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How To Be A Management Legend

Guest post by: Martin Haworth

Article Overview: Being a management legend in your own lifetime might seem to be something of an impossibility. A dream you sometimes dream when you are having one of those spare moments (like you do!). So, here's the skinny on how to make this possible, with the minimal of effort.

How To Be A Management Legend

When you look at the quality of management out there in the real world right now, you might find that being a legend is not that difficult. Here are three prerequisites of legend status:-

A good manager is able to deliver the required results. Indeed it isn't hard to drive employees hard and for a while to run any business or team in an environment of fear.

Legends are more than this.

Any old manager is able to make friends with the employees in their team and be that 'Good old boy (or gal)' for a while. Being a good buddy for those you manage isn't hard for a while.

Legends are more than this too.

Some good managers are able to come up with a bit of a plan for the foreseeable future (and there are less even of these than you might think). It's something of a plan on the 'back of an envelope' sort of thing, but it's better than nothing.

Legends are different to this as well.

So, to create legendary status as a manager, there are four key steps that go beyond the 'good' and become legendary:-

1. Deliver Results

Legendary managers go beyond delivering for the short-term, vitally important though that is - especially in the climate of right now.

Focus on results for today is simply not enough to get your legendary badge. You have to go further.

There needs to be an understanding that whilst today is allowed to take up some of your management style, legendary managers have an eye on the future too. A future where there will be broader demands on the team to deliver results and to be much more effective that will need to be accommodated.

So legends are constantly considering the needs to be even better in the future. To develop their people through challenge and support that encourages risk-taking for employees - but in an environment where they feel safe enough to give it a go.

Results for today are who we have become as a society - as good managers - the greatest and the legends do more to focus on the today - and the tomorrow.

2. Create Relationships

Legendary managers are well thought of by their people. Indeed they are memorable and would often feature on that most famous of lists - three people who have been the biggest influences in your life.

Legends know that relationship building is not something that you can turn on and off at will. They know that the very best really, truly, live relationships.

They don't really need to work at it - except perhaps at first - because it's something they do naturally. Building relationships is about being out there with your people. Talking with them and much more importantly, listening to them and valuing them because of that.

Legendary managers are able to tread that fine line that divides familiarity with relationship. They - and their people - know what's allowed and what isn't.

Relationships are also about fairness, equality, trust, rapport, keeping promises and more. Relationships are that togetherness where each would - and will - go the extra mile. Manager and employee - together.

3. Vision for the Future

Legends come from having a motivation and drive that is irrisistible. An ability - a charisma - where their people can't help but come along with them.

To get there requires inspiration and the skill to see the possibilities and share that energy with your people. When you dream for yourself, you know that it's possible.

When you bring your people along to collaborate on the possibilities, then they will always remember that you had them there with you at that momentous time.

Having a vision is a great idea. Co-creating a vision together with your people is unexpected and unbelievable - they will love you for it.

Being a management legend is simply an amazing opportunity not only to deliver the results you want, but also to do that with purpose. The purpose of being with your people on their journey too.

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Article Tags: charisma, leadership, leadership development, legendary, management, management development



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