The good manager knows how to organise himself properly - to be a manager of work objectives and of timetables. But, of course, his task does not stop there. He also has to organise his subordinates - to be a manager of other people. Three key concepts govern this crucial day-to-day aspect of the business of management: communication, delegation and motivation.
The importance of communication
To be a good boss, you need to know how to communicate effectively. You have a duty to set objectives for subordinates, and to follow these through. You will need to praise subordinates if they do well, encourage and direct them if they do adequately, reprimand them if they do badly.
As a boss you may have to communicate with subordinates in a variety of settings - one to one, in small groups, or in large meetings or gatherings.
Here are some key points to bear in mind:
Always be clear. All to many problems between bosses and their subordinates arise out of misunderstandings. Subordinates fail to grasp their instructions properly, go away, and do the wrong thing. The boss gets angry; relations are soured. To avoid this situation, take time to spell out exactly what you want a subordinate to do, and how it fits into your overall strategy. At the end of the meeting, double check that both you and the subordinate understand exactly what you have decided.
Listen. Remember that communication should run in both directories. If you do not bother to listen to your subordinates, the chances are that they will not listen properly to you. If a subordinate questions your instructions, listen especially hard. you may overrule the objections, but at least you have taken the trouble to understand them.
Set clear objectives. Some bosses spell these out during annual appraisal interviews, but that is seldom enough - people need more frequent updating. Thrash objectives out openly with both groups and individuals. Start by agreeing overall objectives, making sure to take into account any suggestions, or objections, raise by subordinates. Then break down the overall objectives into key areas - specific tasks to be accomplished. Agree on standards by which subordinates' performance can be measured. Make these yardsticks clear by stating:
So-an-so will be performing effectively when/if ...
Dont hide. When you do not feel fully in control of events - particularly when you have just taken up a new job - the temptation is to borrow yourself away in your office and to bombard subordinates with memos and telephone calls. This may save time, but generally speaking, try to communicate face to face with those working under you. You are more likely to solve problems when you talk them through openly.
Don't pretend. If you feel any uncertainty or perplexity, don't try to disguise it under a facade of decisiveness. Far better to let your subordinates know your reservations.
Be open about your plans and ambitions for your section. Subordinates like to know where you are leading them - and will usually work more willingly and efficiently if you let them know. With a large department this might mean regular communication meetings. where you tell people about the department's recent accomplishments, about the present state of affairs, and about upcoming projects and targets. In smaller departments, you can pass on this information more informally - perhaps over lunch taken with a small group of subordinates from time to time.
Make communications pleasant. Observe the common social niceties. Be friendly and reasonable - "I take your point, though Im not sure that I altogether agree", rather than "That's complete and utter rubbish, it'll never work!" Subordinates should not dread meetings with you - either because you keep reacting unpredictably or because you always reject their views without courtesy of fair hearing.
Be accessible. Clearly subordinates should not trouble you with every minor difficulty, but they should always feel that your door is open - at least during certain hours of the day.
My next post would be about Delegation and it will be on my next post so stay tuned. Thank you for reading guys.
