12 Tips for New Managers and Managers Who Want to Improve Results

The transition from individual contributor to Manager/Leader is difficult because a whole new mindset is required. You must now get work done through others, think from "Big Picture" to detail rather than the other way around and become an expert at delegation, which is a learned skill.

Below are some tips to help you recalibrate your thinking as you go through the transition. If you have not worked with me before you may want to take advantage of a free coaching session to discuss how to apply these principles to your individual situation.

1. Title and Authority can be given but the willingness of others to follow must be earned. Communicate frequently, provide challenges and rewards, walk your talk, address problems in performance or behavior quickly, be it good or bad news tell the truth.

2. Authoritarian management no longer works because people are too well informed and have many other choices. Under authoritarian management the best people will leave, poor performers will sabotage and mediocre performers will stop thinking and just follow the rules even if the rules are getting poor results.

3. As a manager/leader your job is: To provide the VISION of where the organization is going and why. To GET WORK DONE THROUGH OTHERS and to REMOVE OBSTACLES so people can perform at the highest level possible.

4. 80% of all problems are system problems not people problems. Brain storm with your employees what systems need to be up dated, added or discarded to have things run more smoothly. Make sure you a have desk top procedure/training manual defining in detail how and what tasks are to be accomplished by each job title.

5. Give people a vision, empower them to fulfill it and with guidance they will.

6. A commitment to ongoing training for yourself and your employees is one of the most cost-effective high productivity tools at your disposal.

7. People resist what they do not help to create. When changes are coming or necessary tell your employees what is happening and why then, let them help to craft what and how those changes will be implemented in their area of work. If they have partial ownership in the change they will be more proactive in helping them to be implemented.   

8. People are very smart. They will always figure out your agenda because your actions speak louder than your words. Tell yourself the truth about what you what and why then do what is best for all concerned.

9. You get more of what you put your attention on. Be careful of setting up unintended negative rewards. Put more attention on specific positive activities accomplished by each individuals and they will endeavor to do more things right.

10. Effective DELEGATION is a learned skill not one you were born with. Delegation has 4 specific steps, training, supervision, coaching, and transferring authority with responsibility.

11. Excellent communication skills are vital. Listening with the intention to truly understand is one of your most powerful communication tools. Reflect back to the person your understanding of what they have said until they agree, then they will feel fully heard. When people feel fully heard they are infinitely more cooperative and motivated.

12. Give up all assumptions about what people do or do not know, will or will not do, should know or do, etc. Assumptions almost always get poor, if not disastrous, results.