Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Monday, July 2, 2012
A good manager knows when to delegate
"The surest way for an executive to kill himself is to refuse to learn how, and when, and to whom to delegate work," said James Cash Penney, founder of J.C. Penney Co.
When you grow, you have to know when to let go. You have to know when to delegate so you can rise up. The inability to delegate properly is the main reason that executives fail. I've learned people will seldom let you down if they understand that your destiny is in their hands, and vice versa.
Delegating is a key management skill, but managers often mistake delegation for passing off work. Failing to effectively delegate wastes your time as well as the company's time and resources.
Personal experience starting and running Mackay Envelope Co., now MackayMitchell Envelope Co., taught me this. There came a day when we had grown to the point where I had to hire a person below me to run the company day to day, while I scanned the horizon, studying our industry and the company's future direction.
The reason? You don't want to be micromanaging and end up macromangling. The captain's place is on the bridge and not knee-deep in the bilge. As the person steering an enterprise, you keep your head high and your vision unobstructed so you can study the big responsibilities while maintaining authority and control. Many aspects of this art can't be taught. Pulling it off successfully can't be analyzed or quantified, but it can be qualified. If you don't get quality people, you're doomed.
In his book "Further Up the Organization," Robert Townsend wrote: "Leaders delegate whole important jobs. Non-leaders make all final decisions themselves."
Learning to delegate often requires a detour outside your comfort zone. How do you start delegating successfully?
Don't look for perfection. Your objective is to get the job done, not create a masterpiece. Establish a standard of quality and a fair time frame for reaching it. Once you establish the expectations, let your staff decide how to carry out the project.
Provide complete job instructions. Make sure your employee has all the information needed to complete the job. Confirm that he or she understands -- and accepts -- the requirements.
Stop believing you're the only one who can do the job properly. Just because an employee does things differently doesn't mean he or she won't do the job right. If you establish expectations of the end goal and the standards to follow, then methodology shouldn't be an issue. An important and often overlooked part of delegation is that it helps develop employees for advancement and creates a better work environment.
Focus on teaching skills. Delegating doesn't mean passing off work you don't enjoy but rather letting your employees stretch their skills and judgment. As you hand over greater responsibility, it's important to understand that learning new skills sometimes includes making mistakes. Don't punish employees who make a good-faith effort to do things right.
Check on progress. Let the employee do the work, but check in periodically. Don't look over employees' shoulders or watch their every move. When you outline the expectations in the beginning, make sure you build in checkpoints for follow-up.
Thank the people who have accepted the responsibility. Make sure employees know their efforts are recognized and appreciated.
A new hotel employee was asked to clean the elevators and report back to the supervisor when the task was completed. When the employee failed to appear at the end of the day, the supervisor assumed that like many others, the employee had not liked the job and left. However, after four days, the supervisor bumped into the new employee. He was cleaning one of the elevators.
"You surely haven't been cleaning these elevators for four days, have you?" asked the supervisor, accusingly.
"Yes, sir," said the employee. "This is a big job, and I've not finished yet. Do you realize there are more than 40 of them, two on each floor, and sometimes they are not even there."
Mackay's Moral: The most successful managers aim at making themselves unnecessary to their staff.
by Harvey Mackay Jul 2, 2012
A good manager knows when to delegate
When you grow, you have to know when to let go. You have to know when to delegate so you can rise up. The inability to delegate properly is the main reason that executives fail. I've learned people will seldom let you down if they understand that your destiny is in their hands, and vice versa.
Delegating is a key management skill, but managers often mistake delegation for passing off work. Failing to effectively delegate wastes your time as well as the company's time and resources.
Personal experience starting and running Mackay Envelope Co., now MackayMitchell Envelope Co., taught me this. There came a day when we had grown to the point where I had to hire a person below me to run the company day to day, while I scanned the horizon, studying our industry and the company's future direction.
The reason? You don't want to be micromanaging and end up macromangling. The captain's place is on the bridge and not knee-deep in the bilge. As the person steering an enterprise, you keep your head high and your vision unobstructed so you can study the big responsibilities while maintaining authority and control. Many aspects of this art can't be taught. Pulling it off successfully can't be analyzed or quantified, but it can be qualified. If you don't get quality people, you're doomed.
In his book "Further Up the Organization," Robert Townsend wrote: "Leaders delegate whole important jobs. Non-leaders make all final decisions themselves."
Learning to delegate often requires a detour outside your comfort zone. How do you start delegating successfully?
Don't look for perfection. Your objective is to get the job done, not create a masterpiece. Establish a standard of quality and a fair time frame for reaching it. Once you establish the expectations, let your staff decide how to carry out the project.
Provide complete job instructions. Make sure your employee has all the information needed to complete the job. Confirm that he or she understands -- and accepts -- the requirements.
Stop believing you're the only one who can do the job properly. Just because an employee does things differently doesn't mean he or she won't do the job right. If you establish expectations of the end goal and the standards to follow, then methodology shouldn't be an issue. An important and often overlooked part of delegation is that it helps develop employees for advancement and creates a better work environment.
Focus on teaching skills. Delegating doesn't mean passing off work you don't enjoy but rather letting your employees stretch their skills and judgment. As you hand over greater responsibility, it's important to understand that learning new skills sometimes includes making mistakes. Don't punish employees who make a good-faith effort to do things right.
Check on progress. Let the employee do the work, but check in periodically. Don't look over employees' shoulders or watch their every move. When you outline the expectations in the beginning, make sure you build in checkpoints for follow-up.
Thank the people who have accepted the responsibility. Make sure employees know their efforts are recognized and appreciated.
A new hotel employee was asked to clean the elevators and report back to the supervisor when the task was completed. When the employee failed to appear at the end of the day, the supervisor assumed that like many others, the employee had not liked the job and left. However, after four days, the supervisor bumped into the new employee. He was cleaning one of the elevators.
"You surely haven't been cleaning these elevators for four days, have you?" asked the supervisor, accusingly.
"Yes, sir," said the employee. "This is a big job, and I've not finished yet. Do you realize there are more than 40 of them, two on each floor, and sometimes they are not even there."
Mackay's Moral: The most successful managers aim at making themselves unnecessary to their staff.
by Harvey Mackay Jul 2, 2012
A good manager knows when to delegate
Sexy Fireman Makes Margaritas After Saving a Kitten - Cats : People.com
There's nothing like a man in uniform – well, unless it's a man in uniform making margaritas (for you) with a kitten.
Sauza Tequila hopes this hot-man-and-baby-animal combo will entice you to try their latest brew. In a new ad called "Make It with a Fireman," a hunky firefighter whips up a "Sauza-rita" with supervision from a fluffy kitty.
"Being a fireman is more than just putting out blazes and giving kittens CPR," says the ad's ripped star, clutching an adorable kitten as smoke billows around him.
Off comes the flame-resistant jacket and things get down to business. Firefighter man gives a sizzling lesson on how to mix water, limeade, a bottle of light beer and blue tequila to make a refreshing drink.
"Kittens make everything better," he says. Couldn't agree more.
by People Magazine Apr 17, 2012
Sexy Fireman Makes Margaritas After Saving a Kitten - Cats : People.com
Sauza Tequila hopes this hot-man-and-baby-animal combo will entice you to try their latest brew. In a new ad called "Make It with a Fireman," a hunky firefighter whips up a "Sauza-rita" with supervision from a fluffy kitty.
"Being a fireman is more than just putting out blazes and giving kittens CPR," says the ad's ripped star, clutching an adorable kitten as smoke billows around him.
Off comes the flame-resistant jacket and things get down to business. Firefighter man gives a sizzling lesson on how to mix water, limeade, a bottle of light beer and blue tequila to make a refreshing drink.
"Kittens make everything better," he says. Couldn't agree more.
by People Magazine Apr 17, 2012
Sexy Fireman Makes Margaritas After Saving a Kitten - Cats : People.com
To lead well, learn to treat others with love
As we enter the long, hot summer of politics and read stories daily about corporate strategies, a common theme emerges: leadership. And there is seldom agreement about what real leadership looks like or who is best to provide it.
Why? My theory is that too often, people in leadership positions fail to realize that every decision affects real people, not just the bottom line. Every good leader I have known has understood that he or she is leading people, not just an organization.
A couple of additions to your reading list might improve your leadership potential. One is "How We Lead Matters," by Marilyn Carlson Nelson.
When Nelson became CEO of Carlson -- with brands like Carlson Wagonlit Travel, the world's largest corporate-travel company, Radisson Hotels, Country Inn & Suites and T.G.I. Friday's -- she admits she had doubts she could fill the role her father had bestowed on her. Her book is a treasure trove of how she handled situations from Sunday school to meeting global leaders. Among the leadership lessons in the 70 stories are:
On a trip to India, Nelson asked a businesswoman how she was able to address social issues in a country with such immense problems. The woman shared the story of Gandhi. His five possessions consisted of "a cloth garment, a walking staff, a broken pair of eyeglasses, a pair of wooden sandals and a pocket watch. Yet he transformed the world with his commitment and compassion."
"It's been said that the mark of a true leader is thinking well beyond his or her years; that is, establishing a leadership culture in an organization that becomes the organization's hallmark."
"When you are making a difficult decision, ask yourself if the decision you're about to make would show integrity, leadership, caring. And if you make that particular decision, will you be giving up on something you should continue fighting for? ... Never forget that your role as a leader is to be a steward for future generations."
Nelson continues as chair of Carlson, and Carlson continues to prosper. See a connection?
A new book, "Love Works: Seven Timeless Principles for Effective Leaders," also emphasizes the critical relationship between leadership and a passionate, motivated workforce.
Author Joel Manby is president and CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment, a company with more than 10,000 employees that entertains more than 16 million guests at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo., and 25 other properties across America.
Manby's experience on the TV show "Undercover Boss" reinforced his confidence in HFE's workforce, but what followed was truly enlightening. He received thousands of responses from viewers who had watched the show, many from people who wished that their workplaces were more like what they had seen on TV: more respectful, cooperative, joyful and, well, more loving.
Loving? How many of us can call our workplaces loving?
"The simple truth is this: There is a crisis of confidence in leadership. The level of dissatisfaction and even resentment present in the thousands of letters and e-mail messages shocked me," Manby writes. "People felt as if they couldn't trust their leaders and bosses."
In a panel discussion by the Society for Human Resource Management, he explained what sets his company apart.
"We actually use love to define our leadership culture at HFE. Not love the emotion, but love the verb. We train our leaders to love each other, knowing that if they create enthusiasm with their employees, the employees will in turn create an enthusiastic guest experience. I think most organizations avoid discussions about how people should treat each other, and I think that's what is wrong with a lot of organizations. Why are we so afraid to talk about love?"
The seven principles sound basic enough: be patient, kind, trusting, unselfish, truthful, forgiving and dedicated. However, that's where the simplicity ends. The examples and stories are both inspirational and challenging. The chapter summaries are succinct checklists to keep you on track.
These two books define leadership in terms we aren't accustomed to, but maybe they lead us to a better way to work.
Mackay's Moral: If how you lead matters, remember: Love works.
by Harvey Mackay jun 24, 2012
To lead well, learn to treat others with love
Why? My theory is that too often, people in leadership positions fail to realize that every decision affects real people, not just the bottom line. Every good leader I have known has understood that he or she is leading people, not just an organization.
A couple of additions to your reading list might improve your leadership potential. One is "How We Lead Matters," by Marilyn Carlson Nelson.
When Nelson became CEO of Carlson -- with brands like Carlson Wagonlit Travel, the world's largest corporate-travel company, Radisson Hotels, Country Inn & Suites and T.G.I. Friday's -- she admits she had doubts she could fill the role her father had bestowed on her. Her book is a treasure trove of how she handled situations from Sunday school to meeting global leaders. Among the leadership lessons in the 70 stories are:
On a trip to India, Nelson asked a businesswoman how she was able to address social issues in a country with such immense problems. The woman shared the story of Gandhi. His five possessions consisted of "a cloth garment, a walking staff, a broken pair of eyeglasses, a pair of wooden sandals and a pocket watch. Yet he transformed the world with his commitment and compassion."
"It's been said that the mark of a true leader is thinking well beyond his or her years; that is, establishing a leadership culture in an organization that becomes the organization's hallmark."
"When you are making a difficult decision, ask yourself if the decision you're about to make would show integrity, leadership, caring. And if you make that particular decision, will you be giving up on something you should continue fighting for? ... Never forget that your role as a leader is to be a steward for future generations."
Nelson continues as chair of Carlson, and Carlson continues to prosper. See a connection?
A new book, "Love Works: Seven Timeless Principles for Effective Leaders," also emphasizes the critical relationship between leadership and a passionate, motivated workforce.
Author Joel Manby is president and CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment, a company with more than 10,000 employees that entertains more than 16 million guests at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo., and 25 other properties across America.
Manby's experience on the TV show "Undercover Boss" reinforced his confidence in HFE's workforce, but what followed was truly enlightening. He received thousands of responses from viewers who had watched the show, many from people who wished that their workplaces were more like what they had seen on TV: more respectful, cooperative, joyful and, well, more loving.
Loving? How many of us can call our workplaces loving?
"The simple truth is this: There is a crisis of confidence in leadership. The level of dissatisfaction and even resentment present in the thousands of letters and e-mail messages shocked me," Manby writes. "People felt as if they couldn't trust their leaders and bosses."
In a panel discussion by the Society for Human Resource Management, he explained what sets his company apart.
"We actually use love to define our leadership culture at HFE. Not love the emotion, but love the verb. We train our leaders to love each other, knowing that if they create enthusiasm with their employees, the employees will in turn create an enthusiastic guest experience. I think most organizations avoid discussions about how people should treat each other, and I think that's what is wrong with a lot of organizations. Why are we so afraid to talk about love?"
The seven principles sound basic enough: be patient, kind, trusting, unselfish, truthful, forgiving and dedicated. However, that's where the simplicity ends. The examples and stories are both inspirational and challenging. The chapter summaries are succinct checklists to keep you on track.
These two books define leadership in terms we aren't accustomed to, but maybe they lead us to a better way to work.
Mackay's Moral: If how you lead matters, remember: Love works.
by Harvey Mackay jun 24, 2012
To lead well, learn to treat others with love
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