Tip # 410: How to Increase Your Management Productivity (part 2 of 2)

Last week we outlined the first 3 tips for ways to increase your management productivity. 

This week's tips, 4 through 6, are designed to help you become improve your skills at planning, engaging and monitoring events within your organization; three things that will ensure you are doing things in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Tips 4 Through 6 For Increasing Your Management Productivity: 

Tip #4: Address The Final Details. Following step 3, it's time to put your best plan into action. To do so, think about all aspects of implementing the plan, including the people supplying you with the things you need to other resources needed. To help you think beyond your own environment, ask yourself questions like:

• Have I scheduled and ordered the resources I need to help my team implement the plan for improving or streamlining processes?
• Have I adequately prepared and trained the employees who will work with changed processes and procedures?
• Does my staff have the equipment, software and tools they need? Are back-up items accessible?
• Have I created a budget and gotten approval for all costs?
• Has the purchasing department ordered what I need?
• Is the purchasing department aware of my delivery schedule and deadlines?

Tip #5: Launching The Plan. When it's time to implement your plan, it will be comparable to building a massive ship; the engineers know what does where and how it all comes together. Remember, every group has its own goals.

Additionally, you are the head engineer and you need to get others to see the bigger picture. Although you cannot micro-manage every facet of the process, you can need to review all the components on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Tip #6: Your Staff Will Do Their Best Work If They Know Things Are Being Measured And/Or Monitored. It is great to see things moving forward, but if you really want to move the needle of your team's productivity, make sure they know what is being monitored, measured and rewarded. 

If you want to read a wonderful book on ways to increase your team's productivity, you should read the book The Greatest Management Principle in the World - here is a link to read more about it on Amazon.com.

Tip: Do not wait to review people on a quarterly basis or you will find yourself unable to correct things in a timely manner. Create and maintain a timely and efficient means of tracking progress.

Executive Summary: Once you have a plan in place, your job as a leader/manager is to orchestrate its execution. This includes (but is not limited to) organizing the resources and staff that is implementing your plan. Once the plan is in action, it is important to monitor its progress and help your staff remove any barriers that arise.