3 Important Tasks Of An Effective Manager.

Good management starts with good self-management.

Leadership is the art of giving people a platform for spreading ideas that work’ — Seth Godin

Recently I met my old boss who is now becoming VP of the Supply chain of a large retail company after successfully serving as a senior manager for several years. I felt great to see him in his new role and was curious to learn from him how to become an effective manager.

So I asked ‘Peter, I am struggling to be an effective manager, but it’s so overwhelming and not able to manage work-life balance. Would you suggest something about this?

He replied, ‘Sri, most people think managers usually manage people and get various skill sets. But I would say great management comes from great self-management.

He continued, ‘ Divide your tasks into two categories — importance and urgency.

‘The first key is to avoid tasks that are neither important nor urgent. This opens up time to do important & urgent.

He says, ‘an effective manager has ample time for things that are important but not urgent. This is the key to success.

‘So, what do you mean by important things for a manager?.’, I asked him.

‘Great question. Let me tell you three important activities to become a brilliant manager., VP replied.

Effective managers are those who can make their employees feel valued and appreciated.

Learning: One should learn new things every day from books and others. Share the information, experiment, and transfer the knowledge. Invest in coaching and other wellness practices. An effective manager can understand the needs of their employees and work with them to meet these needs. Managers with these qualities can create a culture of trust, openness, and respect in their workplace.

Charles Munger, the vice-chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway and a brilliant investor and philanthropist, once said, ‘Spend each day trying to be a little wiser than you were when you woke up. Day by day, and if you live long enough-like most people, you will get out of life what you deserve.

Strategy: Understanding and analyzing competitive opportunities and threats of the company along with the strengths and weaknesses. It includes the entire organization’s goals, so your focus should align with organizational objectives.

“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” — Michael E. Porter,

Relationship Building: We often consider communication being one of the most important skills of an effective manager. Talk to your team regularly. Weekly one-to-one meetings with your team members will help to understand the progress and issues of your team members. Be open to feedback.

Some managers will use the knowledge they have about human behaviour and psychology to motivate their employees. They will use this knowledge to understand what motivates each employee and then tailor different approaches for different people.

“If you take a sincere interest in others, they’ll take a genuine interest in you. Build relationships, don’t collect them.” -Rebekah Radice