Information About Management

Evaluating Your Employees

Evaluating process is one of the most important process of manage art.

One of the most important thing a manager need to remember is that people want to be recognize! He want to be identify by another people and he want his records are identified, rewarded.

Another reason, if a person who have great record in his work but the company doesn’t identified and he isn’t rewarded, he will thinks “Hey! Why do I need to try so hard? I receive nothing finally!”. And he will not try to have great record any more. Or if a person who made a mistake, or his record is not so well. But no one identify it. He will thinks: “Haha! I can go on this way. I don’t need to try harder or try to avoid the mistakes because no one identify it and I’m fine so far”. If your employees have the same attitude with him, you business will run slower, slower and finally stop!

For the manager, the evaluating process will help him gain information so that he can make a good decision. He can not manage well if he don’t know how his employees are now. Such as you can not drive a car if your eyes don’t see anything or you don’t know if the fuel is empty!

Controlling Your Employees

Controlling process is the daily task of every manager in this world, event though you are a CEO of an international organization or you are running a small business. When you think about a manager, your mind will link to the words “controlling people”. Every day, when a manager come to his office and sit down his chair, he will start thinking about what he and his employees need to do today.

In basic, the controlling process are:

_ Sep up the goal: There are two kind of goal, they are the long term goal and short term goal. The long term goal is setted for ten years, five years or one year. The short term goal is setted for six months, one month or event one day.

_ Controlling your employees to reach the goal. And how to controlling your employees well? I will tell you later in another articles. Because the art of controlling people is huge and can not be presented in one article.

There are so many techniques to help you to controlling your employees. In this article, I just focus on two main controlling style, the Europe – US style and the Asian style.

The EU – US style:

The manager doesn’t need to know what are you doing now, they just give you the task, the deathline and they will review your task when you finish.

The arrangement of the EU- US office is tend to keep the workplace personally. You can see the separate sheeps are used very popular in the EU –US offices.

The Asian style:

The manager have to know what are you doing everytime. He need ot be informed as more as possible.

The arrangement of the Asian office is quite simple. A long table will be pit in the middle of the office and the eployees will sit along the table. The manager will sit at the top of the table. He can see what are the employees doing clearly at his position. When you are working for an Asian style company, especially the Japanese copany, you have to work every time, event when you have nothing to work .

How to Work Better and More Efficiently

If you think something has taken more of your time than it is worth, act on it promptly. Make an appropriate decision at that moment you are dealing with the issue and move on. Never let procrastination eat up your precious time and cause you to lose many golden opportunities.

Never engage in unnecessary meetings as they can be big time wasters. Prior to reserving a conference or meeting room and clearing your calendar and that of your constituents, ask yourself whether the meeting is essential to solve the present situation.

Do not waste valuable time by reading anything more than once. Try to scan/skim routine documents quickly but take time to go through important documents or complex reports carefully. It is always better to highlight the important points to focus on, rather than wasting time re-reading unnecessary articles. Rereading material daily can be very time-consuming.

Plan your day wisely and use your time beneficially. An hour planning ahead will avoid four hours blown away later on. Check your calendar for appointments, errands and phone calls being made by always updating your to-do list to help set priorities on specific tasks that need immediate attention. Next, reschedule, reorganize and review your previous day’s workload to avoid time-consuming tasks. It is always better to cut through unnecessary confusion by clarifying it in order to head into the right direction from the outset.

Do not just let your problems go, but be specific about their deadline and task by examining back early and often, while you still have time to easily change the course. Whenever you point out the problem, be considerate to suggest a solution. By doing so, you are saving your boss’s time and yours, and you are also able to portray your ability to handle the problem by thinking ahead.

Keep your reply short and simple. You could just type “go for it” and this short reply will not only save your time, but also your recipient’s. If you need to discuss the issue, then do it by phone or by person to person to avoid endless trails of replies and misunderstanding.

Do not set your goal so high that you cannot achieve it. Please know that your aim is to get a task/project done and then you should get it off of your desk. Perfectionism can be very dangerous as it can raise the urge to tinker indefinitely. When you have accomplished your task, stop. If you find the problem is overwhelming you and causing you to feel stuck, put it out of your mind for at least 8 hours and get a good night’s sleep. You will definitely think clearer and better the following morning. Please also know your body clock, and when you cannot figure out something, as you are not at your peak. Try doing your toughest task later.

Helpful tips for Managing Team Conflict

Addressing issues before they arise.

Addressing issues before they arise.

Many organizations are team based organizations that focuses on the strengths, ideas and experiences of a culturally diverse group of members to face the challenges of the global market. In using a diverse team setting it is inevitable that you find conflict at times or in the ways that some address situations or handle issues. Communication is vital aspect that keeps many issues from becoming permanent problems, but in order for good communication to overcome issues every team member must be open to communication and a diverse set of ideas.

The team settings provide a proven approach that improves productivity, creativity, and positive growth. However, as with any venture, the addition of numerous personalities
is likely to complicate the unity of the group if all members are not open to the diversity of the group as a whole. “Conflict arises from the clash of perceptions, goals, or values in an arena where people care about the outcome” (Alessandra, 1993, p. 92). When communication break downs occur it is important to understand how and why they occurred so they can be addressed the first time and not become recurring issues that will hold back the team success.

Single Member Issues

In these types of situations, the issue is being caused by the communication of only a single
member. The first priority of any problem is to identify and understand what the root of the problem is. If there is a miscommunication, you must locate what was misunderstood and find the solution. Often times if the issue is being caused by only one member on a repetitive basis, a manager will be able to discern that that individual has communication problems that may require training.

If these issues are recurring from a single member, the whole team may have already become aware of the issue. If the group is designed as a leader-driven team, then the leader or manager should be notified and intervene to stop recurring issues from forming. If the group has no designated leader role, then it becomes the responsibility of the group to address the issue as a whole and correct the misunderstandings in order to move forward with good communication and properly received information.

Multi Member Issues

Occasionally conflict arises between two team members in issues that have little to do with other member of the team. This may be due to cooperative work or just personal issues, but the conflict of those members can still affect the progress of the group. Issues of a personal matter should be swiftly dispelled and the focus shifted back to the workplace. If the members have cultural issues among themselves it will be up to the company to determine if either side is an improper fit for culturally diverse teams.

“Many people and organizations view conflict as a negative, or something to be avoided. Yet conflict, differences, or disagreements are a natural result of people working together. Also, without conflict, teams can become complacent and not perform at optimum levels.” (Alessandra, 1993, p. 92). Defining the issue and then working together to address and correct miscommunication that will help each member of the team understand and give them a new perspective on the focus of the team. Communication is the key, and many problems can be solved by simply talking them out.

How to Deal with a Screaming Boss

Screaming Boss: How To Deal

The rule of your boss is to be bossy. It's his job to become one. When you are under the supervision of someone, this someone else has a right to correct, guide and instruct of what you need to do. But when your boss becomes pain in the neck, your day is not only a bad day but a terrible one. Things becomes so hectic at your side.

There are two type of boss. The professional one and the unprofessional one.

* A professional boss is someone who directs, guide, protect, teach and oversee your works and performance. He is somebody that will push you to improve yourself professionally. Also, he's the one who will crack you up towards productivity and improvement.

* A unprofessional boss is someone who will never see your work ethics. He will always let you do an extra job without raise. He will not appreciate your good performance but give you more work loads. He's the kind of boss that would push you to update your resume and find another establishment to work.

It's really bad when you work under an unprofessional boss. Dealing with such manner is difficult, especially when what he likes to do is to yell and scream in front of everyone whenever the result is not to his liking. Eventhough he knows that screaming is unprofessional, he still continue to do so because he doesn't want to be lacking in performance. Oftentimes, this type of boss thought that you are a super employee that whenever he wants coffee, you can also do it for him. He manage to boss around you even delivering Tim Hortons and Starbucks are not part of your job.

* If your boss start to scream in front of you. Do not scream back. Wait for him to calm down and start talking about the problems professionally. Though, it must have been hard to not scream back, especially if your ego and anger burse out like a liquified petroleum gas. Do everything you can to control your emotion. The best response to someone who's screaming is to look at him like a lunatic person. Trust me, after he's done screaming, he will realized his own behavior.

Do apply what works for you. Just remind yourself that work ethics is very important in the working environment. If your boss acts like a lunatic person screaming at the top of his lungs, it's his behavior that needs improvement not yours. Control your reflex, your urge to scream back. Let him realize that what he did is very unprofessional.

Skills needed to become a successful leader

Introduction

There has long been a debate about whether leaders are born or created through learning. In truth, there is an element of validity in both arguments. Nevertheless, irrespective of which school is followed, there is no doubt that to be a successful leader means that the person in question has to possess or learn certain key skills. Identifying the unique leadership skills that are needed to ensure a business will achieve its aims and objectives is more complex than most people believe. The reason for this rests upon the fact that there is both a psychological as well as practical aspect to leadership skills.

Pyschological skills

The very concept of the term leadership indicates that there are those who need to be led, namely the followers. This suggests there is an element of truth in the term "leaders are born not made" and that not all of us can be leaders. Nevertheless, such a statement does not preclude anyone from owning a business. It is simply a question of identifying the business leader and what attributes they require. Within this section, it is intended to concentrate upon these psychological issues.
Self-assessment
In the view of the author, the most important skill relating to leadership is the ability to be able to assess with honestly ones own capabilities and limitations. You need to ask yourself whether you have the abilities and skills to be a leader. There are countless instances where business innovators and its main drivers have recognised that, although they possess the skills to create a unique product or service, their ability to lead and manage the business is lacking. In such cases, although they have maintained ultimate control over the business direction, these people have understood the need to employ leaders who can deliver the skill qualities needed to make the business successful.
Leadership style
The second psychological skill is apparent in understanding the style of leader you are. Leadership style has a significant influence upon the organisational cultures and sub-cultures that develops within a business.

Although every individual is unique and a number of different leadership styles have been identified by various academics over the years, the most commonly recognised styles within a business environment can be deemed the authoritarian, innovative and team leadership styles. Part of the process of assessing whether your leadership style is appropriate for the achievement of business success is to assess which of these attributes most apply to your own personality.

Whilst the above leadership definitions might not apply definitively to an individual, one of these styles will be a dominant force. For example, some people may want ultimate control over the decision making process and expect those who work for them to abide by their instructions without discussion or input. The innovative leader will expect their employees to respond positively to the ideas they are creating and to become committed to seeing these ideas becoming an integral part of the business ethos. Team leadership on the other hand relies heavily upon the ability of the leader to create a situation where employee involvement within the business is important. In this case, the leader will take notice of the input and ideas that are generated from the people they employ and, where appropriate, incorporate these as part of the business strategy.
Integrity
Many people would not consider integrity to be a leadership skill, but the author would disagree with this view. However, although it can be argued that the basis concept of integrity is instilled in us because of our upbringing, when a person becomes a leader of an organisation often these traits become secondary to our desire to keep our intentions secret from those involved with the business and other external forces such as competitors. This can result from a fear that others, particularly those we employ, will steal our ideas or become better than us.

However, employees are perceptive and will soon see whether their leaders are acting with integrity or not. Therefore, it is important for a leader to be open and honest with their employees, and indeed every other stakeholder who has a connection with the business.

Practical skills

As stated at the commencement of this article there are practical skills that a leader can learn to enhance his or her natural abilities, which include those, discussed in the following sections.
Competence
Competence is an important skill factor. Employees might forgive leaders the occasional error but they will not follow someone who does not know, or is lacking in competence in the skills needed for his or her role in the business. Leaders are expected to know about the main products or services provided by the business and should be aware of the art of management and control. Lack of these skills will soon manifest itself in poor performance, which in turn will threaten the livelihood of all the employees.
Knowledge skills
Knowledge skills are not exclusively related to a leaders competence level, although there is a connection between the two. Nevertheless, knowledge extends beyond the internal workings of the business and its operations. A good leader will have the skill to be aware that he and the business requires knowledge about competitors, the physical and political environment, target consumers and the local community where the business is located. The skill in this respect is in understanding what knowledge is required and how to gain access to it. Furthermore, this skill extends to being able to use that knowledge to the advantage of the business and its employees.
Communication
Great leaders are invariably great communicators. All leaders should aspire to become good communicators because this skill will directly influence the motivational needs and productivity levels of the workforce. A direct path of communication between the leader and their employees will reduce the chance of misunderstandings that could lead to costly mistakes being made. Furthermore, it also makes the employee feel valued. For example, an employee will be far more receptive to a change in corporate policy or strategy if this is communicated and discussed with them properly rather than just being ordered to make the change.
Relationship and teamwork
Building a relationship and teamwork environment with the workforce is another important skill for the business leader to show. Every employee has certain needs and desires that need to be satisfied and one of these is the need to feel part of the business team. Research conducted by experts such as Mitzberg in the early part of the last century showed that, if employees were involved within the business team, which included their having a say in some of the decision making processes, they would be more willing to commit to the business. Teamwork leads to loyalty and this improves the business performance by a) increasing employee retention rates and b) improving productivity and quality. It requires a skilled leader to create the appropriate relationship with employees and therefore encourage a culture of teamwork within the business.

Summary

As has been demonstrated within this article, recognising the unique leadership skills that are required to achieve business success requires a combination of understanding ones own capabilities and the needs of those that work for you. If you do not understand yourself or understand how to effectively manage those who look to you for leadership then success will not be achieved.

How to Befriend Your Boss

Employees create a virtual wall from their bosses. The main reason is fear. They fear their bosses. One of the best ways to break this wall is by making friends with your boss. Here are some of the tips to befriend your boss:

a. Be visible. Make yourselves always available. Show to them that you are willing to be on their sides all the time. Even at times they need someone to talk to, you have to be there.
b. Be a secret keeper. Your boss has personal problems too. Sometimes, they need someone to talk to regarding lots of things that bother them. If your boss shares his personal problems with you, make it as an opportunity to be his confidante. Don’t share them to others! Don’t be like a red-butt deceitful gossiper who spills everything he heard. If you do that, you’re just ruining your own little reputation. If your boss finds out, he will doubt you as a person.

c. Learn his likes and dislikes. You will develop this eventually by being with him both in and out of the work place. It could be difficult sometimes but if you give ample to jive with your boss, you will sooner find his favorite movies, sports, food, etc. He may also share with you some of his disliked things.
d. Be excellent. Nothing beats winning your boss’s friendship than by being excellent in every assignment given to you. Being excellent includes giving quality work and submitting accurate data as quickly as possible.

e. Be on Time. This is one of the ways to show your respect to your boss. By being late to work, you are giving your boss a clue that you take him for granted or you are not taking him seriously.
f. Talk. In Toastmasters, the only way to break the ice is by starting to talk. Talk to him how feel about your job. As much as possible be honest to your boss.
g. Maintain professionalism. This sums it all. Despite you have a good friendship with your boss, you must not show carelessness in your work. You still have to give your best to make your job done.
It sounds so easy but it takes a lot of effort and guts to befriend a boss. Being a friend to an ordinary friend means a lot of things. That also applies to being a good friend to your boss.