People Management – Ten Steps to Success!

I found a nice guest article today….
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People management skills are vital for managers – it may sound simple, yet some managers find it so challenging.

But there are just a few simple ideas that you can start to incorporate.

To get the best results you have to be very good at people management…and it's not as hard as you might think.

Here are the secrets of the very best managers:-

The best at people management…

1) Manage!

They focus on getting their people to deliver the key activities and don't attempt do too much themselves. The best managers delegate widely, using the ethic 'Ask for forgiveness, not for permission' to free their people from blame or wrongdoing.

2) Build the Best Teams

Leveraging the exceptional talents of all the people around them, managers develop and utilise capability fully – and glue it together.

3) Focus on Delivery

Managers are there to deliver the day to day tactical results the business or organisation needs. Here, there is little space for strategy or vision as such, but those great at managing peoplewill keep a reference point there. Every manager's defined goal is measurable results.

4) Build Relationships

As it's all about people, great managers build relationships easily and make it a priority, day-in-day out. They spend a lot of time with and listening to, their people.

5) Accept Feedback

Actually, they don't just accept it, they suck feedback in – they use their excellent listening skills to seek out feedback all the time – in every interaction.

6) Develop Others

Grasping the opportunities, the best managers quickly link them to those who can make progress in their own development – and in line with ongoing Succession Planning, prepare for the future well in advance.

7) Are Accountable

They are very clear that they are 'where the buck stops'. No blame elsewhere, not upwards deflection of decisions; no 'someone else's fault'. They are where the action is and they accept it. It's down to them.

8) Set Standards

To ensure that everyone is clear, great managers have simple and clear standards throughout their area of operation – ideally created in collaboration with their people.

9) Are Determined

Focusing entirely on value-creation, they stick to plans, policies and change programmes like glue. They have a skill to know and deliver what is right, without veering from their Vision.

10) Can Be Trusted

The best managers are ethically sound, fair and honest. They make promises only when they know they can deliver. Everyone is treated equally and their own behaviour models fairness and transparency.

Simple steps, using them can make 90% of your management very, very effective. Checkout the website below for key information in 40 different people skills to develop your management skills fast!

©2006 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. Martin recommends CBMall.

   

3 Responses to “People Management – Ten Steps to Success!”

  • Great article. Ten very simple things that are very hard for some people to implement. One element that is missing from this article but is inherent in each of these traits is a very keen and healthy self-awareness. "Know thyself" is their mantra. It's the insecure ones who consistently screw up these ten.

  • Tom:

    Hey Timothy!

    thanks for your feedback… I agree with you – absolutely right that "know thyself" is not explicitely stated here…

    I'd put this to point #5 Accept Feedback

    unsecure people usually cannot accept (not even constructive) feedback… so with their somehow underdeveloped understanding they have to screw up things then…

    don't you think that fits into #5?

    best regards Tom

  • Tom – yes, #5 definitely gets to the heart of the matter (thanks to appealing to the systems thinker of my "inner Senge"). Insecurity can be a by-product of any part of the human interaction. How we process the barrage of inputs (conversations, emails, etc.) through our perceptual filters also has an impact. How we communicate to others is also a by-product of our character and perceptions. Such a complex subject and so intriguing to dissect. Enjoy your blog immensely. Will definitely be directing my own blog readers to it.

    Have a great weekend!
    Timothy

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