The business environment is dynamic and highly competitive. Staying afloat and remaining profitable have become more and more complicated. Just as the numbers of new business entrances have increased in the recent years, so the level of collapsing ones has raised as well.
The principal reason for success in some quarters is attributed to excellent management. The effectiveness and competence of managers contribute to a company’s success. This is because managers mentor, motivate, and supervise employees to ensure that the organizational objectives are met. A number of qualities are essential to achieve these objectives.
The system of rewards and punishment is remarkably effective in the management process. Working in teams is the most valuable asset for managers. Teams work s the best when it is properly motivated. It is undisputable that all humans perform their duties exceptionally well when their work is appreciated and valued.
Since rewards have proven effective in many instances, all tasks that are done well should be rewarded. Punishing mistakes and failing to reward well-done jobs are undermining effective management. The tendency to focus only on the negative lowers the employees’ morale and must be discouraged.
Delegation of duties has been and will be one of the key strengths of management. One person cannot perform all the work on his/her own. It calls for a team. Delegating duties is not a haphazard job. It requires consideration of strengths and weaknesses of employees.
This is a significant step in the delegation process as only those best suited for certain tasks will get the opportunity to do them. For managers, delegation presents the most effective way of getting your tasks excellently completed on time. It also eliminates the chances of confusion and failures in job allocation as every employee is assigned to do what he/she does the best.
Communication is one of the most important keys to successful management. It can make a difference between success and failure. Therefore, it cannot be ignored at all costs. Good communication does not mean only sharing information with employees, but also requires the given data to be passed using the best method available. This will ensure that the message is understood as intended without any interference.
Information flow between you, the manager, and employees should be two way. As you pass instructions, you should be ready to listen to employees and react on their reactions appropriately. As such, putting system in place to enable employees to raise their concerns without fear of intimidation, prejudice, or criticism is essential.
A competent manager should communicate well as he/she needs to establish his/her authority. An authoritative manager should also know the boundaries of his/her power well. Hostility is not the solution here because the employees need to be kept at a safe distance to avoid downplaying the manager’s authority. Relationship, especially at work, should be as professional as possible.
Additionally, personal matters should not be dealt with at the work place as this may influence decision-making.
Excellent managers should always consult before making crucial decisions. Accepting one’s weaknesses and acknowledging that one needs help are not the indications of failure as a manager if it is essential to consult others to avoid making terrible mistakes. This makes managerially tasks more of an enjoyable duty than a burden.
Great managers should be rational. Management duties call for sober decision makers. Many challenges encountered in management are unique and require innovative solutions. This is only possible when decisions are made rationally and not emotionally. When faced with adversity, making reasonable decisions may be often ignored. However, skilled managers have mastered the skill of being rational in any situation.
Managers ought to be analytical. No single detail should escape a manager’s eye. It is almost impossible to keep watch of all the organization’s activities at a go, especially taking into account the fact that not all the activities can be tracked down. A smart manager should implement the systems that consider all the details within their areas of jurisdiction.
Patience is not an inborn quality. It is not about to become one even with the level of technology experienced in the today’s word. This leaves only one option, to cultivate it and let it grow. As a manager, one interacts with many people of different characters, personalities, traditions, values, religions, and cultural affiliations.
It involves working with grumpy employees, lazy ones who can hardly meet deadlines, or even, with uncooperative people who simply cannot take instructions as they are. Such a level of complexity calls for patience. Although it takes time to develop patience, it is worth all the efforts done as it is highly critical in the management.
The importance of the temperance of managers and ability of self-control cannot be ignored. Some managers have a remarkably strong ego that allows them to achieve the success at the expense of their employees. Such managers lack temperance and can hardly be successful in civilized societies.
Overworking your staff to get the required results to prove your competence only portrays leader’s weakness and barbarism. It is a direct indication of fear and incompetence. Managers should plan to avoid failure, but be prepared to accept it if it comes, without using others to cover up their weaknesses.
Effective management requires goal setting skills. Without set policies and a sense of direction, one cannot be able to steer an organization into becoming successful and competitive in the market. These set goals should be met with the employees’ capabilities.
The manager should work at improving the employees’ productivity as well as his/her own. With clearly set objectives, issues of being at home with complacency will be unheard of. There will always be new and better levels to aim at, hence improving the company’s productivity.
Train and develop your employees. Managing is not always about work done. It also includes personal development of employees. As a manager, one should brainstorm for ideas and better ways of employee’s appraisal and improvement. For instance, a manager should periodically organize workshops, seminars, motivational talks, and trainings for employees.
These are crucial for developing the employees as they enhance their chances of advancing their careers. It can also be an opportune digression from the usual pressure of production. Besides improving your employees’ skills and knowledge, training presents an opportunity for you, as a manager, to develop too.
It is difficult to have all these qualities. In fact, I can certainly say that it is impossible. Even the greatest managers of today who have steered their organizations into achieving international recognition are no exception.
However, my confidence, business environment awareness, ability to solve problems, professionalism, temperance, effective goal setting skills, desire for continuous improvement, and appreciation for others efforts present me a great opportunity to management excellence. My patience and tolerance for non-performers are quite low. However, I believe that with adequate training, I can overcome these hindrances and become an excellent manager.