| When I was leaving college, just like many, I thought | | | | hire smart, competent people. All you are is a |
| that managing people meant that you made it in your | | | | sounding board for ideas. Nearly every major U.S. |
| career. Instead, now I think that managing people is | | | | Army General or U.S. President spends or did spend a |
| one more step towards another career goal. My job | | | | good amount of time during a war with the frontline |
| consists of dealing with managers and executives at | | | | troops. The front line troops are the ones who know |
| companies both big and small, companies both | | | | things. |
| domestically and internationally. I obviously have my | | | | 5. Go to bat for your employees. If an employee |
| own style, though like the management of some | | | | needs a raise, speak up. Don't be afraid to go to |
| others as well. I have dealt with bad managers too. | | | | your superior and make a case as to why this person |
| Though, after a while, in my business you can usually | | | | should get paid more. Your loyalty lies with your |
| sniff them out and you avoid working with them. | | | | team, not your manager. |
| Below, I have compiled a list of traits and practices, | | | | 6. Care for the people who are under you. If you |
| which successful managers abide by. These were | | | | don't care for each team member of yours, it's not |
| taken from both my experiences while managing | | | | going to work. |
| people as well as some of the clients I have worked | | | | 7. Immediately show the complacent, ineffective |
| with whose tactics I have both observed and come | | | | people the door. To do so, you may have to make a |
| to respect. | | | | compelling argument to your boss because firing |
| 1. Don't micromanage. You have heard this over and | | | | people costs a lot of money. Conversely, in the end, |
| over again, but learning not to micromanage takes | | | | getting rid of these people are going to not only |
| practice and confidence in yourself. This comes in the | | | | save you, but make you very successful. Though, |
| form that you are confident in the people who are | | | | you must do this in a way which others don't |
| under you and that you are utilizing their strengths | | | | perceive you are throwing around authority. |
| accordingly. | | | | 8. Lay down firm expectations, but only once. My |
| 2. In time, learn not to manage at all. The best | | | | firm pays our employees a great deal of money and |
| managers are not managers at all. They are able to | | | | they are all recent college graduates. The first day, I |
| bring together a team, give them goals and be there | | | | just sit them down and kindly saw that if they don't |
| only to help. Good managers don't delegate because | | | | produce, they are out the door. It never needs to be |
| their team is cohesive and works as a unit. Hire the | | | | said again and everything turns out fine. If I said it |
| right people and your competition won't know what | | | | more than once, it would make me look arrogant and |
| hit them. | | | | threatening. One time is enough. |
| 3. Compensate your team. If you don't want to pay, | | | | 9. Prepare them to replace you. If you are in |
| you don't get talent. You can promise them the | | | | management at a young age, don't stop there, strive |
| world and dig up other reasons not to pay them the | | | | to be the CEO one day. Don't be threatened by your |
| full amount, but everyone else is doing that. | | | | employees. I had one client a long time ago who told |
| Therefore, you must have one heck of a compelling | | | | me that some people whom we presented were too |
| reason as to why they should work for you and be | | | | smart and may take his job. We fired him as a client |
| compensated under market value. | | | | and the worst thing was that we loved the HR |
| Additionally, if you don't compensate well, you risk | | | | woman; she was great. |
| turnovers. Not only do turnovers lose you talent, | | | | There is no success in being afraid of the potential of |
| they hurt moral. Training new people takes time and | | | | your employees. Make sure that every person on |
| sometimes you have to pay a firm like mine a lot of | | | | your team, in the drop of a dime, could step up to |
| money to find them. If you do that, and the person | | | | do your tasks effectively. Not that this is a huge feat |
| leaves, you then leave your company with a big bill | | | | for my team, but I have the absolute lowest IQ in |
| and no ROI. Turnovers, as a manger, are miserable | | | | the office and that makes me feel good. |
| and they make you look bad. | | | | 10. Bring them with you. There is nothing more |
| If you're not willing to pay for talent, there are | | | | valuable on the job market than a manager who can |
| people waiting in line who will. | | | | leave to another firm and take 50% or more of the |
| 4. Know your role. More likely than not, your | | | | employees with him or her. Lead properly and your |
| employees are going to prove to be more important | | | | employer will fear this and you and your team will not |
| than you. While you're doing what you need to do, | | | | only make a lot of money, you will all eventually be |
| they are on the front lines. The front line troops are | | | | running the company. The end goal is to have these |
| the most important. Your role is to ask questions and | | | | people around you at all times during your |
| listen. | | | | professional career. |
| Managerial jobs are not as hard as some say if you | | | | |