More characteristics of a good manager

Continuing our series on management skills and characteristics of a good manager, this time we look at how a manager can ask someone to do something.

Is this how your manager asks you to do something?

We would call this leading from the front.

Shouting at everyone to keep up, keep in line, get work done quicker, faster more accurately.

Shouting and cursing first, getting the facts later.. if at all..

Is it motivating to be shouted at ?

No (well maybe sometimes) but we think there is a better way.

The truth is that (apart from risks to bodily health and safety..) a good manager should never has to tell anyone to do something.

The best managers, sometimes don’t even have to ask - staff are motivated, skilled and trained to know EXACTLY what to do and when/how to do it.

The best managers spend time putting in place procedures for work to be completed on time.

Here is an example.

Suppose you are the manager of a car spares shop. A client comes in and wants a new tyre. You don’t have that particular size you he leaves the car with you for a couple of hours.

When he returns, he claims that his daughter is a teenage golf champion and her custom made clubs have gone out of the car boot. They cost a lot money, he is very angry.

What do you do?

a - call him a liar (but not in so many words..) - you checked the boot and the clubs were not there then. But then it becomes you word against his… You lose a customer

b- Take his word for it, pay him some compensation and go off to find someone to blame for stealing the clubs

Either way, it will cost you some money…

There is another way..

A good manager will have put in place a procedure where the contents and state of the car are checked through and you will have a document to show him that two people checked and the clubs were not there. Of course, it will be date and time stamped to prove when it was completed.

Isn’t that better?

No shouting at anyone, no blame culture, no hassle.

Just try not to say “I told you so to the man with the golf champ for a daughter….”

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