Oops!

I'm not really happy as I write this. Just got to know that some people in my team have issues with me. I'm being very candid. They've pointd out certain things that I swore I'll never do and I was pretty sure I was on track. Sometimes..well almost all the time, you don't realize that you're going wrong. As wise people say "It's better said than done." I'm not gonna explicitly tell you the issues but here's what I learned from them and I'm pretty sure you'll figure out the issues. (Unless you're..you know..)

- Bossism: Never proclaim you're the manager. It's better to get things done as a friend than as a manager. People will work more for a leader they love rather than for a 'boss'. Ugh! How I hate that word.

- Feedback, feedback, feedback: Be open to feedback even as a manager. I'm grateful I got to know what the team thinks about me. Unless you have crack-heads in your team, most of their feedback would be very valuable. Also, it's very important to build your image such that they feel confident enough to give you feedback.

- Never micromanage: Don't ask people everyday about the work they're doing and the status of the task. It's only going to irritate them. It's better to set weekly tasks and leave it up to them to complete it. Employees are as responsible as they're made to feel.

- Recognition and reward: Most of us have heard this one but I really never understood the importance of this until today. Every employee has an invisible sign hung around their necks that says 'Make me feel important'. I feel every employee's contribution should be tied to the company's achievement and this should be expressed explicitly. Nothing makes them feel more important.

- Dealing with difficult people: The most difficult but important part. There is someone in my team who doesn't want to report to me. They think they should be at my level or above. I tried sortring this out with the people who created the team structure but they think this person should be managed by me. Well, I've tried to find a solution to this but still run into problems with this person. Any concrete solution? Anyone? Please let me know.

Blog under New Management

Not really, but I am a friend of the author and I was invited to add a post.

I've managed sales and support teams and the number one thing I can say is be true to your ideals. There are many things that are worth compromising in this world, but ideals should never be one of them. I'll give you my version:

My highest value is that the people under me are worth more than gold. They do the work assigned to my team and report up to me what is happening so we can adjust. If they do their work, my job is to remove obstacles so they can be more effective. If they aren't doing their work, then my job becomes one of assessing whether the problem is a training issue or a values issue. If it's training, then I get the person that training so that they are able to work at peak. If it is a values issue, then my job is to see if that person is a fit for my team or the company anymore.

That sounds very simplistic, but in essence, management isn't rocket science. To me, it is a business art form and one that requires connection to more than strict statistics and data. It requires values and principles that must be articulated clearly and practiced by everyone in the chain of command from the top down. The above example seems very mechanical, but the actual practice requires a lot of gut level instinct and assessment which many managers forget. I may add more on other topics,but this seemed like a good one to start the ball rolling.

Work on your image as you'd work on your company's brand image

I've heard this before, but I'm only realizing the importance of it now when I'm seeing someone else take all the credit for the work I've done. All they did was shout out to everyone and make it look like their achievement. Hmm...Important lesson learned.

- Pomp and show: Whenever you achieve something, make it look big. (Make sure the biggies hear you)

- Take credit: Come up with ideas, delegate it to someone else. Once it's implemented, don't forget to take credit.

- Don't go overboard: If you do too much of self bragging, you might run the risk of others hating you for it. Make it look like you did it but don't forget to thank the people who helped you (basically people who did all the real work.)

- Involve the biggies: Make sure your manager or the people who matter know what work you're doing and how important it is for the success of the company.

- Be sensitive to hints: People might not tell you your shortcomings on your face. They will be subtle hints, comments or funny remarks. Make sure you catch those and change. If you keep ignoring them, chances are that those funny remarks would turn into full fledged points of argument.

Don't know if this is completely true but this is what I've learned. Thoughts anyone?
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Media buying is like buying groceries!

It's really funny. Was sitting in a meeting with a branding agency today and was surprised at the kind of haggling that was going on...of course the words used were much more sophisticated. The marketing head was trying to ask for the 'commercial terms' as he called them, from the agency guys and the commercial head was trying to haggle in a rather euphemistic way ("Please be flexible in your commercial terms"). It was a spectacle. Reminded me of ladies buying groceries.

Lady: "Bhaiya iska daam kitna hai?" (Please forward me your commercial terms)
Shopkeeper: "Madam ji, aap sabji lo, daam baad mein dekhenge" (Once you make up your mind about the media properties you want to buy, we'll forward you the quote)

Lady: "Bhaiya daam theek lagana" (Please be flexible in your terms):D

Managerial mumbo jumbo

I've recently taken up this fun task of managing a team. My first entry into the top brass, first peep into those thick walled conference rooms where only the 'management' sits. It is fascinating to see how the corporate world is just like the real world only made surreal by big names, larger than life brand images and lofty designers. Here I jot down my daily experiences as a young newbie in the world of management. Read on...