Management Mastery

Everybody makes mistakes -- it is a part of learning and growing in any job -- especially management. What is important is how one handles the mistake -- how they get out ahead of it and what actions they take to prevent the mistake from happening again. It is important to own responsibility for the mistake -- even if it was by one of your staff and not you directly. You are responsible.

This is a repeat episode: Building and Maintaining a Network

It is estimated that 30% to 50 % of any department staff are "introverts". They can be extremely talented members of your team, but can easily fade into the background and their potential contributions lost if not identified and handled correctly. In this episode, we talk about how to fully utilize the introverted members of your staff.

A successful relationship with your new boss is entirely your responsibility. We discuss the importance of understanding how your boss interacts with staff (are they a hands-on or hands-off manager?); makes and communicates decisions; how they like to communicate, and other key dimensions of their management style. In addition, we talk about how to deal with the different management styles.

We all do it from time to time -- and are often annoyed when others do it. In a new position, we talk about "how it was done (better) where I was before". DON'T DO IT. Until you are well established and understand WHY things are done the way they are in your new position, don't talk about the way it was done in your previous position. People don't see it as helpful. At best t...

Having an effective network only becomes increasingly important as a manager advances in their career. Knowing how to build and maintain a strong and effective network is a key management skill. It is also important to encourage one's staff to also have strong networks as such networks can also benefit the manager.

This is a repeat of the episode on the importance of maintaining a healthy Work-Life balance.

The primary task of any manager, of course, is to ensure that their department delivers results effectively, efficiently, on time and on budget. In this episode we cover the critical steps managers should follow to maximize their success in delivering superior results.

Once you have identified the candidate you want to hire, there is still much to do, from checking references, making an offer, negotiating salary, if necessary, and successfully on-boarding the new hire. At any point in this process, the candidate may be susceptible to a competing offer from another organization. This episode covers all of these areas to help you be successful in your hiring of yo...

It is important to remember that, when you seek to hire the best candidates for a job, they will be evaluating you, your department and your company just as you will be evaluating them. Your behavior in the interviewing process can be just as important as the candidate's in determining your success in landing the best candidate. In addition, your -- and your staff's -- behaviors towards th...

The first step in hiring the best candidate for a job is the screening process. This begins with a review of the resumes of interested candidates -- either by the HR Department and/or by the hiring manager. This process removes from consideration candidates who clearly do not meet the requirements for the position, based on their resume. This is followed by a "screening conversation" bet...

Preparation for hiring top talent has to begin even before there is an opening to fill.

One of the first, and very important, tasks of a new manager is to begin to evaluate the staffing and structure of their department to ensure it is aligned so as to be most effective in meeting the goals and objectives of their new department. Initially, this consists largely of systematically observing and listening to clients, management, and high-performing staff to identify the department'...

Department Climate is essentially how the staff interact and treat one another as well as how they interact with clients and others outside of the department.  A positive, respectful climate is essential to the successful functioning of your area. A negative working environment can handicap any department. Ideally, you want to create or reinforce a climate where staff treat each other with dignity...

Everyone has clients -- that is who your department serves whether they are outside of your company or inside. Your first meeting with your client or clients after you move into your manager role is critical for setting the tone of your ongoing relationship with that client. In this episode we discuss the mood and tone you want to strive to set with your client. Even if you have been working with...

The first meeting with your new boss can be one of the most important meetings you have. Even if you have worked with the person in the past, you are both in new roles vis a vis each other and this is the beginning of that new relationship. So it is important to start it off right. The first thing to remember is that it is the boss's meeting and you need to let them take the lead in terms of w...

Listening is probably one of the most important skills a manager can have and most people feel they are good listeners. However, many are not. In this episode we discuss techniques for good listening and why they are important.

Everyone has clients. It is critical, no matter what your function, that you clearly understand who your clients are, what your clients need from your department and how to best meet those client needs. Clients can be in the company (e.g., other departments, company employees, etc.) or outside (i.e., those who buy your company's products or services). What is important is that you have a clear...

We discuss how to develop connections with coworkers and team members which is the all-important first step in developing successful and mutually rewarding personal relationships at work. We discuss the challenges in building such connections and relationships with one's staff. We also discuss ways of doing a self-evaluation of your efforts at building and maintaining workplace relationships a...

This episode covers the importance of building and maintaining close, positive relationships with everyone a manager interacts with in the workplace. Good workplace relationships are key to anyone's success.

Balancing the competing demands of being a manager and having a healthy personal life requires discipline and planning.  We discuss why both are critical for success in both areas of one's life.

Almost every new manager suffers from at least one -- if not all -- of these concerns: 1) A lack of self-confidence -- that they really aren't qualified for the job; 2) A fear of the unknown challenges the new position may throw at them; and, 3) A fear of making mistakes.  We discuss each of these and present tips and advice on how to manage or overcome each of them.

The first meeting with your new staff gives you an opportunity to introduce yourself to the group and for you to get an introduction to them.  You will also get a sense of how they interact as a group.  At the meeting you can give an overview of your management style and your immediate objectives for the department.  In addition, you want to try to get honest feedback as to the perc...

There are a number of changes that come with the role of manager.  But none can be more surprising to a new manager than the changes in how others around the manager regard him or her.  We explore three of these changes and how managers need to deal with them.

Fred and Rick talk about three of the most common mistakes new (and sometimes, even experienced, managers make, and how one can avoid them.