|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
Ed Linares may never be invited to speak at management conferences or be written up in Fortune magazine. But he is the boss who, Dominick Miserandino says, taught him how to manage himself, others and his business — in that order. The two men worked together nine years ago at when Miserandino was in a back-office, trader-support role. Now executive editor of an online celebrity magazine he founded, Miserandino says he invokes his mentor’s philosophy so often that his staff refers to it as “The Book of Ed.” At countless junctures during a week, Miserandino, 32, says he’ll stop and ask, “What would Ed do?” And when he calls Linares for advice on such issues as employee problems, he sometimes gets a dose of reality: “They’re stupid like you were once stupid.” The message for other young people — many of whom are being moved forward in companies or starting their own businesses — is this: You do need help in developing management skills, it’s OK to admit it, and there are other ‘Eds’’ out there who can coach you. Influence vs authority Often it’s the high performers who get tapped for first-time management assignments: overseeing the interns, a group of temp workers, a short-term project. These are great lower-risk training grounds for developing people skills, says Sharon Daniels, chief executive of a training and consulting firm. But you have no real authority, you say? No problem, Daniels says. Even high-level executives know that it’s less about authority and more about influence — getting people onboard willingly. The key is credibility. You may be accustomed to getting work done by yourself, but now part of that work is getting things done through others. That means providing clear instructions, a sense of where the job fits into the overall scheme, resources and coaching. It also means accepting someone else’s approach if it still meets the goal. Practice, don’t preach But don’t go too far in that direction, says Robyn Kures, an account supervisor with a public relations firm. You also establish credibility when you roll up your sleeves and pitch in, demonstrating “we’re all working toward a common goal.” Ask, listen, respond: that’s what communication is all about: asking for input on ways to tackle a project, the resources needed and the staff’s concerns. It also means getting back to them with answers and even descriptions of how their ideas are being incorporated — and if they’re not, why not. Falling into this category, too, is performance feedback, but not just on the huge wins or the dismal goofs. “Recognize and reward what you want repeated,”says Joanne Malone, who teaches sessions for first-time managers. It can be as simple as a “nice job, as usual”comment. Without such steady reinforcement, people can question the value of their day-to-day contributions. If the only time you give feedback is during a crisis, she says, that “builds a culture of crisis.” The workforce is a mix of ages, cultures, personalities, work styles and attitudes. Some people work better with direct supervision, and some hate it. Others will go to the ends of the Earth for you, as long as you honour their need to dash out to a child’s soccer game. Some thrive in a bustling, in-your-face office. Others appreciate a quieter space or even the chance to work from home. It’s helpful to see yourself in the other person’s shoes. Young guiding the old Increasingly, young people are called on to manage those who are decades older, as was Kures, 26, in a previous job. She says she sought to be respectful of their years of experience and help them feel empowered — not bossed around by a young upstart. So she made suggestions instead of imposing edicts, sometimes in the form of “What if we tried it this way?” She also shared some of her own missteps, which, she says, “humanises you.” Managing yourself calls for developing skills in planning and time management, says Bill Bertolet, vice president of Dale Carnegie, a leadership training and professional development company. Planning and anticipating for the next day are crucial to getting out ahead — otherwise, he says, you’ll wind up putting out fires all day. And, he said, get familiar with the notion of introspection — identifying your own work style, beliefs and flaws that may make you less effective in relating to others. The boss needs feedback, too, on how the project/team is functioning. You’ll also need to learn how to make a case for getting support, resources, project adaptations and rewards that you feel your staff truly needs or deserves. That means developing advocacy skills, even as you let the boss know that your eye is on getting his/her goals met. You also might find yourself in the position of having to tell the boss about difficult employees. Those loafers, backstabbers, emotional vampires and passive-aggressive types merit a column unto themselves. But for now, be aware that the boss may be in avoidance mode — and could toss the problem right back into your lap. To help with those and other issues, you need the advice of a coach, mentor, savvy manager. Someone, perhaps, a lot like Ed. —LA Times-Washington Post
|
