Rules for Managers

Listed below are a few (just a few) rules that I might suggest you use when managing a group, large or small:

You are who you are.
Your intelligence quotient did not rise when you were promoted, not the first time, not the second time. You may have moved up a pay grade or two, but rememeber, you are still that insecure kid from the third grade. A truly great person comes around once in a great while. Most of us are average “folk” trying to do a good job, and some of us are luckier than others.

Hiring and Promotions
Hire and promote people who are better than you, smarter, more articulate, etc. First rate people hire first rate people. Second rate people hire third rate people, and so on, continuing a downward “death spiral”. Top notch organiztions are usually full of first rate people. Usually due to unique (or not so uniqe) hiring practices. Hiring first rate people moves an organization along, while hiring second rate people drags it down, and fast.... So fast it is difficult to recover at times.

Theraputic Firings
Firings can be surprisingly theraputic, when done properly. They all should hurt, and hurt badly. Never take a termination lightly, and if one does, they should be terminated as well. However, if you accept poor performance, it can quickly become the norm. Work with people, identify areas of improvement, document, make contracts, etc. If all else fails, move on, and let them move on.

Beware of the Search for the Innocent
When things go wrong, and they will, it is common to point the finger of blame. If you have top notch people, they will take risks and they will fail occasionally. Humans have a unique ability to learn and improve after mistakes are made. Some mistakes should be celebrated. Too often in American business when things go wrong we begin a hunt for the innocent. It is seldom management, who makes the strategic decisions, often it is somebody lower in the organization. While CEO’s get raises for poor performance, the ones at the bottom pay the price.

Communicate Early and Often
It amazes me that those at the top often have no idea of the impact they can have on people. Often we build up an “aura” around us, we build elegant offices, surround ourselves with all the trappings, have guardians of our time and offices outside our doors. Then we proclaim that we have an “open door” policy, and wonder why nobody talks to us. We wonder why some executives lose touch with what is going on in the trenches. If you have not read the “Two Minute Manager”, you should. Practice what they “preach’ in the book. Communicate, give feedback, relate back to goals, and make adjustments when you have to.