Publication 10, Issue 5
Did you “stumble up” to your current position?
Many of us are promoted because we are technically competent and we wanted to make more money! I’ve seen my share of managers who were employees yesterday and found themselves promoted to manager today! These managers were left behind, scratching their heads realizing there’s a world of difference between being a great employee and managing great employees.
Stumbling up into management is in vogue these days, especially with employers trying to do more with less. Some of us figure it out on our own, and some need help. I have created five basic common sense principles of management. Things we know but seem to forget when we get promoted. I refer to them as The Neglected Knowledge: The Forgotten Five©. Here goes:
The Forgotten One: “Who’s Who?” – Know who you are and be self aware first, then apply to others. So, what type of kid were you on the playground? The type of kid who:
- made sure everyone got a turn at bat? (The Peacemaker)
- had everyone line up and count off by twos? (The Organizer)
- changed the rules in the middle of the game? (The Revolutionary)
- wanted to play it your way? (The Steamroller)
Now, figure out who’s on your team!
The Forgotten Two: The Complexity of Respect – Respect starts with you, means different things to different people and goes hand-in-hand with communications! Tread lightly!
The Forgotten Three: Facing Facts – Not everyone collects facts the way you do. Do you like to talk with people or keep lists? Or do you prefer to investigate or solve a puzzle?
The Forgotten Four: Finding Humor – Don’t be too serious! Make no mistake, this doesn’t mean make fun of people, but find the humor in the situation and break the tensions!
The Forgotten Five: Tact: The Art of Making it Happen – At the end of the day, we get paid to “get things done.” Make sure you get buy-in from your team along the way!
