has been in the workforce for at least 10 years will likely have experienced “it”.   “It” can instantly ruin your day, stress you out, make your skin crawl and cause an excess feeling of nausea.

No, I’m not talking about the year old milk you found in the company fridge   I’m talking of course about working for a bad manager.

You know that nothing tanks productivity, morale, retention and engagement with employees more than having to work for a terrible manager. But here is a shocking thought, what if you are a bad manager? What if you’re the person people loathe to work for?

Come on, admit it.  You’ve thought about this before right.   I wonder if my team hates me.  Are they making jokes about me behind my back?  Do they respect me?  Are they mocking my collection of miniature sombreros?  The answer to the last one is a yes by the way.

So how can you tell if you’re a bad manager?  What are the signs?  What are the symptoms?  Relax, your pal Stephen is here to help.  Here are 5 signs that you might be a redneck bad manager.

Do you take all the credit?

Do you take all of the credit for an idea that one of your employees had?  Or do you take all of the credit for your people’s performance.  If this describes you, then chances are you’re a bad manager.

Listen; put yourself in your people’s shoes.  How would you feel if you came up with a great idea that could make a huge impact for your company, and your boss ends up taking all the credit?  At the very least you are going to be resentful of your boss.

You might be thinking, “well they’re my people, I developed and trained them.”  Yes, yes you did.  But remember it takes 2 to tango.  No matter how good a teacher you may be, you need a good student who can listen to what you’re teaching and then deliver on it.

So don’t be a jerk, share the spotlight with your people.

Do you call the HR Department for every personnel issue?

So you just found out that two of your employees got into a heated disagreement in a meeting the other day.  What’s your first thought?  If your first thought is, “Oh I should inform HR and have them deal with it”.   Then congratulations, you’re clearly a conflict coward.

Depending on your company’s policy, there will clearly be times where you need to involve your HR Department.  Such as perhaps when you’re considering disciplinary action.  However, calling HR should be the exception and not the norm.

As I’ve said many times before, managing conflict is part of your job as a manager.  So do your job, don’t be a coward and ask someone else to deal with your responsibilities.

If you have a fear of managing conflict, then read these tips.

Do you try to be best friends with your employees?

Do you know what being a manager and being the cool kid in school have in common?  Absolutely nothing.   According to Websters, a manager is someone who directs a team.  Not a single word is mentioned around being a best friend.

As a manager you absolutely should strive to develop a strong working relationship with your people.  But that relationship should be built on mutual respect, trust and integrity.  Not a relationship built on doing personal favours and buying them lunch.

My advice, work on being respected, not being their best friend.

Do you try to pawn off your mistakes on your staff?

When you make a mistake, do you immediately start thinking about how you can get your staff to take the blame?  Or try to find a scapegoat?  If you do, don’t worry you’re not a bad manager, you’re a horrible manager.

Really, what’s wrong with you?  Nothing decreases morale and increases resignations more than working for a jerk.  And if you pull this type of move, you’re definitely a jerk,

Do you think you’re the greatest manager of all time?

The Greatest Manager of All Time (i.e The GOAT)

If you prance around the office all day (that’s right, I said prance) thinking you know everything about people management and that your greatest manager of all time, chances are you’re not.  Unless you are  Jack Donaghy, you’re not the greatest manager of all time.

So since you’re not the greatest thing since sliced bread, don’t act like a know-it-all.  Why?  Because your staff hates it when you act that way.  No one liked a “know-it-all” when you were in school, and likewise, no one likes a know-it-all in the workplace.

Did you answer yes to any of these questions?

So what do you do if you answered “yes” to any of these questions?  If you said “take up drinking”, I like your style, but you’re mistaken.   Don’t worry, even if you answered yes to 4 of those questions, you can fix the problem. You can rehabilitate yourself.

How?

Step 1:  Go back to the basics

Listen, the first step is to admit you have a problem.  And if you answered yes to most of these questions, you clearly have a problem.

This means it’s time to go back and brush up on the basics.  Luckily for you The TrainingCenter.com has a very good Management Fundamentals e-Learning course for a special sale price of $47.

Take the time, and complete this course.

Step 2: Start developing your basic manager skills.

Check back here and start working on developing these 5 skills…

• Listening
• Communication
• Coaching
• Motivation
• Project Management

Step 3:  Don’t forget to signup for your FREE copy of our Monthly Managers Guide.

The post 5 Signs You Might Be a Bad Manager appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.

Image via freedigitalphotos.com

News Flash: being a manager isn’t always about lollipops, sunshine, free lunches and the big bucks.  Some days being the manager is completely awful.   You have to perform tasks that are unpleasant, tasks that can impact lives for the negative, tasks that can keep you awake at night. Sometimes being the manager is about tough decisions and being unpopular girl or guy.

So over the past 4 weeks I polled 182 managers to find out what you think the hardest thing about being a manager is.

Here are the survey results…..

Managing the needs of your team versus the needs of your organization – 5%

Many managers encounter the “sandwich effect”.   They are sandwiched between the needs of their organization and the needs of their team.  And surprise surprise, these needs are not always the same.

One of my favourite analogies that I’ve heard that best describes the complexity that comes from managing these competing priorities comes from Reddit user Cacafuego:

I sometimes picture myself as a clutch, allowing the executive and labor gears to spin freely or interact as appropriate. This requires a lot of judgment, and sometimes I get it wrong and take flak from both sides.

Office Politics – 12%

A friend of mine works at the head office of one of the largest Retailers in North America.  When I asked her what the worst part of being in management was, without hesitation she said – Office Politics.

 “You have no idea how bad the office politics are here, it’s like the worst part of high school all over again”.

I’m completely with her; office politics are is like a cancer in the workplace.  I’m fortunate to work for an organization where office politics are nearly non-existent.  So I had to ask her, why don’t you just leave and go to another company where office politics aren’t a problem?

Her reply,

“Leaving would be the easy solution, but  with the most of the ‘political leaders’ schedule to retire within the next 3 years, I have a unique opportunity to rid the cancer once and for all.”

Check out these tips if you want to know how you can overcome office politics.

Managing Conflict – 22%

Do you want to know something interesting?  I actually don’t mind conflict… yes, I know I’m weird.  But even I will agree that conflict is not enjoyable and takes away your time from the larger goals and objectives that you and your team have.

Conflict like people comes in different sizes.  Some conflict is relatively easy to resolve, like dealing with the person who keeps stealing your yogurt at work.  (Just bring in expired yogurt one day, trust me it works)

Other conflict is more difficult to manage.

• Team members who have conflict with each other
• Conflict with your department and other departments
• A conflict between you and your employee

Managing conflict is not easy, but what can exacerbate an already difficult situation for some managers is having to manage conflict between staff members who act like children.

But the good news is that unlike and office politics, there is something you can do about managing conflict.

Here is how to overcome your fear of managing conflict…

Having to fire an employee – 27%

Having to fire one of your employees is not an easy thing to do.  So no surprise that it is number 2 on our list.   It is probably the most difficult task a manager has to perform.  And often times managers shy away from pulling the trigger.

But you know what, firing someone shouldn’t be easy.  You has a manager should find it hard to let someone go.  After all, you’re employees are people with families to support, rent to make, and a weekend hobby of cosplaying as Sailor Moon (not the cheapest hobby in the world)

Now it’s one thing to fire a poor performer, it’s another thing having to fire a strong performer due to downsizing.  Out of all the tasks a manager will need to performer, this is the worst by far.  It will keep you up at night, and you will feel terrible for doing it.  I’m sorry, but there is no way to sugar coat this point.

But at the end of the day, it’s a task that falls under your scope of responsibility.  So you might has well learn how to fire some the right way.

Difficult Conversations – 31%

No one likes to have difficult conversations.  I for example found it extremely difficult to tell my spouse that I mistakenly deleted an episode of Glee that she hadn’t watched yet.   Stop smirking; it really was an ‘accident’.

Reddit user Auntfanny describes why difficult conversations are hard, because “nobody likes to have to sit someone down and tell them they smell bad.”   So true Auntfanny, I hate it when someone tells me I smell bad.

All kidding aside, having difficult conversations is why managers get paid the mid size bucks.  But that doesn’t make it any easier, even if it’s the right thing to do.

The types of difficult conversations you will have as a manager include…

• Telling a poor performer they are not cutting it
• Declining a request for an increase in salary
• Informing someone they will not be receiving a promotion
• Downsizing / letting someone go
• Informing an employee who is trying very hard that they are not meeting standards required for their job

These conversations will indeed be difficult, but it`s your job to have them. And having better conversations starts with having stronger communication skills.

So that’s the list, the top 5 reasons why being a manager is so hard.   Yes, the numbers don’t add up to 100% because 3% of respondents selected a reason not listed here.  Have your say, why do you think being a manager is hard?

What Next?

Step 1:  If you like what you’ve read on this site, help us build MSC into the most helpful resource on the web for managers.  Like us on Facebook  to help spread the word (oh look, there is a handy link below ).  Thank you for being an early supporter.

Step 2:  Questions about what you’ve read on our site?  Comment,email, tweet or facebook us.

Step 3:  Don’t forget to signup for your FREE copy of our Monthly Managers Guide.

The post Why is Being a Manager so Hard? appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.

image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What’s the one thing about your company that you wish you could change but it’s beyond your control?  Many of you are likely yelling Office Politics!  Why?   Unlike many other problems in the workplace, Managers don’t have the power or authority to eliminate this obstacle.

So if a manager can’t eliminate office politics, how does a manager live and operate within its confines?  Can a manager eliminate this cancer from the workplace?

Two hard questions, but luckily I know just the person to ask.  Mia is a Senior Manager in the procurement department of one of the country’s largest retailers.  She has often described the office politics in her workplace as “The worst part of high-school, all over again”.

But when you ask Mia, why she doesn’t leave and move on to another company where office politics and aren’t as prevalent, she will tell you… “Leaving would be the easy thing to do.  But with most of the ‘political stalwarts’ set to retire within the next 3 years, I have a unique opportunity to get rid of this cancer once and for all.”

Yep, Mia is pretty awesome.  

So here is transcript of conversation that I had with Mia over lunch earlier this week. 

So Mia, what advice would you give a manager who works in an office that is very political?

The easy advice is to tell managers to try and stay above it all, but it’s often not that easy.  And just so your readers are clear, if you work at a company that has become toxic due to the office politics, my advice is to leave if you possibly can.

What do you mean by Toxic?

Let me put it this way, if you work somewhere people are sleeping their way to the top, that’s toxic.  Or you work somewhere you have to offer personal favors to get ahead, that also toxic.  Get out as soon as you can.

Ah, okay.  So what about those in a “sub-toxic workplace”, what advice would you give?

Personally, I’ve always followed 4 principles to ensure I don’t get pulled into the mud.

1. Be really awesome at what I do
2. Don’t get pulled into petty conversations
3. Be friendly with everyone
4. Have a very strong working relationship with my boss.

Interesting, tell me more about these principles. Why is being good at what you do important to overcoming office politics?

Leverage, it’s all about leverage.  Being awesome at your job gives you the leverage needed to stay out of the political games that people play.  You can show people that you are good at what you do based on your own skills and abilities, not because you scratched someone’s back.

It also gives you the clout needed to stay away from petty conversations that some of your coworkers like to have.

Like the colleague who invites you to grab a coffee only to spend the entire time talking about how much they hate another person.  That drives me nuts!  I don’t have time for petty conversations.   I have a lot better things to do with my time… like my job!

So what do you do then in these situations?

Deflect the conversation.  When you get a sense that the conversation is going to become unproductive, steer the conversation to something work related.  For example – ‘Jane, I’m actually interested in getting your take on the supplier we just secured to deliver e-learning for our retail outlets.  No one knows the needs of our outlets more than you – what do you think?’

See what I did there, I deflected the conversation and I complemented her.  It’s my deflect and distract strategy… kind of like shock and awe, except this actually works.

Nice! But isn’t it difficult to become friends with everyone if you are constantly on guard for petty conversations?

Ah, but I didn’t say that you should try to become friends with all your coworkers, I said be friendly with everyone.  Basically you want to strive to have a good relationship with everyone in your constituency, while at the same time ensuring that you don’t get pulled in to someone’s “team”.  You don’t want to be seen as one of Jane’s confidants or Amir’s best friend.  It’s a difficult line to that walk at times, but I tell myself be pleasant, be professional, nothing more, nothing less.

 

Okay, I’m following you.  So then how does your boss come into play?

Truthful, this last point only makes sense if your boss is also some who doesn’t engage in office politics.  If they are, then God help you.   

I’ve found that being on really good terms with my boss, provides a barrier against a lot of the BS that floats around.  If your boss is aware of your principles and the type of character you have, you don’t have to worry much about office politics, because you will have their backing.

 

So that’s it folks, that’s Mia’s advice.   Mia will be checking in comments from time to time so feel free leave here a question if you wanted seek her advice further.

What if you need to play the game of office politics?

I realize that we didn’t cover off of what to do if you absolutely have no choice and need to play the game of office politics.  So to help, I’ve rounded up some additional resources that will help you play the game.

Secrets to Winning at Office Politics - A book that is a personal favorite of mine.  It’s a very quick and entertaining ready that full of practical advice for real life scenarios.

Games at Work:  How to Recognize and Reduce Office Politics - If you need to get better at identifying the types of political games people play, this is the book for you.  Not as easy a read as the Secrets to Winning at Office Politics, but if you need deep in the BS, then this book is a better choice.

Am I the Only Sane One Working Here? - Part motivational book, part step by step guide to overcoming office politics.  This book by Dr. Albert Bernstein provides simple solutions to the common political problems that many of you will face.

What Next?

Step 1:  If you like what you’ve read on this site, help us build MSC into the most helpful resource on the web for managers.  Like us on Facebook  to help spread the word (oh look, there is a handy link below ).  Thank you for being an early supporter.

Step 2:  Questions about what you’ve read on our site?  Comment,email, tweet or facebook us.

Step 3:  Don’t forget to signup for your FREE copy of our Monthly Managers Guide.

The post How to Overcome Office Politics appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Time Travel! What does it have to do with a Manager’s skill?  Absolutely nothing, but having just seen Looper, it’s on my mind.

So here is the premise, What if you could travel back in time to the day you were first promoted to manager, what advice would you give yourself?  What skills and training would you tell your younger self to focus on?

I asked this question to a few of my colleagues, plus on Reddit and Linkedin the other day, and I got variety of different responses.  I’ve compiled the results here, the top 3 skills new managers underestimate or undervalue.

#1 – Build relationships

If I could go back in time and talk to myself on the day I was promoted to management, I would tell myself two things.

Number 1, enjoy your thick, luscious black hair, because you’ll start losing it in the next few years.  Partially thanks to the stress of your job.

Number 2, focus on building relationships.  Build relationships upwards (with your Leaders & Executives) build relationship downwards (with your direct reports) and sideways (with other managers).  Just build, build, and build some more.

The importance of building upward relationships

I’m not telling you to become a Suck-up or Ass-kisser.  What I am saying is that there is immense value & benefit in building relationships with those who are a level or two higher than you.

Like it or not, these individuals typically have influence over matters that are of great importance to you.

• They can influence your performance reviews & compensation
• They control budgets and your ability to secure resources to deliver on your mandate
• They can remove barriers for you and your team

How to build upward relationships

Let me tell you upfront that building upward relationships take time.  It will not happen overnight.  Unless you are of course someone who was born with a silver spoon in their mouth.

1. To begin with you should identify the senior individuals that have direct or indirect influence on your current mandate and future aspirations.
2. Next, start by building a very strong relationship with your boss.   This will take time and require you to demonstrate to your boss that you can deliver on the mandate that has been set out for your team.
3. Demonstrating a tireless work ethic will also go a long way.
4.  Next, start working on the personal side of the relationship.  For example, ask about their children, family, vacation plans, etc.  Over time you’ll build a strong relationship.

Now you can leverage your strong working relationship with your boss to act as a bridge to the other senior individuals.

1. Look for opportunities to work on deliverables with these other leaders and capitalize on opportunities to speak with them.
2. Try making yourself available for their calls and meetings.
3. Going above and beyond to deliver on something for these leaders will go a long way.
4. Finally, look for opportunities to socialize with this group, such as at company events.

Building Relationships with your staff

I’ve covered how to build effective relationships with you staff on previous posts, here and here.   You clearly already know the importance of building working relationships with your staff.

Building Relationships with other managers

You will likely need the support of another department at some point in order to deliver on your team’s mandate.  So why not get a head start by proactively building effective working relationships with other department managers.

This way they’ll be more inclined to lend a helping hand when called upon.

How can you build effective relationships with other managers?

It’s really not that difficult.  Start off by being nice to people.   Be there for them when they need your help, and they’ll likely be there for you in turn.

Look for opportunities to connect socially with them outside of work.  Be it lunch, coffee or chatting at a company event.  Strike up a conversation.

Proactively reach out and congratulate them on their recent achievement and deliverables.  A simple job well done goes a long way.

#2 – Delegate

When you were an individual performer, your job was to deliver using your own skills, talent & abilities.  Now that you’re a manager, your job is to deliver the mandate by working through your team.   And to effectively work through your team, you will need to delegate work the right way.

Now, delegating work is meaningless if your team is not strong enough to take it on.  So make sure you have a high performance team in place, I’ve written about this in the past.

So once you have the team in place, start delegating the tasks and responsibilities that make sense.

The importance of delegating

Delegating provides you and your team the ability to grow, and increases your team’s overall capability to deliver.

1. By delegating some responsibilities, you’ll be providing your team with growth opportunities.  This is very important as it will also in turn increase the engagement level of your top performers who are eager to take on more responsibilities.
2. It enables you to grow, as it gives you time to tackle more strategic tasks.
3. On a practical side, you simply won’t have the capacity to deliver a strong mandate if you try to do all the work yourself.  You’re only as strong as your team.

How to Delegate the right way

• Don’t pile on.  Make sure your employee has the bandwidth to take on the responsibilities you are planning to delegate
• Delegate to the right staff members.  Delegate to your top performers and other staff member who have demonstrated through their actions that they are ready to take on additional responsibilities.
• Remember, the person who you delegate to is your agent, your proxy.  They represent you.
• Take time to explain what you are delegating and why you are delegating to them.  Here is an example ,  “Marina, our colleagues in Finance are interested in changing how we invoice our top clients.  They have some valid concerns, but I want you to join the committee in my place to ensure that the needs of our clients our clearly communicated.  And no one understands the needs of our top clients better than you do.  I couldn’t think of anyone better to represent us on this committee.”

#3 – Political Skills

I hate politics… no, you don’t understand, I really hate politics.  All the negativity and mud-slinging is a huge turnoff for me.   That’s why I feel very fortunate that I now work for company that has very little in the way of office politics.

The last company I worked for however was all about office politics.  Before I was promoted to manager there, I was kind of sheltered from all the politics, but as soon as I become a manager, it smacked me full on in the face.   I don’t know about you, but I hate getting smacked in the face.

So how do you manage the office politics?

Your first option should be to stay neutral or stay above the fray if possible.  Think of yourself like the country of Switzerland.   Build effective working relationships with as many people as you can and offer a high quality product or service.

If you can’t avoid the politics, figure out whom your core stakeholders are and who are the individuals that can influence you’re team’s budget, performance, resources, etc.  And work on getting on their good side.   Whenever possible, consult these individuals on key decisions that need to be made so they are aware of how much you value their insight and opinion.

So that’s the list of skills new managers often underestimate.  What would you add to the list. What advice would you give new managers?

What’s Next for New Managers?

Step 1:  If you like what you’ve read on this site, help us build MSC into the most helpful resource on the web for managers.  Like us on Facebook  to help spread the word (oh look, there is a handy link below ).  Thank you for being an early supporter.

Step 2:  Questions about what you’ve read on our site?  Comment,email, tweet or facebook us.

Step 3:  Don’t forget to signup for your FREE copy of our Monthly Managers Guide.

The post 3 Skills New Managers Underestimate appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.

Privacy Policy & Disclaimer for ManagerSkillsCoach.com

The owner of this blog does not share personal information with third-parties nor does the owner store information is collected about your visit for use other than to analyze content performance through the use of cookies, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser’s settings. The owner is not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without permission.

Blog Comments

The owner of this blog reserves the right to edit or delete any comments submitted to this blog without notice due to;

1. Comments deemed to be spam or questionable spam

2. Comments including profanity

3. Comments containing language or concepts that could be deemed offensive

4. Comments that attack a person individually

Terms and Conditions

All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

This policy is subject to change at anytime.

 Limit of Liability Disclaimer (for Information Provided)

The information contained in this product / on this site is for information purposes only, and may not apply to your situation. The author, publisher, distributor and provider provide no warranty about the content or accuracy of content enclosed. Information provided is subjective. Keep this in mind when reviewing this guide.

Neither the Publisher nor Author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages resulting from use of this guide.  All links are for information purposes only and are not warranted for content, accuracy, or any other implied or explicit purpose.

The post Privacy Policy & Disclaimer appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“You’re the best manager I’ve ever had, thank you for providing me with the opportunity.”  -  These were the words left on my voice mail by David, one of my employees, the the day after I fired him.   How did I achieve such glowing praise from someone I just fired?  It’s all about respect, dignity and a no surprise approach.

Firing someone is a very difficult thing, but follow these steps and you’ll make it easier on your employee and yourself.  So continue reading if you want to how to fire an employee – the right way.

 

Do you hate firing someone?

When I ask other managers, “What’s the one activity / responsibility that you dread?”  Many managers will reply, “I hate having to fire people”. 

You know what? You should hate firing your employees.  Your employees are people with families, mortgages, car payments and a subscription to Ferret Breeder monthly.  You’re obviously going to place some hardship on your employee by firing them.  You shouldn’t take joy in firing your staff, after all it’s partially your fault (we’ll get to that in a minute).

I covered the full process of overcoming the fear of confrontation in this article.  And as your go through this process, keep in mind these key words;  respect, dignity & no surprises.  Be respectful and ensure the person you’re firing leaves with their dignity.

In David’s case how I overcame any doubts in my mind was by remembering that if I didn’t take the appropriate action, he would take the rest of the team down with him and that his skills could be better used within another company.

Remember these are your people, your employees.  As a manager it is up to you to hire, train, develop & mentor your people.  If you have just come to the decision to terminate one of your team members, then you have failed at one of these activities (hiring, training, developing or mentoring).

Remember firing someone should always be an absolute last option.   Unless you’re dealing with one of the exception scenarios such as downsizing or espionage,  you have a responsibility to max out the alternatives.

So before you decided to terminate someone, you should be able to answer the question without hesitation and with complete confidence, “Yes, I have done everything in my power to help my staff member”.  If they are not receptive to your support and guidance, you essentially have the answer.

Depending on your circumstance you may be able to easily & quickly find a replacement for the role.   And if this describes you situation, I am certainly jealous.  If you are however in a situation where it will take weeks or months for you to fill the role, then it’s critical that you have a strategy in place first to manage the overall workload of the team.

Okay, you’ve made the difficult decision to terminate someone.  You have exhausted all other options and have a strategy in place to manage the workload in the interim, now what?

A word of advice, do not have this meeting when you’re angry or upset.  The conversation will be difficult, so make sure you are calm and in the right frame of mind.   And check with your HR rep if they need to be present for the discussion.

The post How to Fire an Employee appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.

image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What is the worst part of being a manager?   This is a question I recently posted on reddit  and to my surprise many managers responded that the worst thing was confrontation or managing conflict.

I have to admit that that I wasn’t expecting this response.  I was actually expecting to hear something about dealing with office politics or bureaucracy.

So it got me thinking, why doesn’t confrontation bother me?   And how can I help other managers overcome this fear and become better at managing conflict.

6 Steps to overcome your fear of confrontation

Defining Confrontation:

Let me be clear on what I’m really talking about when I refer to confrontation.  I’m not talking about small petty matters like someone stealing your yogurt from the company fridge before lunch.  (Although,  yogurt theft should be classified as a hate crime in my opinion :-).

When I say confrontation, I’m referring to Managers proactively dealing with problems & problem makers that negatively impact you & your team’s ability to perform and produce.

Step 1: Acceptance – Coming to terms with confrontation

Here is a shocking realization (not really), in your career as a manager, you will encounter problems.   You know this to be true, many of you may be trying to figure out how to deal with a problem as we speak.

So step 1 in becoming better at confrontation is coming to terms with the fact that it is part of your job, it’s a responsibility that comes with the territory of being in management.  So if you want to be in a management position, you may as well come to terms with this fact.  You will eventually need to manage conflict.

Step 2 – Understanding why managers must proactively address problem makers

I recently wrote an article on the top mistakes made by new managers.  Number 3 on the list of top manager mistakes, is “Not quickly addressing problems and problem makers”.

So why is it important that you as manager proactively confront problems and problem makers?  Quite simply, by not confronting the problem maker you are negatively impacting your reputation and perception amongst your staff, lead to increased discontent amongst your team and lower team morale.

Why?

• Your team is consciously and unconsciously taking cues from you, and by not confronting the problem, your signaling to them that you’ll accept poor performance or poor behavior.
• Like a sinking ship, your problem can take the rest of the team down with them.  The last thing you want (& need) as a manager is for the problem maker’s performance or behavior to rub off on other members of your team.
• Your strong performers will lose faith in your leadership and may even resent you.  Your strong performers are not blind, they know who the problem maker is and if you don’t address the situation you risk damaging your reputation and risk losing your best people.

Step 3:  Understanding why you’re hesitant / scared / apprehensive with confrontation

Think about your personal life.  Do you avoid bringing up issues with your family or friends?  Why do you think you do that?

Is it because you think by confronting the problem you’ll upset your family or friend?   So then you would rather hold the problem to yourself?  And how long exactly do you think can do that before the problem begins to impact your relationship with your family & friends?   So by not confronting the issues you’re actually making the problem worse, aren’t you?  Yes you are.

In my view you’re actually doing a disservice to your family / friends by not raising the issue.  Maybe they don’t know how much the issue bothers you.   They may not even realize what they have done has made you upset.  And may continue to repeat the situations, because they don’t realize how it is impacting you.

So by not confronting the issue, you are actually doing a disservice to the person and are in a way contributing to the problem.

Step 4:  Overcome your fear of  Managing Conflict:

Now can you see the parallel between this personal life scenario and a work life scenario?   The next time you find yourself apprehensive about addressing conflict at work, ask yourself these questions…

• Why does the conflict exist?
• What is the root cause of the conflict?
• What is preventing me addressing the situation right now?
• When you ask yourself this third question, you’ll likely answer it with one of the following answers.
  • You fear conflict
  • You fear creating a disturbance in you’re team.
  • You hate dealing with the employee creating the conflict
  • It’s easier just to ignore the problem

Overcome this fear or unwillingness to act by reminding yourself of these important points

• You will be making the situation worse by procrastinating
• You’re doing a disservice to your employee by not proactively raising and addressing the problem
• You’re contributing to the issues by not proactively addressing the problem
• You may lose the trust, faith and confidence of your other employees by not addressing the issue.

Now, don’t make any excuses for yourself and take action!  You can do it, I have faith in you.

Step 5:  When not to have the confrontation conversation.

It’s very important to be the right frame of mind when you’re about to have the confrontation conversation.  Otherwise you risk losing your professionalism, having the conversation become personal and probably making the situation worse.

So if you find yourself in one of the following scenarios, hold off on having a conversation.

You feel angry

• The worst time to have the confrontation conversation is when you’re angry. You risk losing your cool and damaging your reputation if you have the conversation at this point.
• Wait until you clear your head and have the conversation when you have calmed down.

When the mistake, error or issues has just occurred.

• The earlier you have the confrontation conversation the better. However, you need to ensure that you have all the facts and understand all sides before having the confrontation conversation
• Complete your investigation, then have the conversation

When you’re in a public setting

• Never have the confrontation conversation when you’re in a public setting. The conversation should always be private. Even if you’re in a situation where the problem maker has belittled you in pubic, don’t sink to their level by confronting them publicly. A simple “I’ll see you in my office at 4 o’clock” will carry more weight.
• Wait until you can speak privately

When you’re having a bad personal day.

• As we discussed in tip #1, you should never have the conversation when you’re angry. But also equally important is not to have the confrontation when you’re judgment or frame of mind will be clouded by personal problems.
• Get yourself in the right frame of mind.

Finally, if you’re planning to terminate the problem maker, make sure that you’ve done all of your necessary homework.  Speak to your HR department to ensure that you’ve met all of your obligations as the employer.  Let your boss know if appropriate.  Make sure you’ve sorted out the termination package details (like severance, benefits, etc).  And be prepared to immediately speak to the rest of your team, after you’ve spoken to the person you’re letting go.

Step 6:  Have the conversation  & Take corrective action

Now that you’ve done your investigation, overcome your fear and done your homework, the next step is to have the conversation.

Keep the conversation professional

• Remember that you’re the manager, the leader.  Regardless of the type of behavior demonstrated by your employee, you must, I repeat, must remain professional at all times.  No personal attacks, no tit for tat response.
• I know this can be difficult, but what has helped me personally during these situations is remembering this important point.  If you lose your cool, the problem maker wins.  Why?  Because by yelling back or dropping to their level, you reinforce the behavior.  The problem maker gets the reaction they were after.  Don’t let them win!

Keep the conversation factual

• Clearly communicate why you’re having this discussion.
• “Jaina, we need to have a discussion about your behavior at the meeting earlier today, it was completely unacceptable. “
• Present as factually as possible your observations and why the behavior / issue / activity is unacceptable.
• “We all have a lot on our plate at the moment, however your negative comments toward Marco are not acceptable under any circumstance.”
• Avoid asking questions that have one word replies, instead ask open ended questions that allow you to get to the root of the problem

Your objective for the meeting is for your staff member to understand why the issue is a problem and to understand the corrective action that you are applying.  Note that I did not say they have to agree with it, just understand it.

Types of Corrective Action

There are several options that you when it comes to corrective action.  Which one you choose depends on your situation.

1. Termination – Listen to me carefully here.  I cannot advocate or say you must terminate this individual.  I don’t have enough knowledge of your specific situation to make that recommendation.  If you feel that the best solution is to terminate, then you should follow through on your convictions.   It will send a clear message to the other problem makers
2.  Transfer the problem maker – I hear what you’re saying. “Isn’t that just passing off the issue to another manager?”  Yes and no.  If you feel that the person cannot be “saved”, then yes you’re passing off the issue.  If you feel that the person has the capability and can make a solid contribution to your organization, then you’re actually providing the person with a fresh start.
3.  Place the individual on a formal Performance Improvement Plan.  With this option, you’re basically giving the person one last chance.  Document in writing the various performance & behavioral improvements that need to happen and how long the person has to demonstrate improvement.

What Next?

Step 1:  If you like what you’ve read on this site, help us build MSC into the most helpful resource on the web for managers.  Like us on Facebook  to help spread the word (oh look, there is a handy link below ).  Thank you for being an early supporter.

Step 2:  Questions about what you’ve read on our site?  Comment,email, tweet or facebook us.

Step 3:  Don’t forget to signup for your FREE copy of our Monthly Managers Guide.

The post 6 Steps for overcoming your fear of managing conflict appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.

image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

With your help we will build Manager Skills Coach.com into the most helpful resource on the web for Managers.  As we grow in the upcoming weeks and months, one of the key principles will be to provide managers with free content.  No subscription fees, no member ship fees, no B.S.

In the Meantime….

Since we’re still in the process of producing our videos, here is a selection of interesting Management videos that focus on different managerial skills.

Interesting Management Videos – Empathy

If you’re first reaction to seeing Empathy in the headline was “Empathy”?  Don’t be surprised, empathy is actually a very important management skill.   Granted it is what I would classify as advanced management skill, but it is an important skill none the less.

Why is Empathy an important skills for managers?

If you plan on having a lengthy career as a manager, you are your team will go through many life events together.   You’re team members will get married, divorced, have children & experience losses in their family.

And when your employee goes through these life events,  especially the difficult ones, they expect their manager to demonstrate empathy.  As someone who has recently experienced a miscarriage, trust me when I say that empathy from your boss at these times are important.

Six Habits of Empathetic people by the RSA project.

Interesting Management Videos #2 – Strategic Thinking

Speaking of advanced manager skills, no skill is perhaps as difficult to master for managers as Strategic Thinking.  To be fair, not all managers will need to develop a solid set of strategic thinking skills.  However, if you’re a manager  who aspires to be in a position of leadership,  then Strategic Thinking will be a must have skill for you.

We’re going to spend a lot more time on stragic thinking in the upcoming weeks.  In the meantime, I quite enjoyed this management video by Todd Landman on Strategic Thinking, I think you might as well.

Interesting Management Videos #3 – Conflict

When I recently posted a question on reddit asking fellow managers what the worst thing about being in a management position was, I  surpised how many managers responded that addressing conflict  was what they dreaded the most.

I have to admit, I was more than a bit surprised by this response.  Why, probably because I’ve never had a problem with tackling conflict myself.  I kind of, sort of… enjoy it?  I’m weird I know.

I’ve made it my own personal mini mission to help other managers overcome their apprehension and difficulty with addressing conflict.   I’m working on what I hope will be a very helpful research post on the topic.  But in the meantime, here is an excellent starting point on managing team conflict.

What Next?

Step 1:  If you like what you’ve read on this site, help us build MSC into the most helpful resource on the web for managers.  Like us on Facebook  to help spread the word (oh look, there is a handy link below ).  Thank you for being an early supporter.

Step 2:  Questions about what you’ve read on our site?  Comment,email, tweet or facebook us.

Step 3:  Don’t forget to signup for your FREE copy of our Monthly Managers Guide.

The post Management Videos – Coming Soon appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.

How do you hire the best employees?

Do you want to hire the best employees for your company?  If you answered yes, you’ve made me very proud.  After all, you should want to.  Hiring the best employees is a key role you have as manager.

If you said no… well, let’s put it this way.  If I was your boss, I would fire you in a heart beat.

So then let me ask you this, what is the most important step in the hiring process?  The most important step is the interview– by far.

So let me ask you this, as a manager what is your objective when conducting an interview?  Did you say to evaluate candidates for a role within your team or evaluate the fit of the candidates?  If you did, congrats you get half a point.

Often times many managers fail to understand that the interview is also an opportunity for you to sell your company, your team and yourself to prospective hires.

Why should you do that?  In most industries that competition for top talent is extremely fierce.   Your job as a manager is to hire the best employees for your company.  I in fact intentionally and purposefully look for top talent that can eventually grow and replace me.

I hear what you’re saying, “Your nuts!  You’re eliminating your own job security by doing that.”  But hear me out.

I’m not satisfied with being a Director; I plan on becoming an Executive  within the next 3-5 years.  And one way I will separate myself from my peers is by building the strongest team in the company and by bringing in Top Talent into our organization.

So the choice in clear, if want to hire the best employees, then strengthen the interview process for your candidates.

6 Tips to improve your interview process

Tip 1:  Respect your candidate’s time

Candidates are always advised to show up for an interview 15 minutes early.  As a manager, you should respect your candidates time by showing up on time for the interview as well.  Think about it, if you showed up for an interview and the person your meeting was 5, 10, 15 minutes late.  You’d be upset and would be left with a poor first impression of the individual.

If your a candidate with many options, a poor first impression could be a deal breaker.  So if you want to hire the best, then show up to your interview on time.  No excuses.

Tip 2: Make a strong first impression

When you first meet with the candidate, smile, shake their hand and thank them coming in for an interview.  I find a little small talk at the start also helps reduce some of the nervousness the candidate maybe feeling.  And allow you to start building a personal relationship with the candidate.

A common small talk question to ask is “How was your commute into our office?” or “That’s some ______ weather we are having as of late, isn’t it?”   I like asking these question as it sometimes yields some insight into the personality of the candidate.  I love it when a candidate cracks a joke or says a light hearted comment.  It shows me their relaxed and confident about the interview.

So to hire the best, establish a rapport from the start.

Tip 3: Don’t be too rigid or stiff

It’s important to set the right tone before you begin asking questions.  Be professional, but don’t be uptight or too rigid.  Remember the candidate is also evaluating you, do you think they will want to work for someone who is ultra-uptight?

Here is how I start all my interviews. “Susan before we begin I want to let you know that I like to keep things casual.  I leave it to our HR Department to do the formal interviews.  I’m more interested in having a conversation with you.   We’ll go over my expectations and requirements as well as take time to discuss your expectations.  Hopefully at the end we’ll come to a consensus around if our expectations align” – of course this becomes a little awkward when the candidate’s name is not Susan

The key objectives I have by conveying this message is to put the candidate more at ease and establish the tone for the interview.

Tip 4:  Be transparent about your process

Before the interview begins or at the end, let the candidate know where you are in the interview process and when you expect to have a decision made by.   Ensure that someone from your company, be it you or your recruiter informs all of the rejected candidates that you have decided to move forward with someone else.

There is nothing worse for the candidate than going for an interview and then hearing nothing but silence.  Remember the candidate may not be right for a role today, however they may be a perfect fit in future, so don’t leave a bad taste in their mouth.

If you want to hire the best employees, then you need to be cognizant of your image and perception in the marketplace.  Always act with truth and integrity when dealing with candidates.

Tip 5:  Ask the right questions

Anyone can questions during an interview, if your a good manager who is trying to hire the best employees, you need to ask the right questions.

I begin all my interviews with the same question, “So why don’t we begin with you telling me a little about yourself.”  I find that this question supports my objective of establishing the right tone, and is a great opener for other questions to follow.

Don’t ask questions that you can find the answer to by reading their resume.  Perfect example, “So how long were you with X company for?”

My top 5 questions to ask are

• So what interested you about this role?
  • You’re looking for indications of passion & commitment.
  • Red flag would be someone who is looking at the role as a stepping stone.

• How much do you know about our company?
  • Candidates who are actually interested should be doing their research before the interview.

• Why are you interested in making a change at this time?
  • Jumping ship to another company is not the easiest thing to do, why is the candidate willing to do it at this point in time compared to 6 / 9 / 12 months ago

• What could your current / previous employer done to keep you?
  • Everyone has an automated answer about why they are looking to leave their current employer, but this question will hopefully make them pause and come up with a more truthful response.

• Tell me about a failure or mistake you’ve made on the job in the past?
  • You’re looking for a willingness to admit mistakes and an indication that the problem was solved.  A red flag would be a candidate that only states the failure and not the solution

Tip 6: Have candidates meet with top performers from your team

If you don’t remember anything else from this post, remember this one tip.   Having candidates also interview with top performers from my team is the smartest thing that I’ve ever done as a manager.

Typically I will interview a candidate after a recruiter from HR has done an initial phone interview.  I will then short list the candidates to 2-3 potential hires and have these candidates also interview with 2 of my top performers.  The benefits of this approach are numerous.

Firstly, the impact it will have on your top staff is tremendous.

• You’ll increase the engagement and commitment level of your top staff, because you are including them in the decision making process for important issues that will impact your team.
• By demonstrating to your staff how much you value their insight an opinion, your relationships with them will significantly improve
• You’ll develop and grow these staff members by giving them a small window into your world and your responsibilities
• Your team may catch things about the candidate that you may have missed
• Your team’s opinion of how the candidate would “fit” is valuable

The impact on the candidate is significant:

• Allows the candidate to connect with their potential peers and get a flavor of what the company has to offer (never forget, you’re also selling your company during an interview)
• As a result of this experience, candidates will have a greater personal connection with your company
• The opportunity to speak with your top performers will give them a sense of the type of people they will be working with
• You’ll subconsciously set the expectation with the candidate about the characteristics that you value in employees

Well that is it; those are my 6 tips for managers to improve their interviewing skills.  Anything that you would add?

Looking for additional help to develop your interview skills?

If you’re a manager who has not conducted many interviews in the past or are looking to take a deeper look at ways to improve yours skills, a great option is scenario based e-learning.

I’ve taken several e-learning courses in the past and found that the flexibility of completing learning anywhere I have an internet connection and at the time of my choosing was immensely valuable.

TrainingCenter.com is a leading provider that online e-learning that I’ve personally used.  They have a terrific course on Interview Skills that I highly recommend.

Summary – How to Hire the Best Employees

If you’re a lazy manager and scrolled to the bottom of the post, here is a cheat sheet.

• The most important step  in hiring the best employees is the interview.
• Improve your interview process by following these 6 simple steps;

What Next?

Step 1:  If you like what you’ve read on this site, help us build MSC into the most helpful resource on the web for managers.  Like us on Facebook  to help spread the word (oh look, there is a handy link below ).  Thank you for being an early supporter.

Step 2:  Questions about what you’ve read on our site?  Comment,email, tweet or facebook us.

Step 3:  Don’t forget to signup for your FREE copy of our Monthly Managers Guide.

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links.  If you do you happen to purchase anything through the links on this page, would you mind letting me know via Twitter, Facebook or email, so that I can personally thank you for your purchase.

The post How to Hire the Best Employees appeared first on Manager Skills Coach.