Run an efficient business by avoiding these top managing mistakes.
I know it’s fashionable to do a top 10 or top 7 list, but when I sat down to write this, the list came to seven.
Let’s go through them. I’ll first list the mistake, and then I’ll provide the solution.
Not listening – this is one of the first big mistakes.
Solution: listen openly. You don’t have to respond every time immediately. You don’t have to have an answer all the time. You can say, “Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I’d like to think about it and I’ll get back to you.” Because you’re the owner, manager or boss doesn’t mean you have to have an answer every time. Listen, and let them know that they’re listened to.
Not ensuring that each person clearly understands their role – this is a very common mistake.
Solution: get agreement over what the role and responsibilities are.
Not communicating or feeding back – remember that communication and feedback were the second highest motivators.
Solution: Don’t leave any issue hanging. Get back with responses, acknowledgement, praise, thanks or corrections, where necessary, and as soon as possible, and in appropriate surroundings. Keep in mind too that sometimes it’s not appropriate to give feedback in front of the rest of the staff.
Not giving and sharing the big picture and their part in it
Solution: Tell your staff about the big picture you have for the business so they can understand the part that they play.
Seeing them only as assets to the business, and not people (not seeing them as people)
Solution: Initiate one on one meetings. Get to know them as people and help develop them to be the best they can be.
Not respecting or valuing them, their thoughts, and contributions
Solution: you employed them because you believed they had something to contribute to your business so follow through with that.
Not giving them support in the form of the right resources with which to do their jobs effectively – resources include tools, machinery, support from other team members, support from you, time, information, systems…resources can mean a whole lot of things.
Solution: make sure that you give them the right resources, the right support, to do their job effectively.
Not praising or acknowledging achievements and work well done
Solution: watch and listen for positive behavior and results, and acknowledge to them and the team. Acknowledge them. Praise them. Sometimes it’s hard for managers and owners of businesses, so wrapped up in the stress of running the business and doing so much, that they forget to notice when things have been done well. Praise is a very positive and powerful tool.
Not investing in training – whether that be external programs or internal systems
Solution: do you have a company induction and training program? If not, develop one.
Not being a role model and mentor (this doesn’t mean doing all the work)
Solution: live and breathe your company values. Mentor your people through regular one-on-one meetings and in team meetings.
Not thinking systemically
Solution: see everything as a system waiting to happen. See how systems feed into each other. Also, use the no blame problem solving technique regularly.
Avoiding these top managing mistakes will go a long way to helping you run a successful business.
Stop by next week when I discuss recruiting and hiring.
Until next time…
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