A manager plans, leads, organises and controls the activities of a team or department to achieve predetermined goals. In a small or medium-sized business, the owner is usually the manager too.
If you’re interested in being the best owner and/or manager, this article is for you! Here, we’ll discuss what a manager does and list 15 management ideas that will help you become a better manager.
What Does A Manager Do?
Effective management by the owner or his/her appointed manager is a key factor in building a profitable business. Poor management skills are associated with a fast turnaround in personnel, lack of cost control, and quality issues.
The manager is directly in charge of accounts, sales or production. When you read about all the things that managers do, it seems so basic, as if you knew it all anyway. Nevertheless, do bear in mind that in addition to leading, motivating, disciplining, resolving disputes, caring, reporting and achieving the company’s goals, you also have to find time to do your work.
You have to set the perfect example, be on time, prepared, calm, have the Wisdom of Solomon to resolve conflict, and always have the right answer.
If that is not enough, you have to set standards, constantly improve, save costs, and make deadlines.
Then there is Lesson No. 1.
When something does go wrong, it is always your fault. Oh, and don’t forget to praise the team when the job is well done! If you’re managing a team, you are basically their parent.
Parents care for, educate, compromise for special circumstances, maintain discipline, and motivate.
Up to now, we have not even mentioned all the weekly and monthly deadlines related to production, sales and cost reports.
- What about health and safety?
- Dealing with personal issues of staff?
- The leave and holiday register?
- Vehicle reports?
- Servicing of plant and vehicles?
- Dealing with unions & disciplinary hearings?
- Stationery?
- Keeping the premises and toilet spotless?
- Tea and coffee?
- Dress code?
- Managing tools and equipment?
- Interaction between staff, teams, and departments?
- Responsibility and planning of stock?
This list is just mentioning a few. So, as you can see, a manager does everything and anything necessary to keep the company running smoothly. There is more to managing than just arriving 10 minutes earlier than the others in the mornings.
How To Be A Good Manager
Let’s take a look at 15 management ideas (in no particular order of importance) that will help you become a better manager:
1. Remember the customer is the most important
If you remember only one rule of management, what would it be? Your customer is the most important! Without customers, there is no food on the table. When the job is poor, late or incomplete, workers tend to think the boss will be upset. Who cares about the boss? You are busy losing your customers.
Everyone in the business must realise they are not working for the manager; they are working for the customer. Always treat your customers with honesty and respect. Even though customers can be demanding and often even unreasonable, you should still go the extra mile to make sure that you keep your customers.
2. You are a leader
Being a manager and a leader is really the same thing. Respect is earned by being honest, consistent, loyal, accountable and trustworthy. A manager cares about his staff, the business and the environment.
3. Be a team player
Managers must be team players. so fit in and blend in. Walk and talk like your team do. A loyal team member will know and merge with the company culture.
4. Be a Good Role Model
As a manager, subordinates will not only look up to you for guidance, but they will also judge you. Draw clear lines between good and bad, acceptable and unacceptable. Practise good manners such as ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’
Keep your speech clear, simple and polite. Don’t lower your standards with emotional outbursts, swearing, bitching, gossiping and getting into petty or political arguments. Avoid loose commitments such as ‘perhaps in the future.’
5. Be Proactive
Being proactive means that you take initiative, anticipate issues and act before they become problems. Here are a few ways to be proactive as a manager:
- be aware of what the competition is doing
- stay up-to-date with the latest trends and news
- invest in new techniques and systems
- read books such as business books, biographies and self-improvement books
- attend seminars and trade shows
6. Keep work life and home life separate
Don’t bore fellow workers with your mother-in-law from hell or always brag about your over-performing teenagers. Who cares? Certainly, no one at work does. Keep personal conversations for your free time and, conversely, keep off-work topics out of the office.
7. Stay healthy
Part of your planning should include regular exercise and health check-ups. High blood pressure and cholesterol are silent killers. As workout and health routines can be easily forgotten, book them in your calendar like you would a meeting. Stick to those appointments as if they were work-related meetings.
8. Be passionate
Be passionate about your work. Since you spend a lot of time there, you may as well try to enjoy it. But even more important, be passionate about the results. Dissolution often becomes a reality because we work hard and still end up with poor results. Start off with a plan and work toward achieving results.
9. Builld good relationships
‘Business is business and not a friendship club.’ That is true, but no manager can survive without a network of support. Maintaining good relations with your superiors, colleagues, suppliers, your attorney, the labour consultant, and even your accountant means you never stand alone.
10. Work hard but with a plan
Do not be the hard-working manager who hopes things will work out because you worked so hard. It is the road to dissolution. Work hard – but with a plan. Always work toward targets and dates. Consistently check and double-check that things are on track.
And if it does happen, with all the best intentions and effort, that the delivery will still be late, then keep your director or client informed as soon as possible. That way, you can be late and still keep your client.
11. Improve yourself
There is a saying in business: ‘To stay at the same level, you have to improve all the time.’ If you don’t improve, your competition will soon be delivering better, faster and at more competitive rates. Constant feedback from not only customers but also from staff, other managers and suppliers is useful information that can be used to improve.
12. Do not cut corners
Being profit-driven or under pressure from the competition, managers are often tempted to cut corners. Rather, spend your energy on selling more or becoming more cost-effective than compromising on quality and safety or selling sub-standard products. Getting caught out may end up costing much more than doing the right thing.
13. Remain modest and grateful
OK, so you made the step up, and you are now the manager (not the President, not a great inventor or science genius) – just the manager. Remain modest and grateful. A manager is firm but compassionate, strict but caring.
Abusing your position or walking over people is a poor personal investment since your character and track record will be defined by your actions. Would you employ someone with a track record of abuse or dishonesty?
14. Communicate all the time
Communicate all the time. At 8 o’clock, confirm the schedule with everyone. Check at 11 o’clock that everything is running smoothly. At 2 o’clock, double-check the schedule. Is everything still on track for tomorrow’s deliveries?
Ask questions all the time. Did you come right with this or that? Double-check that nothing is overlooked. As soon as a problem is detected, inform the owner or client. Decide if the problem is urgent or not. If it is urgent, get all on board, including the owner and supplier network, and find the best solution.
Communication means keeping everyone informed all the time.
15. The enemy is the problem, not the person
There will always be mistakes and problems. The enemy is the problem, not the person. We don’t take sides or start fights. You work on the problem and focus on detail and solutions. Effective management means putting measures in place to make sure mistakes are not repeated.
Ready To Become A Better Manager?
These 15 ideas on how to be a good manager are just the beginning.
There is always room for improvement and learning in any role, especially one as important as a manager.
If you need business training as a business owner/manager, reach out to us! At Ability Business Coaching, we specialise in helping businesses grow and succeed through effective management strategies.
Contact us today to learn more!