1. Introduction
The question of effectiveness and how one defines it, is quite complex, some measure it by the end result; others look at the quality of the process in getting there. When it comes to General Management, there is couple of different perspectives for effectiveness assessment. One mostly driven by financial goals and results perspective of shareholders, another one from employees and peers where it’s more about fairness of the process, network and creativity and different one from social point of view where it’s more about work-life balance and long-term vision. However there is one trait that truly separates best from the rest and that is leadership. In our approach we decided to focus on three key steps that follow the progression of someone’s managerial life and qualities required to become a successful General Manager.
Firstly we focus on the challenges that await anyone who finally can add word ‘manager’ to their title, looking at common myths and misconceptions that are awaiting to be dissolved in the first months of the new position.
Secondly we look at challenges of keeping your workforce and management teams both focused and full of energy. Here we look at how different challenges that can present themselves at different level of focus and energy of staff and managers.
Lastly we look at what separates a true leader from an ordinary manager and what is the recipe for success to become a truly effective General Manager.
2. First management role or mismanaged expectations.
The main challenge a new manager gets to face is to fill the gap between his expectations and the reality of the role.
The skills and methods of the previous role, typically someone who has been a strong individual contributor - are not effective anymore, and most face 5 common misconceptions about being a boss:
· Authority vs Interdependency
· Control vs Commitment
· Managing Individuals vs Managing the team
· Micromanagement vs Trust
· Status Quo vs Constant improvements
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Sharing our own experience within the team highlighted that all of us struggled with first management roles and here are our recommendations to a newly appointed manager:
· Be authentic and genuine with your team and unite people around your vision of how to get the job done
· Start building a strong network and use all available sources of support and good advice including managers, peers and mentors and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
· Share ownership for the tasks and use the knowledge and experience of the team to get right level of motivation to get the best results
3. How to get the most from your teams and keep your staff focused and full of energy
In order to move things forward within the organization, you need people with purpose. People that are able to combine clear focus on realizing a chosen goal with high level of energy.
We have learned that there are four states of where people can be in the organization being: procrastination, distraction, disengagement ...
