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.

Tip # 409: How to Increase Your Management Productivity (part 1 of 2)

Throughout the years, we have talked about ways to improve management techniques.

This week's e-tip aims to provide a good foundation for helping you gain and reinforce the basics of how a great manager increases productivity in the workplace.

3 Tips To Help Increase Your Management Productivity (Part 1 Of 2): 

Tip #1: Focus On The Two Sides Of Management. Recognize that being a good manager is both an art and a science. The art is involves developing team members so that they work most effectively. The science is consists of instilling the 4 basic fundamentals in your daily professional life: Plan, Organize, Direct and Monitor.

Tip #2: Increase The Productivity Of Your Staff. Imagine you are a COO of production. You have 10 workers who can output 5 units per hour. If you assign a manager to assume responsibility for the output of the team and your team still produce 5 units per hour, you will see a lose due to the added labor costs. However, if the team produces 8 units per hour with the help of a manger, your manager will have added tremendous value. Remember, a good manager will streamline processes, motivate employees and increase team productivity.

Tip #3. Develop A Plan. Being a good manager begins with proper planning - and the right planning saves countless time and money. Without a plan, your efficiency will suffer. Your successes and performances will also lack consistency.

When you create goals or find them assigned to you, you first need to determine what you need to accomplish them. What happens if you do not have all the needed resources? What are your alternatives if that is the case?  That said, it would be prudent to address many of these concerns before starting a new goal or project.

As a leader, the proper planning of resources comes from reviewing everyone's strengths and weaknesses; therefore, ask yourself questions like:

• What is the most cost-effective solution (short and long term)?

• Will my department's production be improved if I altered the teams' workload or schedule?  

As you can see, it will help you tremendously if you develop several solutions and options whenever possible. To help work through various options, share them with other people within the department (like those who are doing the work) as well as other department managers.  This will not only allow you to receive valuable feedback, but also feel your team empowered.

Executive Summary: Great management skills and techniques do not occur accidentally. They require constant refinement -refinement that comes with experience, training and mentoring. Increased productivity and efficiency will also motivate your team and they will enjoy the opportunity to provide feedback on your forward-thinking solutions.

Tip # 408: Are You Giving Orders Or Instructions?

Observing your own organization, you will see a variety of management styles. Some believe that giving constant orders equates to good management. This could not be further from the truth. Unless you are in a crisis situation, you do not have to give orders to get things done. Instead, you can provide instructions and encourage your team to meet goals creatively, helping team members develop their project management skills.

Over Time, Giving Orders Creates Conflict.

By giving orders to people, you are not giving them any autonomy to think about what to do or how to do it. All they can do is carry out what you have ordered and it may give the impression that you do not trust the employee to handle basic procedures.

There are three reasons why this practice is counterproductive:

1. The person receiving the order is not allowed or required to think beyond the task at hand.

2. The person receiving the order does not learn how to think creatively.

3. This approach builds resentment over time.

Give Instructions Instead.

The fastest and easiest way of developing your staff is to give them the freedom of coming up with their preferred way of meeting goals. While their solutions may not be the most efficient and may require your supervision, they will appreciate the opportunity to solve goals creatively. There's also a good chance they will come up with something you had not anticipated. To begin, you should set expectation of when you want to meet a goal and who should be involved in achieving it.

Encourage Your Staff To Think Creatively.

The best way of encouraging your staff to accomplish goals is to give them a general guide and a specific goal. Then, have them talk with others or outside partners to think of possible solutions. Of course, you need to make sure they are getting it done in a cost-effective manner. A side benefit of getting your staff involved is that their buy-in and project support increases. In long term and strategic projects, surveys have revealed that people directly involved with the solution are more apt to come up with (and defend) the optimum solution or plan.

Effectively Communicate Your Needs.

A clear order contains specifics, such as: "I need you to send me the P/L report no later than Friday at 9:00 a.m." As you can see, there is very little room for someone to say they did not know when you needed it. Instead of providing orders and micromanagement, focus on specific goals.

Instead of saying, "I'd like you to review an analysis of this past month's sales results," be more specific. For example, you could say, "Please review an analysis of this past month's sales results. By Friday morning, I expect your recommendation of the best course of action, what sold and what didn't sell as well as your opinion on ways to close more business."

Ineffective managers are not clear about the anticipated outcome they expect. A good manager makes instructions clear and very concise.

Executive Summary: As a leader in your organization, it is all about getting things done through others. And when you give orders to people, you limit their level of learning and creative problem solving. Conversely, when you give instructions, you let people know that they are part of a solution. When your staff is directly involved with the process, they become motivated, look for creative ways to solve problems and possibly even suggest valuable improvements to the process.

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Tip #407: 5 Ways To Help A New Employee

When a new employee gets hired at your organization, what does he or she experience? Have you gone through the employee orientation process at your company recently? If you want to help a new employee get up to speed faster (and prevent high turnover rates), you should consider revisiting the orientation process for new hires.

New Employees Feel Just As You Did.

Do you remember your first day of work at the company you are at right now? If so, you probably felt overwhelmed with paperwork, computer logins, remembering others' names and understanding who was who and what departments handled things. You were even probably wondering if you would be accepted as a quality employee.

  

Whether your company employs 5 or 5,000 employees, your organization can ease the transition for new hires. A facility tour and process overview is the best way to begin. Don't forget to point out the locations of emergency exits, bathrooms, water fountains and cafeterias.

Look At A New Employee As A Client.

You should treat a new employee as you would a customer, because, in essence, they are your internal customers. The sooner your new employees understand their general job duties, the sooner they will feel comfortable producing positive results for you.

Even something as simple as a welcome sign and introductory email can help new employees feel welcome. This will also encourage existing employees to welcome them.

Make A To-Do List Of Things To Get Done For A New Hire.

One of the best ways to ensure a positive transition for a new employee is to have a game plan or checklist outlining their progress. This is nothing more than a list of things that should be done to acclimate them to your organization. 

Your Action Items Should Include:

• Organize Standard Personnel File Contents Such As:
  • o    Job Application Or Resume
  • o    Reference Checks
  • o    A Copy Of Any Professional Licenses, Driver's License Or Certifications Required For This Person's Job
  • o    Emergency Contact Information
• Instruct New Employee To Complete Paperwork:
  • o    W-4 Form For Payroll Withholding; I-9 Form; Employment Eligibility Verification; Social Security Number
  • o    Additional Legal Paperwork Or Security Clearances
• Give New Employees A Copy Of Your Employee Handbook
• Review The Organization's Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment
• If Appropriate, Give New Employees A Security Card Or A Company ID Card
• Have New Employees Fill Out Their Health Insurance Benefit Coverage Election And Beneficiary Designation Forms

5 Ways To Help Transition A New Employee:

1. Awareness: Make sure your new employees know exactly how their job duties affect the team and organization.

2. Communication Skills: When communicating with new employees about their needs, be consistent with your verbal and written skills. Your ability to build solid relationships begins with your first interactions with them and continues to build from there.

3. HR Management: Strong human resource skills and policies go a long way for getting new employees on the right path.  Plus, it allows your new employees to feel permanently accepted and welcomed.

4. Professionalism: How you handle a new employee can mitigate your liability. Talk with an HR professional to get a better understanding of what you need to do to ensure your company's compliance. 

5. Team Welcome: Make introductions immediately. Ensure everyone goes out of their way to welcome a new employee. If you treat your new employees as part of the team from their first day, their value becomes immediately apparent. 

Executive Summary. Planning and delivering an effective new employee orientation is an effective way to limit turnover and increase new employee productivity. In addition to reducing start-up costs, it provides a warm welcome to integrate new employees into the organization's culture and improves employee loyalty and retention.  

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Tip #406: 6 Tips For Better Workplace Efficiency

No matter what position you hold at your business, there are a number of things you can do throughout the day to ensure your business is running smoothly. 

To help you and your team maintain a productive workplace environment, we have listed below six quick tips to increase your efficiency in the workplace.

6 Tips For Better Workplace Efficiency:

Tip #1. Measure Twice, Cut Once - The old adage "measure twice and cut once" applies as well in an office as it does on a construction site. Whether you are a software engineer writing code or a CEO looking at an acquisition, it pays to look at things twice before making the final decision on what to do next. Don't forget to analyze metrics during any decision-making process and consider how your decision will affect your company.

Tip #2. Doing It Right Is Cost-Effective - Why does it seem that there is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do something over? If you want to be a proactive organization, it will pay huge dividends if everyone concentrates on doing their jobs right the first time - even if it takes a little longer to make sure it is right. And by doing it right the first time, you not only increase your company's efficiencies, but you can also have an immediate impact on customer loyalty, retention and overall profits.

Tip #3. Ready, Aim, Fire - Many people can get caught-up in "analysis paralysis." To help avoid this trap, figure out what you want to do, make a plan with the best information possible and then immediately engage the plan. If not, you will find yourself left behind and wondering what happened.

Tip #4. Set Realistic Completion Dates - Managers need to set realistic project deadlines for their staff. This helps the team realize short-term goals and helps accomplish these goals faster.  Employ a sense of realism: although an aggressive manager may want his/her staff to achieve aggressive deadlines, they run the risk of burning their out their staff.

# 5. Make Sure Your Staff Enjoys Their Work - The best performing employees are ones that enjoy their workplace and line of work. That said, great managers and owners work hard to create ways of making the work/workplace challenging, interesting and fun. So what are you doing to make your workplace fun?

# 6. Break The Daily Grind - Most every employee is assigned a task according to his/her skill set; however, it is important to consider rotating people throughout an organization. This will give them two things: a better appreciation of what others do and a break from the daily complacency, monotony and boredom of a job. You can do this by giving people new tasks/job functions within the company or other divisions -- which adds to their skill sets and a better overall view of the organization.

Executive Summary: Proactive owners/leaders know the best way to get things done: hire people who are not only intelligent but who are proactive and decisive. So, start today by thinking about what needs to be done, make a decision to actually do it and then do it right. Additionally, take a hard look at everyone on your staff and ask yourself this one simple question: "How can I help my staff enjoy their jobs?"

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