How to be an Even Better Manager

A Complete A-Z of Proven Techniques and Essential Skills

Michael Armstrong

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781789668339
• Edition: 11
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Management
• Index: Business

Don't just be a good manager... be an even better one. For current and aspiring managers alike, this bestselling handbook from expert author Michael Armstrong provides a whistle-stop tour of the skills and techniques you need to succeed. With a focus on practical application, you will be guided through four crucial areas of management:
-Managing people
-Management activities and processes
-Management personal skills
-Business and financial skills How to be an Even Better Manager has sold over 170, 000 copies worldwide and been translated into 17 languages. Fully revised and updated, this 11th edition covers all the skills an excellent manager needs, and now includes brand new case studies to ensure you will be equipped for the modern world of management. From resolving conflict and boosting your confidence to engaging your team and improving their performance, with this trusted and popular guide you won't just be good - you'll be an even better manager.

Part One

Managing people

02

How to treat people right

Treating people right is a fundamental key to creating organizational effectiveness… Both organizations and individuals need to succeed. One cannot succeed without the other.

ED LAWLER¹

Why treating people right is necessary

People are the key resource available to managers. To get the best results it is necessary to treat them right. This means that you have to:

• treat them with respect;
• treat them fairly;
• create the right work environment;
• help them to develop their capabilities and skills;
• provide leadership;
• get to know your team members;
• define expectations and ensure they are met.

Treat people with respect

To respect someone is to recognize a person’s qualities, to ensure that they feel valued and treat them with dignity and courtesy – no belittling, no bullying. It means being sensitive to the differences between people, taking this diversity into account in any dealings with them. It involves honouring their contribution and listening to what they have to say. It means recognizing that people may have legitimate grievances and responding to them promptly, fully and sympathetically.

Treat people fairly

Treating people fairly means that you should:

• give proper consideration to their views and circumstances;
• apply policies and decisions consistently to all concerned;
• provide adequate explanations of decisions made (transparency);
• avoid personal bias with regard to individuals or categories of people (no favouritism);
• ensure that people are rewarded equitably in comparison with others in the organization in accordance with their contribution;
• see that people get what was promised to them (deliver the deal);
• define the standards people are expected to achieve;
• indicate clearly to people where you believe that the defined standards are not being reached and give them a chance to improve.

Create the right work environment

People should feel that their work is worthwhile. Their jobs should make good use of their skills and abilities and as far as possible provide some freedom to act so that they have a reasonable degree of control over their activities and decisions. Employees also need feedback – information about how well they are doing, which as far as possible should be obtained for themselves from their work rather than from their manager. These are all factors that, if they are present in jobs, will provide motivation from the work itself – ‘intrinsic motivation’. They can be considerably influenced by the ways in which work is organized – the design of the work system and of individual jobs.

To enable the work system to operate efficiently and flexibly it is necessary to provide for the smooth flow of processes and activities and ensure that resources – people, materials, plant, equipment and money – are used effectively. But in designing or managing a work system it is also necessary to consider what needs to be done to treat people right through job design. The system should enable employees to gain fulfilment from their work by as far as possible allowing scope for variety, challenge and autonomy. It should provide a good environment in terms of working conditions and a healthy and safe system of work, bearing in mind the need to minimize stress and pay attention to ergonomic considerations in the design of equipment and workstations.

Help people to develop their capabilities and skills

It is in your own interest and that of your organization to enhance the skills and capabilities of the people you manage through coaching, training and, importantly, giving them scope to learn or develop skills by providing new work opportunities or challenges. They will be equipped with the means to gain greater fulfilment from their work by achieving more in their existing jobs and by obtaining the experience and skills which will further their careers.

Furthering development means noticing when formal training experiences or opportunities for on-the-job training can help someone. You should give your people time and space to learn new skills. Your role as a coach is particularly important. Every time you give somebody a new task to do you are creating a learning opportunity.

Provide leadership

Leadership helps people by giving a sense of direction and by providing support as necessary. Effective leadership means that people know where they are going and are guided on how to get there.

Get to know team members

You can’t treat individual members of your team right unless you get to know them. Team building is important. You need to know their strengths and weaknesses, their ambitions and their concerns about work. Performance management systems that provide for regular review meetings between managers and their staff can help to do this. But it should be an everyday affair. The more you are in contact with your people, the better you will get to know them. It’s no good hiding in your office or behind a desk. You have to get out and talk to people. It’s called management by walking about. It’s one of the best ways of building good relationships.

Define expectations and ensure they are met

You treat people right when you make sure that they understand and accept what is expected of them – standards of performance and behaviour. You need to clarify roles, what has to be achieved and how it is to be achieved. And this should be a matter for mutual agreement. You are not there as a manager simply to order people around. You want willing cooperation, not grudging submission.

But you have to ensure that the standards are met. If they are not, this is when you need to be firm. Treating people right is not about being soft with them. It is right to take a firm line if someone under-performs without good reason or misbehaves.

Gaining respect

You need to treat people with respect but you also need to earn the respect of your team members. Here are 10 ways of doing this.

GAINING RESPECT

1. Get things done well – impress people with your achievements.
2. Be professional – apply your expertise in carrying out your work and act responsibly at all times.
3. Engender trust – the firm belief that you can be relied on.
4. Respond promptly to requests for help or information.
5. Behave in a friendly and approachable manner.
6. Act firmly and with integrity, displaying honesty, probity, sincerity, fairness and morality.
7. Be polite, persistent and persuasive.
8. Deal calmly wit...