Tools, Resources and Guides for Managers and Business Leaders. Real Advice from Real Bosses.
So far in the Management Success Series, we discussed essentials like influence, visibility and employee development. There’s an old saying that not all managers are leaders, which is unfortunately true. Some people are put in managerial positions for which they are simply not suited. But the opposite is also true: good managers are good leaders. We look up to good leaders because
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Breaking News: Managers actually have two jobs! Previously in the Management Success Series, we talked about influence and visibility as key managerial traits. In Tip #3, we discussed common sense and the need to adapt amid a constant state of change. There’s an added layer of complexity that good business leaders and managers need to understand. Early in my career, I had a
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How to Conduct a SWOT Analysis: Take a Closer Look At Your Business Leading a successful company requires you periodically spend time identifying ways to improve and get better. A SWOT analysis is one evaluation method that aids in organizing characteristics of your business that you deem as successes or concerns. Specifically, a SWOT analysis is an evaluation technique that helps you capture the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
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How to Restructure an Organization If you’ve ever been part of restructuring of an organization, you know that the very mention of it can induce a sense of worry. Restructuring a company is tough and takes a great deal of careful planning. Moreover, business renewal is never easy nor is it fun because big decisions need to be made that affect
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The previous tips in this series discussed the importance of influence (Tip #1) and visibility (Tip #2) as a manager. Both of these may seem pretty obvious, which leads us to Tip #3. On a flight not too long ago, I had a typical business traveler conversation with the passenger sitting next to me. You know, it was that “What do you do?”,
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Tip #1 of the Management Success Series described influence as a key ingredient in good managers. You have to be able to maneuver and pull various levers to make things happen, while simultaneously pulling your team along with you. Influence, like trust, is something that is built over time but easily lost. A good means of establishing your influence and building trust is
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How to Grow Your Small Business We recently worked with a small company to assist with their business development struggles. The CEO described his company’s situation as “able to perform well when we can actually get in the door.” The company employed about 20 employees and worked in the IT services industry. MRH conducted an evaluation of the business, focusing
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The Transition to Management It’s a common experience. You left work on Friday afternoon thinking about your weekend plans. On Friday you were just a team member and part of the “crew.” On Friday, you were given your tasks and were not responsible for what others did. Sure, you were part of a team, but you were pretty much responsible for yourself. Then, on Monday you start
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Managing a Virtual Staff If you are a manager who spends a lot of time on the phone with your employees who sit nine time zones away, you’ve come to the right place. These days, many managers find themselves responsible for employees overseas. Whether these employees report directly to you, or to a local in-country manager, the challenges of working with remote workers are
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Research and Development Spending: Where Did the Money Go? I recently read Borderless World by Kenichi Ohmae in which he discusses the approaches companies take in terms of their technology growth and research investment. In his book, Ohmae highlights the differences between companies that truly flood the pipeline with investment, and those that play the betting game with a handful of specific projects. Having
» Read more 5 Tips for Working in China China is a vast and exotic place. You will find dazzling skyscrapers like something out of Sci-Fi flick. And you will find remote villages that make you feel like you’ve taking a trip back in time. If you are going to China for the first time, take note: doing business in China is very
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Feedback is a Gift. Be Generous. It’s the end of the another performance cycle and if you’re like me, you are spending a large amount of time evaluating your employees for last year’s work. Did they deliver on their commitments? Have they spent time trying to self-improve? Were they reliable? Did they go above and beyond? If you are new to management, employee performance evaluations
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How to Assign Action Items in Meetings We are all accustomed to going to meetings where there is a lot of discussion and head nodding around the room. After 60 minutes, there are jovial pats on the back as people leave the conference room; after all, there’s another meeting in there at the top of the hour. But how many meetings
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Put Your Employees’ Unique Skills to Work I am a baseball fan. Although I never used to enjoy the game, I have grown to appreciate the sport more and more – the strategies, the techniques, and the funny rules you don’t often hear about like the infield fly rule. As I watched a game not too long ago, I listened to the
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