Tip #421: 5 Tips to Increase Your Worker Productivity

We all know that in business, time equals money. And being able to work in an efficient and organized manner will help you produce a higher volume of work and/or sales. This not only leads to many possible benefits including promotions, raises and additional responsibilities but it also may allow you to leave work early due to your work being completed earlier.

Becoming More Productive At Work Requires Discipline.

To help you refine your existing habits, we have listed a number of tips. The key is this: Focus on them daily for the next 30-days. Once you do something for 30-days, experts all agree that you will be well on your way to making them a permanent habit.

5 Tips To Increase Work/Sales Productivity:

Tip #1: Declutter Your Work Space -A clear work space makes for a clear head space. If you spend 5 minutes per day tidying up your desk, you'll be less likely to lose or forget important action items. If you have an overabundance of knickknacks and unfiled papers, the resulting chaos could affect your work performance.

Tip #2: Prioritize Your Goals Each Morning -At the beginning of your workday, take a few minutes to prioritize. Most people find that task lists help them stay on track. This is a simple solution and provides you with structure and routine.

Tip #3: Resolve Problems Promptly -Once you identify a problem, track and resolve it as soon as you can. If you ignore problems, they can grow and create additional stress.

Tip #4: Organize Everything - The necessity of being organized doesn't stop at your work space. Drawers, files, e-mail inboxes, client information and digital files all require maintenance and organization. Set reminders for yourself to organize these work tools as often as necessary.

Tip #5: Manage Your Time And Team Efficiently - Do you know when to delegate responsibilities to a team and when to speak up if too much work has been passed to you? If not, you and your team are headed for disaster. Communicate with your team and manage the workflow efficiently.

Executive Summary: Good habits take about a month to properly develop; therefore, you can help yourself remember these tips by printing and posting this e-mail or setting automated reminders for yourself in Microsoft Outlook.

Additionally, solving problems quickly, having an organized workspace and managing workflow shows your supervisor that you are capable of handling tasks efficiently - this prevents micromanagement and allows you to get more work done in less time.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #420: 6 Tips To Praise An Employee (And Key Phrases To Use)

As you reflect on your week, did you praise your team members more than you critiqued them? No matter what, experts all agree with this: You will have a happier and more productive workforce if they feel like valued employees. And the more you praise your staff for a job well done, the more productive they will be.

Although praise seems like such a simple thing, it's often done unsuccessfully, if at all. To help you or someone you know become better at praising, we have listed below 6 tips for your review and consideration. 

Tip #1: Offer Genuine Praise - When you provide praise, ensure that the content of your message is thoughtful and heartfelt. This will maximize the impact of your words. Your employees don't want to receive praise simply because it's an item on your to-do list, so make it meaningful.

Tip #2: Understand How People Respond To Recognition -Everyone responds to praise differently. While you should ensure equal treatment, consider offering different choices as rewards for a job well done.

Tip #3: Provide Immediate Praise - When you see an employee doing something right, offer praise and positive reinforcement immediately. This lets the employee know that you're not just looking to criticize.

Tip #4: Give Specific Details - When praising an employee, be as specific as possible. This shows the employee that you are particularly attentive to their performance.

Tip #5: Grant Praise And Criticism Separately - When offering praise, keep it simple and specific - avoid mixing in criticism. You can offer performance improvement tips another time. Even the most constructive criticism can mitigate the effect of praise.

Tip #6: Balance Your Praise - Avoid praising only your top performers. Your most lackluster employee may require praise as a means of encouragement for improving.

8 Phrases To Use When Praising Someone:

1. I am learning a lot from you.
2. I am really glad that you are part of our team. 
3. I really trust you and that means a lot to me.
4. Thank you for helping us out; you were a major factor in the success of this ____.
5. That's a great idea; let's roll with it. In fact, why don't you take the lead role in getting it done.
6. You are one of the best _____ that we've had in this position.
7. You have made a rather significant contribution to this project; thank you.
8. You have truly set a new standard for all of us.

Executive Summary: As you reflect on this e-tip, take some time right now and catch someone doing something right. And when you do, praise them and look at how their body responds to you. You will immediately see how it is so worth doing more times than not.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #419: 4 Secrets To Unlocking An Employee's Potential (Part 2 of 2)

As a reminder, our 4 Secrets to Unlocking An Employee's Potential is a 2-part series specifically designed to help you maximize everyone's potential within your organization.

Secrets 3 and 4 outline some easy ways for you to design a culture that is performance-based.

Secret #3: Develop, Implement, Track And Reinforce A Pay-for-Performance Culture.

We all know the importance of having your best people in key areas within your organization - areas critical to the success of your business. And it is also no secret that the solution to retaining the best and most talented people is not only recognizing but also compensating top performers. According to a recent business survey, retention can be improved by up to 27% with a pay-for-performance compensation structure.

Many business professionals consider a pay-for-performance culture the #1 tool for helping them to reach the highest levels of commitment and productivity from employees. Whether there is a bonus structure or another type of incentive for outstanding contributions, top performers will produce even better results when they are recognized by monetary rewards.

We are often asked whether individual or team incentives are the most effective ways to motivate employees. Interestingly enough, it is a blend of the two types of rewards that produce the greatest output. Plus, building a pay-for-performance culture is the fastest way to reward top performers and the quickest way to get everyone aligned with an organization's financial goals. 

Secret #4: Consider A Quarterly Performance Review.

In the past, many organizations conducted annual reviews to ensure that their employees were meeting their goals and objectives and to hand out everyone's applicable raises. Recently, we are seeing more companies move toward quarterly reviews as a way to help their employees attain peak performance. In addition to their quarterly review processes, they are also using HR technology as a way to augment the review process.

Benefits Of Quarterly Reviews:

• Affords the opportunity to recognize the contribution an employee makes to the organization.
• Focuses on an employee's performance vs. the annual raise.
• Gets the manager and employees to discuss things face-to-face.

Executive Summary: The last secrets in this series suggest tracking and focusing in on the performance of your employees. To improve the process of reviewing employee performance, executing more frequent reviews and investing in HR Technology are two approaches that can prove to benefit your organization - and help your employees grow as an asset to your organization. When conducting performance reviews, map out what is being evaluated and how. Also, be aware that subjective approaches to evaluation can cause problems, so use more objective means of evaluation.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #418: 4 Secrets To Unlocking An Employee's Potential (Part 1 of 2)

Our e-newsletter: 4 Secrets to Unlocking An Employee's Potential is a 2-part tip series specifically designed to help you maximize everyone's potential within your organization. In fact, more and more organizations like yours are discovering the financial benefit of unlocking a person's leadership skills, overall performance and expanding productivity.

Are you ready to see if you can tap into someone's full potential?

Over the next two weeks, you will learn the four secrets, starting with secrets 1 and 2.

Secret #1: Make Sure Everyone's DAILY Efforts Are Contributing To The Company's Business Objectives.

One of the most critical elements in this process is to ensure that your staff understands how their specific roles are contributing to achieving the company's business objectives. In fact, research has shown that 95% of all workers are unaware of their company's top 3 to 5 business objectives.

This is the result of two factors:

• There is not an effective process used to communicate objectives to the staff.
• There is a lack of tracking the staff's overall progress in regards to the business objectives.

Secret #2: Keep Your Employees Engaged.

During our professional training sessions, CEOs often ask us: "How do I keep my employees engaged day in and day out?" After hearing this question, we often tell them that it requires strong leadership skills, honest feedback and the patience to help someone grow by letting them make their own mistakes.

You can improve your staff's overall performance by giving:

More Employee Reviews - In today's ever-changing business world, having annual reviews just does not cut it. Quarterly reviews or at least semi-annual evaluations will give your staff a more meaningful and accurate understanding of where they are from a performance standpoint.

More Meaningful Feedback - Be honest with your employees when giving them feedback - it is a great way for them to work on areas that need improvement sooner vs. later. Many companies are rewriting their employee review formats to include specific areas of improvement. Why? They are finding that this is an effective way to deliver deeper, more meaningful feedback.

Stronger, More Relevant Coaching - Give your managers better coaching skills so they can guide their staff through an array of issues. Coaching the performance of employees with a variety of skill levels and differing personalities can be challenging. By the way, there is a good chance your staff needs to be trained on how to coach employees to peak performance, as most people don't know how to coach an employee.

Executive Summary: Quality feedback will keep an employee's head in the game. It will also encourage them to step up and perform for you and ultimately the organization. Many studies show that it will increase their job satisfaction and can positively impact employee retention - factors that most businesses know have a direct and positive impact on profitability.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #417: 5 Simple Tips For Building Better Teams

Companies with strong teams enjoy higher productivity rates, employee satisfaction and lower employee turnover rates.  Additionally, efficient teams can cut your operating costs and minimize stress in the workplace. When team members communicate more frequently, the chance of miscommunication is also greatly reduced. 

Click here for some FREE team-building ideas.

At every level of management, employees need to focus on innovative ways to increase profitability and drive results - and help resolve issues that might seem otherwise insurmountable.

You can help grow a stronger and more effective team by using these simple team-building tips:

Tip #1: Tell Everyone Your Expectations - When you introduce a team-building activity, structure or exercise to your team, make sure the team members understand how it works as well as your expectation for the activity. Be clear about the rules of the exercise and the goal the team members should achieve.

Tip #2: Encourage Everyone's Commitment - Team members should consider the exercise relevant to the success of their individual careers as well as the overall group and company. Monitor the activity (even if you are participating alongside them) to ensure that each team member feels included and valued. Be sure to compliment positive examples of teamwork as you see them happen.

Tip #3: Focus On Team Empowerment - Organization can communicate your goals and forward-thinking strategies more effectively to your employees. Encourage your team to share ideas in a discussion-based environment in weekly meetings. Once ideas are discussed, assign concrete responsibilities and due dates to team members. Keep the tone of these meetings solutions-based.

Tip #4: Talk With Your Teams Often - Solicit frequent feedback from your team. Simply having an 'open-door policy' isn't enough-you should have a specific way for employees to provide direct and candid feedback. Conversely, communicate clearly when evaluating your employees. This fosters an environment of positive communication.

Tip #5: Execute Your Plans Efficiently - Before your team-building commences, think about the structure of your organization. If your team is large, you may need to organize using a central leadership team. If this is the case, each mini-team needs equal time, treatment and resources. Monitor them to ensure that no one person is taking on too much responsibility or feels overwhelmed.

Executive Summary: When individuals work together and focus on team structure, the organization can work more efficiently, saving money and increasing productivity. Investing time in team-building is usually worth the effort. Lightly supervise team interaction and tweak processes and leadership strategies when necessary to encourage positive attitudes and results. 

For more information, visit our website! 

Tip #416: 6 Simple Tips To Overcome The Fear Of A Business Presentation

We all know that enthusiasm and knowledge are two integral aspects of a successful business presentation; however, many business professionals get a bit nervous when it comes to public speaking.

What's interesting is this: Research has shown that most audiences cannot determine whether a speaker is even nervous during a business presentation. 

When giving a presentation, you should immediately display your knowledge for the subject matter as it will go a long way in getting the attention of your audience - and help overcome any fear or nervousness of public speaking.

6 Tips To Overcome Your Fears (And Nervousness) Of A Business Presentation. 

To combat any nervousness and fear of a presentation, consider the following tips:

Tip #1: Be A Topic Expert - With adequate research and preparation, you can become a topic expert on the subject of your presentation. This will instill in you the confidence you need to lead and advise your team on the subject matter. Thorough topic knowledge will engage and impress an audience; take the time to memorize a few key facts and figures and consider providing metrics in the form of handouts.

Tip #2: Provide Clean Copy - When you use visual presentation aids such as Microsoft Power Point, remember that your presented copy and graphics are there to help the audience understand your presentation. Too many words on the screen will detract from your presentation; therefore, ensure each slide contains a short list of bullet points instead of long sentences and/or paragraphs. Your role is to edify each bullet point topic and provide necessary information as you go. If you are dealing with a large amount of information, be sure to explain that provided handouts are for later review so the audience remains focused.

Tip #3: Anticipate And Control Your Q&A - When you take questions following your presentation, it is possible that an audience member will ask you about something irrelevant or something that requires more research, knowledge or follow-up on your part. If this occurs, let the person who asked the question know that you will follow up with an answer later.

Tip #4: Take It Slow - When nervous, you may talk too quickly or miss important items. If you speak too fast, your audience may also miss important information you wish to communicate. In your personal presentation notes, provide organized aides such as [pause] notifications or 'stop signs' to remind yourself to pause, assess audience response and take a breath.

Tip #5: Walk Around The Room If Possible - If you are delivering your presentation in a casual setting, consider walking around the room to further engage your audience. This movement can help you get rid of your nervous energy and can enhance both your authority and the appearance of a more relaxed setting. 

Tip #6: Pass Out A Handout BEFORE Your Presentation:  If you want to keep your audience engaged, especially if you are conducting a training exercise, pass out your presentation before getting started. Here is the key: Don't provide them with all the key data points; have them write it in on their personal copies.  Do this, and your audience will remember more of your presentation and help you become more engaged with the audience. 

Executive Summary:  While topic knowledge, preparation and enthusiasm are key parts of a quality business presentation, your ability to speak comfortably in front of an audience also requires effort. With a bit of attention to your public speaking tactics, you can offer a clear, concise and effective business presentation on any topic of your expertise.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #415: 6 Quick And Effective Resume Writing Tips

For each job opening, most businesses receive hundreds of resumes. And with so many resumes to review, most employers limit how long they will receive your resume - assuming your resume makes it past an automated selection system based on keywords. All this said, what can you do to increase the visibility of your resume while still retaining professionalism?

6 Essential Resume Writing Tips:

To help your resume get noticed, we have listed below six simple steps to help you construct a professional and eye-catching resume.

Tip #1: Clearly List Your Strengths

Listing relevant work experience is an obvious must, but clearly listing specific skill sets, names of projects managed and unique or innovative roles can bolster your resume's chance of success. Remain concise yet detailed when including your strengths and experiences. What are the most relevant skills or responsibilities from each job?

Tip #2: Use Specific Keywords

Identify and list specific matching keywords. Assuming you match the job description, your previous job experience and education level should match the keywords listed in the job description. If the description requests a candidate who is a CPA with five years' accounting experience, you will benefit by including this relevant experience on your resume. 

Tip #3: Use Bullet Points

When potential employers (or their computers) first receive your resume, they scan it for specific information. With hundreds of resumes to sift through, they are less likely to find your matching or relevant skills if they are buried within paragraphs or other large bodies of text. Instead, use bullet points to highlight each position and skill. Bold headlines are also helpful in pointing potential employers to your highlighted skills. Your resume is also an asset: use it to demonstrate your organizational skills by listing everything clearly.

Tip #4: Do Not Lie

Do not lie about your prior work experience, education, awards or accomplishments. Plus, background checks are very inexpensive to do on someone; therefore, there is a good chance they will catch any lies. Stay honest to ensure the best fit. 

Tip #5: Avoid Typos

Misspelled words and poor grammar WILL land your resume in the rejection pile, especially if you are applying for jobs that require strong written communication skills. To avoid sending out a resume filled with errors, proofread it; then ask at least two others to proof it as well. If possible, ask for help from a friend or family member with strong English skills and a management background.  

Tip #6: One Size Does Not Fit All 

When it comes to writing cover letters and resumes, you should tailor each document according to the needs of the potential employer. For example, if you're a retail manager looking to transition to an office management position, your cover letter and resume should highlight your management responsibilities and skills over other extraneous job duties. Tailoring your resume and cover letter to each job is time-consuming but effective and eye-catching, and as long as you stay honest about what you've done, it's also ethical.

Executive Summary:

Using honesty, integrity, patience and professionalism, you can create a resume potential employers will notice. Furthermore, targeting your resumes and including keywords can help you narrow your job search and recall what you enjoyed or disliked about previous positions. While your chances of gaining employment improve if you apply to dozens of jobs at a time, nothing is as effective as a clean, targeted resume aimed at a job that seems to be the right fit.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #414: How to Implement an Effective Employee Recognition Program

Whether you are an owner of a company or a leader in your organization, an employee recognition program is the perfect tool to help create a productive and innovative business atmosphere.

In addition to thanking a staff member for an excellent job well done, you should also consider a formal employee reward program. Reason being is this: Research has proven that people who feel respected in the workplace are more positive about themselves and their ability to contribute. And people who work for an organization who have a positive sense of worth are potentially the best employees.

Why Are So Many Employee Rewards Programs Short-Lived?

It takes time to carry out an employee recognition program. Such a program can cause some unrecognized employees to complain, become jealous or lead them to a sense of dissatisfaction. Because of these issues, many employers are hesitant to implement employee recognition programs.

Employee recognition programs are also sparse for other reasons including:

• Employers limit their thoughts on what people will find rewarding.
• Management teams are not educated on how to implement an effective program.
• Many assume "one size fits all" for an employee recognition program.

Listed below are three ideas to help you effectively establish an employee recognition program and avoid some potential landmines.

3 Tips For An Effective Employee Recognition Program:

Tip #1: Adequately Develop Your Employee Recognition Program. Many organizations use the shotgun approach to creating an employee recognition program. They put a lot of programs out there and hope some of their efforts will stick and create a few results. Conversely, some companies' programs are so infrequent that their staff does not respect their employee recognition programs.

Suggestion: If you need to increase quality in your organization, hand out weekly thank-you notes for anyone that meets and exceeds your standards. At the end of the month, place the winners' names in a bowl for a gift card.

Tip #2: Establish Clarity And Consistency. If your staff sees someone getting recognized, they will also want to be recognized for the same or a similar contribution. We advise setting up certain employee recognition programs based on specific criteria on what makes a person eligible for the recognition. Should someone meet this criteria they will be recognized.

Tip #3: Acknowledge Daily Contributions. If you are in an environment that needs daily rewards, you will want to set up certain guidelines so that ALL managers acknowledge equal and/or similar contributions. One thing we have seen work is the implementation of a weekly group lunch time to discuss ideas for department improvements (quality, process improvement, etc.). If an employee takes part in this meeting, they get a free lunch and can stay in the meeting until it is over - even if it should exceed their normal lunch break time.

Executive Summary. It is important to recognize everyone who contributes to the success of the organization. Just make sure that the standards are set and everyone knows what they are (both leaders and staff).  We also recommend 1.) Avoiding biased reward systems and 2.) Match the rewards and recognition to the accomplishment.

Informal recognition combined with daily acknowledgments and a formal rewards system will provide the most powerful return on investment and create the kind of motivational climate where people come to work more fully engaged and eager to contribute.

For More information, visit our website!

Tip #413: How Does Your Customer Service Attitude Rate?

In today's internet-based world, it is important for your organization to continuously provide "GREAT" customer service - or a great first impression.

Have You Honestly (And Recently) Tested Your Customer Service Department?

It is important for you to listen to how your customer service representatives talk with a customer (or potential customers).

Although this sounds obvious, many leaders choose not to listen to their interaction with customers - which is a grave mistake. Typically, they only look at how many calls per hour they received and how many rings it takes someone to answer a call. Why? Because it is easy to measure; however, great customer service starts with a smile. Not with how many rings it takes to answer the phone (although this is a very important metric).   

Your Organization's Attitude Shows On Every Customer Service Call.

As a business leader, let us ask you this: "What attitude do you want to show a customer or prospective new customer?" The answer should be obvious to you. Attitudes, both positive and negative, are contagious. Make sure yours is worth catching.

8 Skill Sets Of A Great Customer Service Representative:

#1. Adaptability: Great customer service reps are open-minded and demonstrate flexibility when faced with changes and challenges at the office. They are flexible when unexpected changes occur and look at the positive aspects of the future.

#2. Attitude: Great customer service reps maintain a friendly, positive and enthusiastic outlook no matter how negative a customer acts.

#3. Communication: Great customer service reps practice active listening skills complemented with strong oral and written communication skills.

#4. Customer Experience: Great customer service reps leverage positive experiences to create customer loyalty and long-term relationships.

#5. External Awareness: Great customer service reps see things from multiple points of view and become advocates for the customer while maintaining a balance of what is best for the company. 

   

#6. Influence: Great customer service reps consistently direct situations and inspire internal and external contacts for an all-win situation.

#7. Interpersonal Skills: Great customer service reps display a consistent ability to build solid relationships inside and outside the organization. They also know how to change a negative customer into an advocate for the organization.     

#8. Stress Management: Great customer service reps differentiate between positive and negative stress in order to maintain a balanced attitude.

  

Executive Summary. The foundation of creating an immensely positive customer service culture is to 1.) Understand and manage everyone's expectation(s) 2.) Go the extra mile without prompting and 3.) Be an advocate for the customer.

A great customer service rep also identifies the right decisions when talking with a customer who needs help. Lastly, an ideal customer service rep can communicate which processes should be improved or changed when talking with the executive management team

For more information, visit our website! 

Tip # 412: 8 Traits Of A Successful Leader

What makes someone an effective leader or manager? The answer to this question is multi-faceted, as an effective leader or manager has many different dimensions.

And as all great leaders know, they need to be constantly working at honing their management and leaderships skills while broadening their knowledge about the organization for which they work.

A Successful Leader Or Manager Has The Following Characteristics:

To help you or someone you know become a better, more confident leader, we have listed below eight character traits you should possess. Plus, they will make you even more valuable in the open market as well. They are:  

Characteristic #1: Builds Relationships - Top managers develop strong bonds with staff members, colleagues and executives. This provides a platform for working as a team. It also gains respect and trust from coworkers.

Characteristic #2: Communicates Effectively - Top managers are able to communicate in a variety of media. They connect person-to-person and get their message across clearly when on the phone, in-person or via email.

Characteristic #3: Implements Top Listening And Questioning Skills - Top managers know that it is important to listen before speaking. And once they are aware of what they need to know, they ask pertinent questions to see what alternatives or issues need to be addressed.

Characteristic #4: Able To Build A Team - Top managers are able to develop their staff so they can interact more effectively with each other. They create a synergy that motivates the team to produce greater results than they would by working individually.

Characteristic #5: Understands The Financial Aspects Of The Business - Top managers know that profitable sales growth is the key to a successful business. They look at financial goals and measure and manage by designated metrics to ensure success.

Characteristic #6: Knows How To Create A Positive Work Environment - Top managers realize that positive morale and recognition is important to keep everyone motivated. Without positive motivation, people will not work as hard for the organization.

Characteristic #7: Leads by Example - Top managers know when to roll their sleeves up and pitch in to get things done. They also have the knowledge on how to accomplish goals and are always looking for ways to increase efficiency and improve the end result.

Characteristic #8: Helps People Grow And Develop Their Skills- Top managers know the difference between education and on-the-job learning. They are concerned about people's development and career growth. They look for the right ways to help their employees maximize their skills and knowledge.

Executive Summary: Every step you take during your career helps mold you into a better leader or manager. Embodying the characteristics listed above will help make you an effective leader. You know you are a respected leader or manager when people are not only following you, but also voluntarily serving as your advocate. 

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #411: Why You Should Take Responsibility When Mistakes Happen

In the business world, we all experience highs and lows, but some days are exceptionally stressful.

During trying situations, you can only control your reaction, whether that involves blaming others or owning your mistakes and moving forward.

2 Tips On How Great Leaders React To Making Mistakes:

Tip #1: No Excuses. No matter how small or large an issue, making an excuse for a direct or indirect mistake is transparent. The reality is this: An excuse is someone's way to justify or rationalize why something happened and to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. It is a trait of people who fail to succeed.

Why Should You Take Responsibility For Your Actions?

Taking responsibility calms others and halts negativity, plus it can ease your mind. Additionally, when you spend time thinking of solutions to a problem, you force yourself (in a positive way) to become goal-oriented. This is also an effective way to eliminate patterns of negative thought.

Tip #2: Capitalize On The Power Of Positive Thinking. Great leaders have been embracing positive thinking for centuries. This can play a huge factor in your business' success (as well as for your personal growth).

While you need to see business issues with a realistic vision, positive thinking can help you meet your goals. When admitting to your mistakes, you can approach the situation with a fresh and positive approach. This will allow you to harness the power of positive thought.  In doing so, you will find greater success in most aspects of your life. In fact, studies have shown that optimistic people do indeed achieve higher and greater success.

Optimism Will Transform Your Outlook.

If you only look at the negative side of things, you will find that it will limit your success. Conversely, positive self-talk and thoughts will help you accomplish your goals, learn more and carry you through projects faster than you ever thought possible. These types of thoughts will fuel your success.

Executive Summary: We will all face hectic situations in our business career. In these situations, you should own your mistakes and avoid making excuses. When addressing the situation, remain calm, think positively and what options you have to solving it. The result of doing so will only benefit you and help you effectively control the situation.

For more information, visit our website!

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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