Rules of Management

Introduction

Managing your team



Get them emotionally involved
Know what a team is and how it works
Set realistic targets ? no, really realistic
Hold effective meetings ...
... No, really effective
Make meetings fun
Make your team better than you
Known your own importance
Set your boundaries
Be ready to prune
Offload as much as you can ? or dare
Let them make mistakes
Accept their limitations
Encourage people
Be very, very good at finding the right people
Hire raw talent
Take the rap
Give credit to the team when it deserves it
Get the best resources for your team
Celebrate
Keep track of everything you do and say
Be sensitive to friction
Create a good atmosphere
Inspire loyalty and team spirit
Have and show trust in your staff
Respect individual differences
Listen to ideas from others
Adapt your style to each team member
Let them think they know more than you (even if they don't)
Don't always have to have the last word
Understand the roles of others
Ensure people know exactly what is expected of them
Have clear expectations
Use positive reinforcement motivation
Don't try justifying stupid systems
Be ready to say yes
Train them to bring you solutions, not problems

Managing yourself



Work hard
Set the standard
Enjoy yourself
Don't let it get to you
Know what you are supposed to be doing
Know what you are actually doing
Value your time
Be proactive, not reactive
Be consistent
Set realistic targets for yourself ? no, really realistic
Have a game plan, but keep it secret
Get rid of superfluous rules
Learn from your mistakes
Be ready to unlearn ? what works, changes
Cut the crap ? prioritize
Cultivate those in the know
Know when to kick the door shut
Fill your time productively and profitably
Have a Plan B and a Plan C
Capitalize on chance ? be lucky, but never admit it
Recognize when you're stressed
Manage your health
Be prepared for the pain and pleasure
Face the future
Head up, not head down
See the wood and the trees
Know when to let go
Be decisive, even if it means being wrong sometimes
Adopt minimalism as a management style
Visualize your blue plaque
Have principles and stick to them
Follow your intuition
Be creative
Don?t stagnate
Be flexible and ready to move on
Rememeber the object of the exercise
Remember that none of us has to be here
Go home
Keep learning ? especially from the opposition
Be passionate and bold
Plan for the worst, but hope for the best
Let the company see you are on its side
Don?t bad-mouth your boss
Don't bad-mouth your team
Accept that some things bosses tell you to do will be wrong
Accept that the bosses are as scared as you are at times
Avoid straitjacket thinking
Act and talk as if one of them
If in doubt, ask questions
Show you understand the viewpoint of underlings and overlings
Add value
Don?t back down ? be prepared to stand your ground
Don?t play politics
Don?t slag off other managers
Share what you know
Don?t intimidate
Be above interdepartmental warfare
Show that you'll fight to the death for your team
Aim for respect rather than being liked
Do one or two things well and avoid the rest
Seek feedback on your performance
Maintain good relationships and friendships
Build respect ? both ways ? between you and your customers
Go the extra mile for your customers
Be aware of your responsibilities
Be straight at all times and speak the truth
Don?t cut corners ? you?ll get found out
Find the right sounding board
Be in command and take control
Be a diplomat for the company

End game