This book is divided into seven steps:
Step 1: What Is Management?
Without the proper foundation, any building will be unable to stand solidly. Different existing definitions are introduced, including the classics from Maccoby, Myers Briggs and Keirsey, as well as some lesser-known ones.
Step 2: Know the Sins
As a manager you must be well aware of the shortfalls that can break your business: starting with the 13 most deadly sins like “Demand and Encourage,” “Ignore Standards,” “Tolerate Negligence” or “Let Everything Go Uncontrolled.” You’ll learn about a manager who punished underperforming employees with a whip.
Step 3: Take Responsibility
Managers need to understand that taking responsibility means standing up for their employees. But employees need to take responsibility as well. Responsibility is more than just focusing on making money. Companies that understand the importance of customers and employees and treat them accordingly, easily outperform those that don’t.1
Step 4: What Do You Pay?
A bonus is worth more than a thousand words. Bonuses don’t have to be cash, but they do have to be meaningful and appropriate to the job being rewarded. Think how the right bonuses could make employees more motivated and loyal.
Step 5: Make Your Team Work
Designing teams seems to be turning into a lost art. Most teams are thrown together too quickly. Just throw in a few folks with a “reputation” and the rest will work itself out-or will it? Can the underdogs outperform the stars? Shotgun teams-just like shotgun weddings, just as unhappy. Managers are proud of their accomplishments, but when things go awry do they take responsibility or blame the team?
Step 6: Change, Growth and Trust
During a speech at a Rotary Club a formerly silent member felt comfortable enough to speak up. What made him feel confident enough? Skilled managers can get the best out of their employees. Through good manners, understanding cultural differences and respecting personal space and keeping things organized (or not).
Step 7: Bring the Fun to Work
Having fun can’t be a requirement, but it’s a desired side effect. The fun has to be added to the work expertly or else the employees will see the fun as just more work. When managers can loosen up the staff, the workplace is more relaxed and productive. The more fun, the better employees work.
1 As described from John Cotter and James Heskett, Corporate Culture and Performance, Free Press 1992, in their research of more then two hundred big companies over an 11-year period.
Tags: bonus corporate culture corporate culture and performance deadly sins definitions free press good manners having fun heskett job john cotter keirsey lost art making money money companies myers briggs negligence performance personal space proper foundation reputation rotary club seven steps shortfalls shotgun weddings skilled managers step 1 step 2 step 3 step 4 step 5 step 6 step 7 taking responsibility understanding cultural differences whip
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