Thought Of The Day #1

Actively seek opportunities to provide POSITIVE feedback. What about negative feedback? Give it when needed but try to approach it through positive anyway. For example, instead of saying 'you've screwed up yesterday' say 'you're doing much better today'  

 

 

Thought Of The Day #2

If you want to make life easier for yourself, your bosses, your colleagues and your employees, learn to HEAR what they are saying. Because often what people say is not quite what they mean to say.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #3

Nothing promotes respect and morale like the loyalty of the manager to his/her workers

 

 

Thought Of The Day #4

Whether or not you're a good communicator, you can always be better. So take courses, attend seminars and read books on communication but most of all, learn by observing those people in your organization who you think have better communication skills. Simply pay attention to what they do and how.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #5

If you find that your people are just re-phrasing your own opinions back to you, it may be because you're always right or maybe because you're not always open to alternative points of view.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #6

People don't care what you know until they know that you care. As a manager and a leader, you cannot afford not to care, or care but not that much, about your people. Organizations are not about the end result. Organizations are about people coming together to make things happen. Huge difference.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #7

Ask yourself: do your moods affect your professional conduct within acceptable levels? If you're still not sure, ask one or two of your trusted colleagues for some honest feedback.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #8

You've got to be both a manager and a leader. Either one by itself is not enough. If you're just a manager, you'll never get the best out of your people. If you're just a leader, you'll have trouble getting things done. You've got to find the balance between the two that is right for your area, your department, your organization.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #9

Have you ever encountered a boss that yells? Do you 'lose it' yourself every now and then? If you do, just become aware of what triggers you and come up with strategies to deal with the TRIGGERS in a more professional way.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #10

Create an environment where people can try different things. Do not punish failure - reward courage and creativity. Do that and know that you're a leader.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #11

Are you all about the rules? Relax a little and see if chaos ensues. Chances are it won't. Then relax a little more. Find the balance between the rules and freedom that is right for your area and your people. Don't be governed by your fears.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #12

A job is not just about the money – it's about your personal and professional development as a human being. Getting stuck in a comfortable but a dead-end job, doing the same thing over and over, is bad for the soul. Promote from within and move on.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #13

Do you seek feedback from your colleagues, friends, family? Will they tell you the truth if you ask? Like the fellow once said - feedback is the breakfast of champions.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #14

You don't need to know EVERYTHING that goes on in your organisation, unless you're a control freak like Mark McCormack. Set a rule in your inbox to delete and autorespond to all messages where your name is not in the main recipient list (To field). Politely inform the sender that you did not read the message due to a large volume of emails and that you only accept messages directly relevant to you. (you can always make exceptions in the rule for specific people)

 

 

Thought Of The Day #15

Do you tend to always do things the same way? Are you open and welcoming to new ideas or are you an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" type?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #16

Don't assume that people think along the same lines or that they have the same information that you do. You have a higher vantage point – make sure everyone is crystal clear on their part in the whole picture.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #17

Believe it or not, there are some pretty 'up themselves' bosses out there. Are you one of them?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #18

Don't try to be someone you're not, behaving in a manner you think others expect you to. Give yourself permission to be yourself. Don't worry that who you are is not enough. Instead, concentrate on being the best you can be. The rest will fall into place.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #19

What levels of stress does your job cause? How are you handling it? If you find yourself constantly under the pump, you need to step back, reassess and change the plan of attack. No job should be inherently excessively stressful.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #20

You'll get further by sticking to your principles than by playing other people's games. Tell your boss and your colleagues how you feel. Ask them not to put you in competitive situations. Be respectful, polite but firm. After all, why would you want to succeed in such an environment?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #21

Do you publicly criticize your subordinates? Or your colleagues? Your friends? Your spouse? Your children? The only people you can criticize publicly are politicians. NO ONE ELSE

 

 

Thought Of The Day #22

As a manager it is your job to uphold the morale of your employees. And what better way than praising them for what they do well? These days we seem to be too busy to even notice when people do their job well but a good manager will make it a habit to look for praise worthy things every day, for every one of his or her subordinates

 

 

Thought Of The Day #23

Are you one of those 'if you want it done right, do it yourself' bosses? As a manager, you should strive to do nothing - just walk around and pat others on the shoulder. Of course it'll never happen but the less you do yourself the better manager you are :-)

 

 

Thought Of The Day #24

Remember, there is always something of value in what your associates, your employees, your suppliers and your customers have to say. Listen to the people around you.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #25

There is a school of thought that advocates piling up more work on your most capable workers, because they can handle it. Truth is, you should know the limits of every person you're in charge of and make sure you keep them just a tad beyond their comfort zone but never approach the limit

 

 

Thought Of The Day #26

Don't create a culture of fear and false fronts. Help your people set appropriate goals and let them manage their own time. Merit and achievement-based culture is far more superior.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #27

Are you a 'My way / Highway' type of boss or parent?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #28

Management By Walking Around (MBWA) does work. You make yourself more approachable. You get information first-hand. You find out what's really happening.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #29

Admitting your mistake doesn't make you look weak - it's all in your head. Apologise to those affected, tell them what you're going to do so the mistake does not happen again and move on. Forget the fantasy of infallible leader or a parent. You're a human, not a robot!

 

 

Thought Of The Day #30

Don't let yourself waste valuable time by falling back on what you did before you became a manager. We know you enjoy it and you are good at it. That's why you were promoted. Now you need to concentrate your efforts on managing, not on "doing".

 

 

Thought Of The Day #31

Today, watch your interactions with your subordinates and ask yourself: do you treat your equals or superiors the same way? And if the answer is 'no' then you are probably overstepping the boundaries

 

 

Thought Of The Day #32

Always think of yourself as managing a factory full of people, instead of just managing a factory. It'll change your entire attitude and make you a better manager.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #33

Take all the blame, give away all the praise - that's the deal when you are a leader. Unless of course you're a survivalist corporate rat, in which case you are authorized to do the exact opposite.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #34

You will find people more responsive and less defensive if you can give them guidance not instructions. You will also see more initiative, more innovation, and more of an ownership attitude from them develop over time.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #35

Playing favourites with employers is as wrong as playing favourites with your children.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #36

Avoid all the shaming, blaming and finger pointing. Instead of asking 'Why haven't you completed your task?' ask 'How can we ensure you complete your tasks on time in future?' Not 'Why are the sales figures down?' but 'How can we increase our sales and keep it growing?' Because that's what you ultimately want so don't get bogged down in 'why'.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #37

You don't have to beat people up to be a bully. Do you use your power to get your way? Are your subordinates afraid to express contrary opinions?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #38

Helping people develop personally and professionally is a mark of a great manager.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #39

If you find yourself issuing instructions all the time, you're not really delegating and you're not using your people's creativity. Learn to step back and let them do things their own way, even if imperfect.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #40

As a manager, you should strive to make your job obsolete. Only a great manager can keep things running that smoothly. And don't worry that you might lose your job – if you're that good, you'll just get on to bigger and better things.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #41

If you have something to hide from your employees, your peers or your superiors it is usually caused by your own issues. Ask yourself what is it you are afraid of and is it worth living in fear.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #42

Either you command respect or you don't. Always look to your own behaviour if people are not showing you the respect you think you deserve. More often than not it'll be the result of you disrespecting others.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #43

Clearly state the timeframe for the task and the outcome you expect. Leave them alone to do it. That's delegating. Anything else is micromanaging.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #44

Always separate the person from the behaviour. We all make mistakes, we all do and say silly things from time to time. Refrain from labelling and criticising people, especially in public. If you have something negative to say, try to re-frame it in the positive. For example, instead of saying “you've screwed up today” say “you had done much better yesterday and we want to see more of that tomorrow”.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #45

If workers in other departments are hesitant to apply for jobs in yours it's a definite sign of trouble.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #46

If you are constantly stressed at work, something is wrong. You must take steps to prevent that from happening. No job is worth your health, which stress will cost you in the long run.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #47

Are you a 'do as I say not as I do' type of boss/parent?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #48

These days we're too busy with our own shit to even notice when someone is doing something right. We often take it for granted when people are doing a good job and only notice them when something is wrong. As a manager, it is part of your job to notice when your people do things well and praise them.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #49

Do you dicourage your subordinates from trying anything new? We've always done it this way, Sonny! If it ain't brock, don't fix it.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #50

Most organizations do not bother asking their employees to contribute innovative ideas. And many of those that do never bother to provide feedback, particularly if the ideas don't get implemented. No wonder that the employees are not engaging.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #51

Have you lost employees due to 'personality differences'? This may indicate a lack of appropriate leadership. Watch for other signs of low morale.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #52

Should you give your employees freedom or should you enforce the rules? There's no one size fits all solution here. Every workplace and every team is different. Test and see what works best for your crew.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #53

You will never be an effective leader or even a manager if you don't care about your people. If you find yourself cringing at a mention of soft skills, chances are you're not in the right line of work.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #54

Most people don't ask for feedback in order to avoid potential unpleasantness of negative comments. And though it's understandable, it is hardly a beneficial strategy. Even if it's bad news, the sooner you know, the sooner you can do something about it.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #55

Watch yourself for a few days and notice the quality of the feedback you give to people. Are you constantly pointing out the flaws in their work? Do you give backhanded praise? Do you say things like 'you did well but...'?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #56

Telling people how their behaviour makes you feel is a non-threatening way of bringing up the issues that bother you. You might sometimes get some form of abuse in response, in which case more decisive measures will need to be taken, but more often than not it'll result in changed behaviour and a better relationship.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #57

It is totally OK if your employees know more than you do - you are there to manage, not to do everything yourself. So long as you know about management and leadership, you'll be fine but if you're lacking in that area, it's time to hit the books, take courses and find a mentor. Fast

 

 

Thought Of The Day #58

If you make it about WHO's right, there will be winners and losers. If you make it about WHAT's right, everyone's a winner.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #59

It may be true that your subordinates won't do as good a job as you would yourself but if you don't let them try, they'll never learn and you'll end up being overworked, stressed and not a good boss.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #60

Take all the blame, pass on all the praise. Never hide behind your employees, never throw them under the bus. Do that and earn your people's respect and support you, even if you have to make unpopular decisions.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #61

Have you learned to mentor?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #62

Do you forget your employees have a life?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #63

Your employees can joke about you. You cannot joke about them, even good-naturedly. And please don't think that saying "we're laughing with you, not at you" is going to make it all better.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #64

Do you engage in petty office politics? You may like the office intrigue and navigating the organizational undercurrents - you may even be good at it. Just know that it will most likely come at a price of the respect of your co-workers. Respect and pettiness just don't go together.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #65

Do you take credit for others' work? Sometimes it's easy to think that the ideas you may have picked up from others are your own. Consider the things you take credit for and think on where they originated and who else deserves the credit.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #66

Do you promote from within? If your organization is constantly bringing new people from outside, that leaves the existing employees with nothing to strive for and dilutes the organizational culture, which will result in low morale.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #67

Always be on the lookout for opportunities to reward good work. Celebrate all achievements at least in some small ways and you'll create a healthy work environment with good morale.

 

 

Thought Of The Day #68

You may say 'thank you' all the time but how often do you mean it?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #69

Are you arrogant? You may not think so, but do others perceive you as arrogant?

 

 

Thought Of The Day #70

We often think highly of people but never actually express it to them. Today look for opportunities to make your colleagues feel valued.

Thought Of The Day #71

For the next few days, watch yourself in meetings and notice how often you cut people off.