The Accelerated Management Blog!

2007-08-22T02:51:00.000-07:00

Happiness costs approx £30 per day
According to research carried out by Abbey Bank, happiness works out at less than £30 a day.

That is the sum needed by all average British adults to pursue all leisure interests including holidays, eating out, cinema, clothing, gadgets and hobbies.

How much do you spend?

2007-08-22T02:48:00.000-07:00

give yourself permission to....
Do you sometimes find yourself not doing something because 'you are not allowed' or 'you do not deserve it' or 'that is just not me'?

Over the years I have used a phrase that starts 'give yourself permission to...' which basically let's me do what I want.

For example:
'give yourself permission to be successful'
'give yourself permission to turn your mobile phone off'
'give yourself permission to ask for a pay rise'
'give yourself permission to have a piece of cake'

It does work!

What are you going to give yourself permission to do...TODAY!

2007-08-22T02:41:00.000-07:00

Get Knotted!
What's your view on men wearing ties?

The views are split, aren't they?

Some people say you can't do business without wearing a tie. Some say, wearing a tie makes no difference.

When I first started working in a office I had to wear a tie. It was compulsory. You had no choice. Then came 'dress-down Fridays' and you could wear 'smart casual' which was basically 'take your tie off'.

Nowadays, I very rarely see a man in a tie - even in central London.

How would you vote? Tie or no tie?

Let us know and leave a comment.

We'll see what the majority say.

2007-08-22T02:38:00.000-07:00

New Skills Help You Flourish At Work
Here in the UK, there have been full page adverts in the most popular newspapers, regarding 'new skills'.

The advert states: In the future the majority of jobs will require people with better skills. In fact, in less than ten years there will be very few jobs that will require no skills at all.

We all have it in us to grow in the workplace by learning new skills, gaining qualifications, and taking control of the situation.

For more information, the website is: http://inourhands.lsc.gov.uk/index.html

Personally, I am always learning new things every day.

What are you going to do about your future?

2007-07-11T22:33:00.001-07:00

Who would you invite to dinner?

I am sure you have often been asked the question, which three individuals would you invite to dinner (dead or alive)?

This was asked of me during dinner with friends at the weekend. It’s a very easy question but a difficult one to answer. The question caused a lot of debate!

However, here is my final three invites:

Nelson Mandela; 28 years in captivity; I’d love to know how he survived all those years being mistreated and misjudged.

Muhammad Ali – World Heavyweight Boxer: a schoolboy hero of mine. A brilliant sportsman and so dedicated to his sport.

Ken Blanchard: A superior leader who I have had the pleasure of meeting. A terrific storyteller. I know I could discover a lot from Ken.

That would be my three – who would you invite?

2007-07-11T22:32:00.000-07:00

Sam the Dog Update

Sam's doing really well now. He has not had any major set backs over the past 2 weeks which is great news. His sugar levels are still high and we inject him with insulin twice a day. He also has to have several different drops in his eyes everyday. He's coping very well. Some of you have asked for a photo so you can see him! Here he is:

2007-07-11T22:31:00.000-07:00

Domino's Pizza

Did you know Domino's Pizza is shortly launching an order facility by text? "Customers will be able to order pizza by text no matter where they may be".

Will you be using this facility?

The mobile phone is no longer a phone. It won't be long before you won't need any cash, cards or wallet; you'll pay for everything via your phone! You won't need cash tills, technology will automatically debit your balance via your phone as you walk past a certain location.

Japan is ahead on us in the mobile technology stakes. Recent research has shown Japanese teenagers are not interested in the opposite sex, cars or property. They only want the latest mobile phone in their hand. We are not far behind them!

What's your view on future technology...let us know and leave a comment; thanks.

2007-06-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

The Apprentice (UK)

Have any of you been watching the Apprentice? The UK TV programme with Sir Alan Sugar. It has been a brilliant and entertaining TV programme. However, what is your view on Sir Alan Sugar’s management style. Of course, I do not know Sir Alan so my opinion is based on what I see in the TV programme. Don’t you think he is a bit bad tempered? Why would any of the candidates want to work for him? I think his leadership style is a bit old style – bully-boy tactics. I don’t see Sir Alan nurturing or encouraging the winner. I can see him shouting, verbrating and giving them a hard time! His approach might have worked in the eighties but not in today’s 21st Century world. Today, you have to use individuals strengths, support them, coach them, mentor them, and praise them. Today’s successful managers get the best out of their staff by concentrating on their strengths. Have you ever worked for a Sir Allan type? Would you work for Sir Alan?

Leave a comment and share your views…

2007-06-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

New Management Website - http://www.greatmanagement.org/

over the past 2 months I have been setting up a new website. This new website will have 100's of different articles and interviews from successful authors, managers, leaders, entrepreneurs. I'm really excited about it! So why have I created this new website? Well to be honest, I am sick and tired of individuals who want a successful career or are new to management getting started off on the wrong foot, or getting ripped off!

So much of the information being sold out there is neither helpful nor written by someone who has ever 'managed' in their life. They have read a book, copied it and try to sell it! Most people selling "how to improve your management skills" have never been a manager themselves.

Let me ask you a question. Would you have brain surgery done by a doctor who has never actually performed brain surgery before (but wrote a book about it)?

Of course you wouldn't.

Would you fly in an airplane with a pilot that had never flown an airplane before, but had written a book about how to fly?

Of course you wouldn't!

Then why in the hell are you going to buy information about how to have a successful career from people who have never had a successful career? Do you see how completely idiotic that is?

Sorry to rant and rave, but it's that type of idiotic nonsense that was the driving force behind the creation of my new website. I wanted to create a quality website where I knew my visitors were truly getting the most accurate, helpful and very best Management, Career, Leadership, Entrepreneurial advice available anywhere for FREE.

Let me repeat that, just in case you missed it the first time around. "I wanted to create a quality website where I knew my visitors were truly getting the most accurate, helpful and very best Management, Career, Leadership, Entrepreneurial advice available anywhere for FREE."

Totally FREE? That's right. Totally FREE. So, what's the catch? That's the best part. There is NO catch, and there is NO cost. Nothing. Zilch! Because despite the impressive volume of helpful, life-changing information on my site, it is not one of those private membership sites where you have to pay a fee to gain access to all of this valuable information. No way Jose! My new website is available to everyone, totally FREE of charge. And it will always be that way.

If there are any subjects you would like to see articles on, let me know. Simply send me an email: andrew@greatmanagement.org

Check out the website and let me have your comments - http://www.greatmanagement.org/

2007-06-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

Sam the Dog

In a recent blog I spoke about our dog, Sam. I mentioned he is 11 years old and was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He is a wonderful and intelligent Border Collie. As a result of his diabetes we have been injecting him twice a day with insulin to try and control his sugar levels. It's been hard and a couple of weeks ago he went blind. He coped well but it was hard to watch Sam like that. He loves playing with his ball and now he couldn't. So he had his operation to cure his blindness - that was two weeks ago.

This weekend he has had a set back. One of his eyes has filled with 'pressure' and on Saturday he had to have a small emergency operation to relieve the pressure.

Today's Sunday and I woke up, saw Sam and again his left eye was closed. He looked very depressed, he wouldn't eat his breakfast or play with his ball - this was very unusual for Sam. So my wife and I took him to the vets. This time they have decided to keep Sam all day and overnight.

My wife and I have come home to a 'dog free' house and it feels strange. We keep asking "where's Sam?" and then realising he's at the vet.

Tomorrow, Monday we should be able to pick him up from the vet and bring him home - I hope.

2007-06-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

Accelerated Management Newsletter - June 07

Welcome to the 101 new subscribers who joined in May 07.

Last month I mentioned my new web site. A number of you have asked me if I really mean it when I say it will be FREE. Believe me, it will be. My new web site will have 100's of different articles and interviews from successful authors, managers, leaders, entrepreneurs. I've got some great articles and contributors including Peter Thompson, Bob Proctor, Jon Gordon, Ken Blanchard, Sean McPheat, Michael Raynor....nearly 100 top authors. And remember all FREE. You will have the latest management, leadership and career boosting techniques and tips all in one place. This is going to be unique and exclusive and you will have access to so much information - all from one web site.

Thanks for all your emails on the topics you would like to see covered. By far the most popular topic was 'Public Speaking'. So there will be a specific category on Public Speaking.

Please let me know if there are other topics you would like included.

I will be going live at the end of this month, so be quick with your topic suggestions.

I also attended the European Customer Management World Conference in London in May. I had the great pleasure of meeting Ken Blanchard, Sir Steve Redgrave and Kenichi Ohmae. I intend to share with you, over the coming weeks, all the tips and techniques I learnt from these 'masters'.

Management Development Programme

Last month I mentioned about my new Management Development Program and how I am now mentoring 2 individuals - a new manager and an experienced leader with 10 years management experience.

Just thought I would share with you some of the topics the new manager (John - made up name for confidentiality) and I have covered.

Back in April, John was the first individual to join my new Management Development Programme. John had recently been promoted and was told to ‘lead the staff’.

In my experience, organisations do not provide new managers with a lot of support. In most cases, you are promoted, left alone and it is your responsibility to get on with the job and acquire the new skills necessary. It is up to you to learn the new skills on the job. You can go and read 1 or 2 of the 1000’s of management books available (which are often based on theory and sometimes not even proven!!).

It can be quite scary being a new manager. A first-time assignment as a manager is perhaps one of the most challenging an employee faces. Who do you turn to when you want some help and guidance? Asking for training and development may raise questions over your suitability for the role in the first place. John does not feel comfortable in asking for help within his company and, therefore, joined my Management Development Programme.

In the last couple of months, we have been concentrating on John getting to know his team and his stakeholders.

What is the service his team provide? Why do they exist? Who are the key customers? What do the customers expect? What issues are in existence? What is the team morale like? Based on these questions (and others) we have then agreed a plan of action which we will work on together to implement.

Whenever I start a new management role, no matter what level, I always start by talking to the staff. This is where you get all the most appropriate and relevant information.

Who are Johns’ stakeholders? Who are his customers? We have been using my unique Relationship Builder Framework™ to ensure we ‘pick’ the most valuable stakeholders and ensure we use them specifically for John’s benefit. What do his stakeholders expect from him? What does John want from his stakeholders? What are the right questions to ask the stakeholders?

Using the Relationship Builder Framework™, John now has a Stakeholder plan in place.

Some simple proven techniques have already had a direct, positive impact on John’s brand and respectfulness. Already, John’s team morale has improved, he has received some excellent customer feedback and he is managing his stakeholders (rather than the other way round).

John’s confidence in his own abilities and role has rocketed by having someone to turn to, ask for help and advice, and immediately see positive results. What is even better is that no one knows he is being mentored - other than John and I. His staff, boss or peers do not know – they just think he is a natural manager. Those first impressions are going to make all the difference in his career.

Generate Ideas

Let's pretend you have a goal.

Let's say you want to double your salary or generate extra income so that you can purchase the latest sports car.

O.K.

What I want you to do is very simple. I want you to get up in the morning, grab a piece of paper and a pen.

On the top of that paper, write down your objective. In this case, you want to generate extra income so that you can purchase the latest sports car.

Then, write down 20 ideas, 20 ways you can get that extra income.

Let's say your first idea is to have a ‘spring clean’ and sell all your unwanted stuff on eBay; your second idea is to go and ask your boss for a raise; your third idea to look at all your outgoings to see what you can stop…….

Just write down whatever you can think of.

Don't spend too much time thinking about it; just write down whatever comes to mind.

Now, the next morning, do the same thing. Write down your goal again: My goal is to generate extra income so that I can purchase the latest sports car.

Then jot down 20 new ideas or ways you can do this.

Do this for 5 days, and at the end of those 5 days, you will have 100 ideas.

Now, will they all be good?

No.

But will you get some great ideas?

Yes. I'll bet you come up with a lot more useful ideas you can implement just by completing this simple, ten-minute exercise every day.

Now, if you can't come up with 20 ideas, don't stress, just come up with as many as you can.

Come up with 10, come up with five. Don't judge your ideas, don't think any idea you come up with is stupid; just write down whatever pops into your head.

Now, if you can't come up with any ideas, you probably need to do some research.

This task should be simple.

Don't just sit there. Jump online and start researching for ideas.

You need more input, more data coming into your brain so you can come up with more ideas.

So get out there and go get it!

You don't know what you don't know.

Try this exercise with other ideas. 20 ways to improve your time management; 20 ways to double your sales. This is a very powerful exercise. Take the time and I guarantee you will benefit from it.

Remember, it's just ten short minutes of your day.

Anyone can do that.

Go on try it!

"I Don't Have Time"

How many times have you heard individuals say “I don’t have time to do that”? Hundreds? I meet individuals every day who say “I don’t have time to:

‘write that report’
‘have discussions with my staff’
‘take on anything else’
‘play golf’
‘cut the grass’
‘wash the car’

You hear it all the time, don’t you? I bet you say it. I know I do sometimes.

Well, in my experience and in the majority of cases, it is not “I don’t have time”, it is more like “it’s not a priority” or “I would rather do this instead”, or they don’t have the passion for the task.

Let me share a story.

Our family dog (Border Collie), Sam is now 11 years old and was recently diagnosed with diabetes. We’ve had Sam since he was 6 weeks old so he is a member of the family – we all love him. He is a wonderful dog. In all the 11 years he has not been a problem. Us pet owners love our pets, don’t we?

Back to Sam’s illness. As a result of the diabetes, we were instructed to inject him twice a day with insulin for the rest of his life. Not a problem but we had to get his sugar levels down otherwise he may go blind. We were told diabetes is very hard to control and boy were they right. Not only did we have to inject him twice a day, he had to have his food every 12 hours and he had to have walks every 12 hours. Diabetes is controlled by diet, insulin and exercise. You have to get all three in balance to reduce the sugar levels. The vet said it could take months. It did and Sam did go blind. He coped well – other senses taking over.

Last week he had an operation to overcome his blindness and now he can see again and he is back to ‘normal’. The vet was over 50 miles away – my wife and I were making two trips a week.

So why am I telling you all this. Well we found the time to cater for Sam. He was a priority. We were passionate about making him well again.
I still was running my business alongside finding time for Sam. I just worked longer into the evenings. I love my business and I will always find time to run it. I just might not have time ‘to cut the grass’. (I loath cutting the grass by the way – not a passion, always find something else to do!!).

So next time you hear yourself saying “I don’t have time” it might be because you are not passionate about what you have to do or you have other priorities. If you are passionate, you will find the time.

See my ‘passionate’ article here:

http://www.greatmanagement.org/articles/3/1/Great-Career-You-Gotta-Have-Passion/Page1.html

Inspirational Quote of the Month

"It is possible to be busy - very busy - without being very effective"

Stephen R Covey

Tell me what you think!

To leave me feedback on the contents of this newsletter send an email to:

andrew@greatmanagement.org

I'd love to hear what you have to say or what you would like in future newsletters

Do you have a question for me?

Drop me a line at:

andrew@greatmanagement.org

...and you might see your question answered in an upcoming issue of this newsletter

2007-06-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome

Welcome to the 65 new subscribers who joined in April 07.

Last month I mentioned a new fitness plan I have come across, which only takes 7 minutes a day to complete. I see some of you have purchased Vince Graham's book. A first great step. Are you using it? Are you seeing the benefits? I certainly am. I've been using the 7-minute a day fitness plan for 4 months now and it's great. 7 minutes a day! I remember spending hours at the gym or jogging the streets. No more of that! If any of you want to read more about Vince's book - clik here.

My new free bonus e-Book called ‘Learn The Secrets Of Time Management’ has boosted the sales of 'Accelerate Your Management Effectiveness'. So thanks to all who have purchased my book. Please let me have your feedback. Remember if you do provide me feedback, you get an extra added bonus.

Last month I mentioned about my new Management Development Program and the results have been amazing. I am now mentoring 2 individuals - a new manager and an experienced leader with 10 years managemnet experience. Both have different needs. It is going really well. Feedback has been great and I am extremely pleased. More on this next month.

Improve Front-Line Business Experience

I always recommend to individuals who want a great career, go and find out about the company you are working for. Find out about the product or service your company provides. There is no substitute for understanding the business. Make sure you keep up-to-date on the products etc, and visit the other departments on a regular basis.

In some of the best run companies I've worked in; managers in many of the departments spend a week or two each year doing work in other departments. I know the supermarket retailer Tesco does this. Every manager, even the CEO, spends time doing a regular store job, such as operating a check-out, every year.

So organise a scheme for you, your staff, peers and boss to get all of you into other departments for one or two weeks to learn about the gritty realities of how the business operates. It could be the customer call centre, on the road with field sales or in the warehouse checking inventory. Make participation mandatory. Over time, you will certainly reap the benefits.

Inspirational Quote of the Month

It is no use saying "we are doing our best." You have to succeed in doing what is necessary.

Winston Churchill 1874-1965, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II

Tell me what you think!

To leave me feedback on the contents of this newsletter send an email to:

andrew@greatmanagement.org

I'd love to hear what you have to say or what you would like in future newsletters

Do you have a question for me

Drop me a line at:

andrew@greatmanagement.org

...and you might see your question answered in an upcoming issue of this newsletter

2007-05-24T23:55:00.000-07:00

McJob to Management

On my way to a business meeting yesterday I was listening to 'talk live' radio and the subject of 'McJob' was being discussed.

Basically a new word 'McJob' has been established and it is ' slang for a low-paying, low-prestige job that requires few skills and offers very little chance of intracompany advancement'.

I disagree with the definition.

A professor had completed a piece of work to see if the definition was accurate. His findings showed individuals with McJobs were:

on the first rung of the career ladder
enjoying their role (mostly)
happier being employed rather than not

When I was 16 I had 3 McJopbs:

Petrol Pump Attendant (in those days there was no self service!!) - 70p per hour
collecting Littlewoods Pools Coupons - commission based
working in a DIY store - 90p per hour

I loved the jobs (and money of course!). I was dealing with the public, having responsibility and built long-term relationships. In fact, through my relationships, I was offered another role as a gardener for one of my regular petrol buyers. My McJobs were the start of my successful career. Building relationships and dealing with people is a skills we all must have if we want to be successful in our careers.

Tesco's chief executive Sir Terry Leahy, started stacking shelves in his local branch of the supermarket chain, during the summer holidays, when he was 15. What a career he has had starting with a McJob!

Any of you started with a McJob? How was it? Did it provide some fundamental basic skills?

Let's start the conversation!!

2007-05-10T00:06:00.000-07:00

Prospective Customer vs. Customer Service

A couple of weeks ago I booked a restaurant visit for my wife and some friends. The telephone experience as I booked was excellent. It was friendly, polite, slick and I could tell the person who took my booking was ‘smiling’ down the telephone. The service was excellent.

Yesterday was the day my wife and I attended the restaurant we had booked a few weeks ago. We were really looking forward to it. Picture this, great location (right next to the river), great weather, great food, great prices, great service. That is what we expected.

We arrived. No one was around to greet us. There were some waitresses in the corner talking and we were totally ignored. Not a good start. After a couple of minutes, my friend went over and ensured we were shown to our table. First impression of the service was not good. A couple of weeks ago when we had booked, the service was excellent – was it because we were a prospective customer? Now we were a customer the service had dropped. The service during the lunch was OK; nothing special. More attention, more smiling would have been better.

Overall, we had a good time - great location (right next to the river), it was a sunny day, the food was beautiful, the total bill was as expected – the only thing which let it down, was the service.

Have you ever experienced a different level of service when you were a prospective customer vs. being an actual customer?

Leave a comment and share your views?

2007-05-01T01:49:00.000-07:00

Management Bureaucracy Gone Mad

During the weekend, I had dinner with some friends. One of the friends works for a large Public Sector company. She often tells me of stories of bureaucracy in relation to the office she works in. The latest story is one I have to share. As part of her administration role, she has to do a fair amount of photocopying. Without going into detail, the documents being photocopied are very important and have to be completed within certain timeframes. In order to use the photocopier each staff member has to input a code. The code is used to charge the costs to the correct budgets. Quite often, the photocopier breaks down. When this happens, it is reported and can take several weeks to be repaired.

Meanwhile, my friend is not allowed to use any other photocopier because:

1. her code only works on her departments photocopier
2. the other departments don’t let her because she would have to enter that departments code and they will be charged for the paper used

The impact – no photocopying of the important documents happens. The receivers of the photocopied documents don’t receive them and they can’t work and so on. All this impact for the cost of a few pages of paper. The cost of several individuals not working is much much higher!

Therefore, for the cost of a few pages of paper a number of the departments in this large Public Sector company stop work!!!

How crazy is that?

My friend gets very frustrated.

The managers don’t care.

Fundamentals of management is about being there for your staff; letting them get on and do their job well. As a manager, one should remove any of the blockages which are stopping them provide a great service.

Have you heard of such madness? Please leave a comment and share it with us all!

2007-04-25T00:53:00.000-07:00

How Not To Give Staff Feedback

90% Of Staff Want Their Manager To Provide Constructive Feedback

Yesterday, on a business trip, I had a 30 minute wait for a train connection. I decided to have some breakfast in a world famous fast food eatery. When I entered the eatery, there were a few customers eating their breakfast and there were a few queuing up to order. After a few minutes, I was ready to order and the member of staff welcomed me with a smile, ‘good morning’ and asked me what I wanted. Now picture the following:

I ordered and as she turned around to collect my order, she said ‘why am I not getting a pay rise, anyway?’. A person replied who I assumed to be her manager, ‘because you’re useless’. She then turned back to me and said with a smile, ‘That’s 95p please’. I paid. ‘Enjoy your breakfast’ she added looking me in the eye. There was no one behind me next in the queue. She turned to her manager, ‘what makes you say I’m useless? No one has ever said that before’.

Manager: ‘you never do anything’

Girl: ‘what do you mean?’

Manager: ‘You only do things when you‘re told to do them’

Girl: ‘Do I?’

Manager: ‘Yeah and that’s why you’re useless’

Girl: ‘Oh’

By now, I had found my seat and was still listening to the Manager/girl conversation. I looked around the restaurant – a few other customers were now looking as well.

How did the girl feel? How did the manager feel? How did the customers feel?

I would imagine the girl felt ‘unhappy, concerned and de-motivated’.

I would imagine the manager felt ‘good, confident and pleased with himself’ (that’s the impression I got by looking at his ‘that told her’ face).

As a customer, I felt embarrassed, angry and helpless. I wanted the company to know how this manager had treated a member of his staff. I wanted to help the manager and tell him where he had gone wrong. I wanted to offer advice to the girl on how to accept the feedback.

The member of staff wasn’t useless. I felt welcomed, she smiled, and she looked me in the eye. It was good friendly service. Her personal customer service was very good – far better than ‘useless’. According to her manager, she was not very proactive. Maybe customer service was her natural strength and being proactive wasn’t. That doesn’t make her useless.

So where did the manager go wrong? How would have you, as the manager, provided feedback?

Please post a comment and let me have your views.

2007-04-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

1 in 4 Staff Don’t Know What Their Manager Is Expecting Of Them

Be an Effective Manager and Tell Them

To have a successful career in any company you must know how to build relationships.

And the most important relationship is between the manager and their direct reports. The strength of this relationship can have a direct result on the success of a team. Yes the relationship between the manager and their staff must be ‘open’ and ‘trustworthy’, that’s a given – but what else should you expect from your staff as their manager?

During my 20 years plus management career, I’ve observed and experienced that certain behaviours, on the part of both the staff and the manager, are conducive to productive and rewarding relationships.

I share my views below and I hope that I can help other managers, leaders, staff and teams to improve their relationships and as a consequence, their performance.

What I Expect from My Direct Reports

Get involved

Successful managers know how to delegate. But even more important, they know when a situation calls for their immediate involvement, whether it’s in redirecting resources to a major crisis or visiting their staff at a remote site. If you see a problem rising, there is no excuse for not taking responsibility. I expect my reports to take the blame for things that go wrong and give credit for positive developments to their employees. That is part of being a manager – take the blame but praise the staff/team when things work out well.

It is the manager’s judgement call to know when your involvement is necessary and will have the most impact on the business. I have found that effective managers generally get involved when one of these three types of circumstances arise: when somebody is falling behind in their commitments; when important personnel matters arise and in a crisis.

Generate ideas

A person who is innovative and creative is rare. I actually encourage individuals to come up with ideas. I listen to what they suggest and say. Together we decide which ideas are taken forward and implemented.

Be willing to collaborate and share

The number of people I come across who resist collaboration or sharing credit amazes me. Individuals think by keeping ‘things to themselves’ they will become infallible or irreplaceable. The team, department, company can achieve improved results if individuals share their good ideas, practise, ways of working.

As a manager, you have to take this very seriously and I do. Several years ago, I was hired to improve the turnaround time of customer orders for a large blue-chip company. Two of my direct reports just did not get on; they didn’t talk to each other; they didn’t turn up to each other’s meetings; they argued in front of customers. All this meant they didn’t and couldn’t work together and because they didn’t work together well, neither did their teams. As a result, service was not improving. The three of us met and I told them that it didn’t matter whether they liked each other or not, but the way they worked together had to change. They left the meeting with the agreement they would overcome their differences. I don’t know if they ever learned to like each other, but they learned to work well together – and more important, so did their teams. Our overall performance improved considerably.

Be willing to lead initiatives

I love change and as a manager, I am always impressed when someone volunteers to lead new initiatives. It shows courage, confidence and flexibility. New initiatives often means new skills, new relationships and new environments, for the individual who volunteers. Most individuals won’t put their hand up to volunteer because of the unknown. All I can say, it that those that do, it will be their careers they will accelerate and their profile will increase tremendously.

Develop your staff as you develop

You need to manage your own development. However, even more important is the development of your staff. Early in my career, I worked for a great manager. He told me one day, he was going to do everything he could to help me reach my potential. From that moment on, he was more interested in my development than in his own. He went out of his way to criticise or praise me when I needed it. I’ll never forget him; he played a very meaningful role in my career.

Drive your own development

Keep your own skills up-to-date. Your company may not offer all the development you need. You may have to do your own research. In my career I have read many, many management/leadership/business books (some bad, some good, some excellent). I have also had many mentors.

Ask your boss and peers for feedback. Get yourself a mentor (inside or outside the company). Accept and volunteer for new types of work – learn from the new skills, relationships and environments.

Remember your own development is your responsibility.

A last word…..

25% of all staff don’t know what their boss expects of them. As a manager, make sure 100% of your staff know what you expect of them. It’s easy to do – the behaviours I expect are listed above. You may have different ones. It doesn’t matter – just make sure your staff know. If they do, you will see an improvement in your team’s service.

2007-04-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

57% of Managers Time is Spent Dealing With Difficult Staff.

Announcing Ways To Deal With Difficult Staff.

As a manager, how do you deal with difficult staff?

How much of your management time is spent unwisely with difficult staff?

Would you like to know the secrets of easily managing your problem staff?

Well this is what it takes.

Every business and department has them - problem staff who use up a great deal of a managers time and energy trying to achieve better performance and results. A few years ago, it was easy to rectify the problem, just terminate the employee and get on with business. In today’s business world, employment laws have become much more employee friendly which has increased the challenges to managers as to how to deal with these individuals.

So how does a manager handle such staff effectively to achieve a win / win resolution?

Unfortunately most managers focus all their efforts in trying to get rid of the problem rather than taking a step back and planning a strategy to give the staff a chance to become an asset to the business/department.

In order to deal with a problem employee it is important to be able to pinpoint where the true problem lies. The good news is that managers only need to focus on three areas to find the answer.

As a manager, if you follow these three areas in order, you will find where you will need to focus your efforts to turn your problem employee into a productive member of your team.

The first area to look at is training and development. Has the employee been trained and developed properly? Does he or she know what is expected of them? Was their training and development period adequate? Do they perform their duties within the guidelines set forth by the business/department? If you can answer yes to all of these questions then training and development is not the issue, then you need to move to the next area. On the other hand if you answer no to any of the above, it is time to set aside some time to re-train the individual.

The second area is the environment. Is there something in the employees work environment that may be affecting their performance? There may be a possibility that the employee may have developed an allergy to the equipment they work with, or there may be something in the air that is causing the employee problems getting the job done. Or they don’t have the space, correct chair, tools to perform their role.

If the environment is the cause of the problem it may be in the managers best interest to try to find an alternate job within the company that will provide a better climate for the employee to work in. Or provide them with the appropriate tools in order to complete their role.

If the environment is not the problem then the only other option is the staff’s behaviour. This is by far the most difficult to deal with as people in general get very defensive and offended when they are being talked to about their conduct. When speaking with an employee about their behaviour it is important to be up front with the issue. There is no reason to beat around the bush. You have to ask questions and let the employee say everything they have to say. The employee may have personal problems that are affecting their duties; they may hate the job or are having problems with someone they work with. Once you have found the root of the problem then it is important to offer solutions. It may be counselling, a mediated meeting with another employee, or maybe the offer of a leave of absence from work to get their affairs in order. Once the discussion has neared the end you must inform the employee of your expectations as their direct report and how they are expected to behave at work.

By following the above steps you as a manager will be able to improve performance and production from the most difficult member of staff.

A Last Word...

One of the biggest fears in being a manager is dealing with difficult staff. It’s not easy but don’t put it off – deal with it as soon as possible after you see a dip in the staff member’s performance. Make sure you are seen as the manager who deals with difficult staff effectively and efficiently.

2007-04-02T05:26:00.000-07:00

How To Be A More Motivational Manager / Leader

Would you like to know the secrets of motivating your staff? Of course you would. I mean, who wouldn't?

Well this is what it takes.

It may appear that all great motivational managers know the secrets to improving an employees performance. But what these great managers know is no secret at all: everything you ever needed to know about enhancing the productivity of your staff is actually contained in a few simple techniques that are guaranteed to increase the efficiency of your department/service/business.

5 Things That Every Great Manager Knows.

These five things are not profit margin, gains, losses, tax deductions, or assets - but instead are the human factors of management.

You cannot put a price or value on the factors that drive an employees performance. This is because most people remain with an employer because of the quality and satisfaction derived from a rewarding and balanced workplace.

Great managers recognize and respect this "x factor" of the business world and work to improve it with these simple tips.

1. Motivation - Every employee is unique; therefore the motivation to perform better will be different for each person. Know your staff and identify the motivator for each employee and provide opportunities that encourage their interest and performance.

2. Setting Goals - Make sure you have a vision for how you want your department, service or business to operate now and in the future. Communicate your vision to your employees so that they are directing their energies toward a common goal. They will feel like they are a part of the business and this will enhance performance.

3. Praise - Take advantage of big and small opportunities to praise your employees for work well done. Your recognition of their performance means a lot and it is important that you acknowledge their efforts.

4. Feedback - Be lavish with praise but selfish with criticisms - but do offer kind words of constructive feedback that makes your employees feel respected and valued.

5. Management - Be available as a resource to your employees. They should feel comfortable to approach you with questions and concerns and not feel as if they are imposing on your time. They should be able to depend upon you for guidance and as a model of what excellent performance is all about.

A Last Word...

As you can see, there is no one secret to improving the performance level of employees. You can start today with these simple tips that are easy to implement into the everyday workings of your department. After all, your employees and business deserve anything and everything that will help them flourish and continue to grow.

2007-03-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

Accelerated Management Newsletter

For the ambitious professional manager

April 2007

Contents

Part 1 – Welcome

Part 2 – Feature Article – Be A Failure At Managing Meetings

Part 3 – Accelerated Management Quote

Part 4 – Accelerated Management Special Offers

Part 5 – About the ‘Accelerated Management’ Newsletter

Part 1 – Welcome

Welcome to the 77 new subscribers who joined in March 07.

Already a quarter of the year has gone. Can you believe that? So have you achieved everything you planned to? Yes? No? How are your New Year resolutions going? Well? They didn’t start? Most of us always need a little bit of help, support and a PUSH to get going. In my last newsletter I mentioned a great new fitness plan by a guy called Vince Graham. Well I’ve stuck to that because it only takes 7 minutes a day to complete. It’s all about managing your time. Click here for more details on Vince’s fitness plan.

Because time is precious, I just finished a new e-Book called ‘Learn The Secrets Of Time Management’. I wanted to share my ideas and views on time management. I shall be giving the e-Book as a second free bonus to anyone who purchases my unique book ‘Accelerate Your Management Effectiveness’ – see http://www.acceleratedmanagementsystem.com/.

I’ve also added another service for my subscribers (although it will only be open to the first 6) – please see below for more details.

Also in the past month I visited a great friend of mine Huong Nguyen. Huong is a professional image consultant, personal stylist and founder of Inspired Image, the leading image consulting business based in Bristol, UK. (http://www.inspiredimage.co.uk/). Huong basically transformed me – my clothes, image, and style. She was wonderful and I came away with a totally new look. Image is so important in your career – everyone must make the effort.

Now go and Accelerate Your Effectiveness! ™

Andrew

http://www.andrewrondeau.co.uk

Email: support@andrewrondeau.co.uk
Telephone: 07900995932

Part 2 – Feature Article

Be A Failure At Managing Meetings

Become the Manager Who is a Failure at Managing Meetings

Meetings have become an inevitable part of doing business for almost every department owner. There are meetings with clients, meetings with employees and meetings with peers or associates. Almost everyone has suffered through too many meetings that take up too much time and accomplish too little. In fact, you may find that you yourself have now become numb to the fact that your meetings aren’t as good as they could be. And everywhere you look, it seems as if somebody has another idea about how to fix your meetings, and make them more focused, more productive, and – dare I say it? More fun! So what can you do about it? Relax and keep reading, because you’re about to find the information that can help you maintain the status quo – a list of tips and ideas for meeting planning – the wrong way!

1. Schedule your meetings at bad times - (for example, how about setting up a “must attend” meeting late on Friday afternoon?).

2. Make sure your meetings all start late and run overtime - (and whenever possible, scheduling meetings when someone is up against a deadline, or on a tight schedule).

3. Maintain a consistent lack of focus on what topics will be covered – (don’t use an agenda).

4. Ensure there is a poor level of rapport in the group – (people don’t talk to each other, or they complain, or engage in other unsuitable behaviour).

5. Don’t arrive at a decision - (find new ways to keep covering the same ground, or continue asking for input rather than creating a plan of action.)

6. Choose a poor location and environment for your meetings - (for example, trying to fit 15 people into a closet-sized room that doesn’t have windows or a proper ventilation system.)

7. Schedule meetings to go over routine topics - (instead of sending a memo or email.)

8. Don’t talk to your group, or make your meetings interactive - (talking “at” them, lecturing or going off on wild tangents.)

9. Never asking for feedback from participants, or allowing others to present ideas or get involved.

There you have it! Just follow those nine simple tips, and you're guaranteed to instil fear, loathing and boredom into even the most intrepid of meeting participants! You will be know as the manager who knows how NOT to manage meetings.

Part 3 – ‘Accelerated Management’ Quote

“Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes”

Peter F. Drucker 1909-, American management guru

Part 4 – ‘Accelerated Management’ Special Offers

I have decided to expand my services this month.

Firstly I have written a new e-Book called Learn ‘The Secrets Of Time Management’. I am giving the e-Book away to those who purchase my unique e-Book ‘Accelerate Your Management Effectiveness’.

‘Learn The Secrets Of Time Management’ shows you an easy system for creating flow in your life - helping you get what you want from your time and efforts.

Here’s What You’ll Learn With

‘’Learn The Secrets Of Time Management’

· Why is Time Management so Important?

How time management can change your life.

Why you didn’t stop the madness before.

· How to Value Your Time

Step ONE: Find out how to measure the value of your time. Appreciate the cost both in money and time so you can make better decisions.

· How to Track Your Time

Step TWO: Learn how to track your activities and give yourself valuable feedback on where your time goes. Eye-opening look at what you do each day.

· What Activities are Wasting Your Time

Identify time wasting activities and learn how to combat them. Find out about the Top FIVE time wasters and how to control them.

· How to Create Goals

Step THREE: Learn how to identify your goals.

Recognize what activities help you reach them and which ones are getting in your way.

· The ‘To-Do’ List

Step FOUR: What a ‘to-do’ list is for. How an efficient list can help you be more productive.

· Creating Your Action Plan

Step FIVE: Learn to work towards your goals by creating an Action Plan. Watch your progress and see how Action Plans can give you focus.

· How to Prioritise

How do you get it all done? Prioritise! Learn the secrets of making the most of your time.

· Managing the Family’s Time

Busy families have a hard time getting everything done. Find out how to help chores get done and have more time for fun with your family!

What You’ll Also Get…

· Personal Action Plan and Goal Worksheet

· Activity Log Worksheet

Secondly, I am about to offer my new Management Development Program to 6 new clients over the next 6 months (1 per month, starting in April). I want to offer this service to 6 clients so I can dedicate my time to those 6 only.

By being on the Management Development Program, clients will receive…
1. FREE 15 minute telephone consultation when you join.

2. FREE 15 minute telephone consultation every month for one whole year.

3. FREE unlimited e-mail consultation for one whole year.

Plus...you'll learn...

4. How to build and use a ‘network’, which benefits you

5. The best ways to reward your staff

6. How to know what your natural management strengths are (and then exploit them for your benefit)

7. How to set realistic targets

8. How to hold effective meetings and make them fun

9. How to be in total control without being a control freak

10. Why you shouldn’t depend upon your boss for promotion

11. The real secrets of delegation

12. How to find out what your customers are really expecting from you

13. How to keep track of everything you delegate, simply and easily

14. The best approach when you carry out performance reviews

15. How to get noticed by those who matter without SHOUTING about it

16. Why have a personal game plan and why keep it secret

17. The secrets behind keeping your boss happy

18. Unleash the power of your staff

19. The best way to seek feedback

20. The best way to promote your team (and therefore you)

21. How to create a professional image

22. The very first thing a manager must do to be successful

23. How to track your management efforts

24. Secrets of writing emails, which get results

25. How to become an expert problem solver

26. The quickest way to get your staff motivated

27. How to find out what people really think about you as a manager

28. The 3 books you must read to turn your career around.

Plus...much, much more!

Click here for further details: http://www.andrewrondeau.co.uk/mdp.html

Part 5 – About the ‘Accelerated Management’ Newsletter

Andrew Rondeau, in the course of a distinguished career, has received several ‘management’ awards. Many individuals have used his clear and concise materials in order to vastly improve their success. He outlines essential leadership and management skills in readiness for the 21st Century. He enables his clients to understand, practise and implement key skills within their own careers.

Your feedback is so important to me – please contact me any time with your comments, ideas or techniques you have come across which have helped you to become a more successful manager.

If you believe this newsletter could be of benefit to anyone you know, please feel free to forward it onto them.

Please note that I have a zero tolerance SPAM policy. You are free to join and leave this newsletter whenever you please. Rest assured I will never sell, rent or trade your information to any third party.

2007-03-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

You Gotta Have Passion.

Do you dread going to wok on Monday morning? Are you one of those people who can't wait until Friday rolls around?

If you are, that's a good indication you hate your job and that you lack passion.

Being passionate about your job means not watching the clock. It means going the extra mile. It means being so engrossed in your work, you lose all track of time. It means being committed and professional at all times.

When you are passionate about what you do for a living you not only enjoy your job more, but you also get greater pleasure out of life. The two go hand in hand.

Would you like to be more passionate about your job? Here's the key:

Do more. Instead of being passive and going with the flow, be proactive. Do the little things at work that no one else is willing to do. Believe me. People will start to take notice - especailly those in position of power.

Get more involved in those boring business meetings. Who says business meetings have to be boring? Why not spice things up with a joke of the day, or something else of a lighthearted variety. If you change your attitude and become more passionate, it will rub off and have a positive effect on others.

And you'll feel better about yourself, knowing that you are helping others feel better about themselves and their job. You will actually be an inspiration to people.

More importantly, when you develop passion, you'll get more done. You won't have to hide out in the bathroom, doing as little as possible, until it's time to go home. You won't have to waste time scheming about how to get out of an unpleasant assignment, because with your new attitude, there will be no such thing as an unpleasant assignment. Also, you won't be at work daydreaming about your upcoming vacation that's 6 months away.

When you are are passionate about work you'll do a much better job. Why? Because your passion for your job won't let you settle for anything less than your best effort.

When you are passionate about your job, you'll put in your time and request even more hours. With your new-found passion you won't be cheating your employer or co-workers. More importantly, you won't be cheating yourself. Your boss will love you and you'll start to get the
great assignments (and more money!).

Need proof? Think about something you're really passionate about. Maybe it's a favorite hobby or sport. Maybe it just hanging out with your friends. Whatever it is, take careful note of that feeling you're starting to get inside, just thinking about it. Now imagine how good you would feel if you could take that same passion and apply it to your work day - everyday.

In closing, try being more passionate and see if it doesn't make a profound difference in your life. Go ahead and try it. I guarantee you'll like it!

Visit Andrew's website at: http://www.andrewrondeau.co.uk/

2007-03-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

How To Be A More Successful Manager?

Would you like to be more successful manager? Of course you would. I mean, who wouldn't?

Well listen up, because I'm going to tell you what it takes.

Successful management requires:

* learning how to assert yourself

* listening to others

* resolving conflict

* delivering the right work at the right time of the highest quality

* managing expectations so no-one is disappointed

* building and sustaining relationships

* raising your profile with the people who matter most

* understanding customers demands (and how to exceed them)

* maximizing the abilities of your staff and making them so doggone productive you'll be absolutely astonished

Over the last 20 years I have successfully worked for and managed many blue-chip companies. I have real hands on experience in everyday learning, gaining new knowledge, ideas, tips and techniques. I have been very, very successful. I am regarded as the "Manager who is always striving for improvement." I truly believe (and have evidence) that everyone can improve their Management success, skills, effectiveness, brand, and service no matter what level they are.

Over the years, I've had the time of my life and the career of my dreams and you can too. I've had so many promotions, I've lost count. Over the past 5 years I have quadrupled my income. Let me repeat that - quadrupled!!! All because I know what "successful and effective management' and leadership" means.

With the extra income I earned I have:

* paid off my debts including my mortgage

* purchased several properties

* given myself more financial security by saving more

* taken several holidays every year with my family

* upgraded my cars and my lifestyle

I can show you how to do the same. If what I've said so far has struck a positive chord within you, I urge you to visit my website and read the rest of my message.You'll be glad you did!

About the author:

Andrew Rondeau is a leading Management & Leadership Strategist.

Andrew is also the author of the ground breaking management ebook called 'Accelerate Your Management Effectiveness'

Andrew's websites at:

http://www.andrewrondeau.co.uk

http://www.acceleratedmanagementsystem.co.uk/

2007-02-22T00:34:00.000-08:00

Promotion 'almost as stressful as divorce'

The challenge of dealing with a promotion at work is almost as stressful as getting divorced, a survey has recently revealed.

A poll of 600 managers found over half had not been able to cope with stepping up from a junior post.

One said 'It is more difficult to change how you work if you were successful in the previous career than not. Ironically, the promotion comes only if you are successful.'

It's a familiar story. You work hard to get that promotion and you're excited about your new role. Then suddenly, reality hits home: you are on your own, unsure of what is expected of you, missing aspects of your previous role that you had finally mastered, without your trusted network of colleagues, and politics rife amongst your new peer group whom you struggle to engage with.

Yet despite the familiarity of this story, the scale of personal change required is rarely acknowledge, let alone adequately supported, leading to 'transition anxiety'.

One of the first things you should do is keep your boss happy and manage their expectations.

Ask them:

What does your boss want from you?

What does your boss love?

What does your boss hate?

What are their interests/hobbies?

I once worked for a boss who had a reputation for being ‘hard, demanding, fearful, and unapproachable’. The first time we met, I asked him the above questions. He:

wanted me to deliver the planned projects as agreed (i.e. budget/time/benefits)

wanted me to keep him informed of progress – the truth – exactly how it is

loved projects to be jointly agreed and met

hated surprises. If the project dates were going to be missed, he wanted me to let him know as soon as I knew and especially not at the progress meeting in front of other staff

liked watching football and participated in marathons

This Manager turned out to be the best manager I have ever had the privilege of working for. He and I built a rapport straight away. We were open, honest and worked really well together. If things were not going well we would sit down and work things out. The reputation and perception were just totally wrong.

4 simple questions ensured rapport was built and I knew exactly how to manage my boss.

It’s simple but powerful.

www.andrewrondeau.co.uk

www.acceleratedmanagementsystem.co.uk

2007-02-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

Volume 1 104 subscribers 5 different countries

January 2007

Welcome

This month I have started my post-Christmas fitness campaign. I came across a great new fitness plan by a guy called Vince Graham. It’s called the 7 minute a day Body Sculpting Programme. That’s right 7 minutes per day. Over the years I’ve wasted money and time in gym membership, home fitness equipment, gadgets and also ruined my knees joggings the streets. This new 7 minutes a day plan uses minimal equipment. For me it’s been a great investment. I actually saved several hours per week exercising which I can now choose to spend how I want to – with my family or just resting or working. Recent research stated that short bursts of exercise ‘are as good as training for hours’. If you want to gain several hours spare time, want to improve your body shape – check out this ‘months on-line offer’ – you will be amazed and astounded by the results - The Vince Graham 7 Minute A Day Body Sculpting Programme. You can order it here – http://tinyurl.com/y7dswn

Let me know how you get on.

Now go and Accelerate Your Effectiveness! ™

Andrew Rondeau
Management Success Coach

Email: support@andrewrondeau.co.uk

Telephone: (+44) 790 099 5932

http://www.andrewrondeau.co.uk/

Feature Article - Changing For the Better - Free Yourself

Want to achieve more - you need to break your previous patterns.

Here’s an analogy/metaphor!

It is known in India, when a baby elephant is raised it is attached to a solid foundation with a big solid chain on one of its hind legs. The baby elephant does not have the strength to break free, although it might try many times. As the elephant grows to a three ton adult, the captives don’t change the size of the chain; in fact the chain is replaced by a rope the elephant can easily break. The elephant stays tied up due to its previous experience of not being able to break free.
What can we learn from this story/metaphor?We have patterns in our minds, behaviours, habits, beliefs which are holding us back, in achieving some of the things we want to achieve. The patterns in our mind, behaviours, habits, beliefs are created by our past experiences. We tried to achieve something and we didn’t succeed. We tried again and again and again and told ourselves we can’t do it.

Questions for us:

What are the patterns, habits, behaviours, beliefs which say we can’t achieve/do something?

What was the past experience which caused us to have these thoughts?

How can we change our patterns, habits, behaviours, beliefs?

How can we convince ourselves to try again?

My experience:

One of my early experiences of presenting ended up with my Manager humiliating me in front of my peers by saying my presentation was ‘rubbish’. How did I feel? I convince myself I was ‘rubbish’ at presenting. I believed I was ‘rubbish’ at presenting. This lasted several months – whenever I was asked to present – I said ‘NO’. I always had an excuse. This couldn’t last. I knew I was really a good presenter. I decided to change. The outcome – I recently hosted a corporate event in front of 400 people and received rave reviews.

So, we can achieve.

So look at your past experiences – where are you being held back?

Tell yourself you can change and have another go.

Go ahead – make the effort and change for the better.

Inspirational Quote of the Month

“It is amazing how much you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit”

Harry Truman, US President (1945 – 53)

Featured Product

Increase Your Management Effectiveness!

Discover how you can apply carefully tested methods to super-charge your Management Effectiveness!

For more information click here

About the Accelerated Mangement Newsletter

Andrew Rondeau is one of the UK's leading management coaches.
Over the course of his 20 year career he has helped the personel of many Blue Chip organisations improve their skills, processes and approaches to achieve remarkable results.

Andrew is also the the author of the ground breaking management ebook called the Accelerated Management System.

Your feedback is so important to me – please contact me any time with your comments, ideas or techniques you have come across which have helped you to become a more successful manager.

If you believe this newsletter could be of benefit to anyone you know, please feel free to forward it onto them.

Please note that I have a zero tolerance SPAM policy. You are free to join and leave this newsletter whenever you please. Rest assured I will never sell, rent or trade your information to any third party.

Copyright © AndrewRondeau.co.uk 2007. All rights reserved.
http://www.andrewrondeau.co.uk/

2006-09-19T00:46:00.000-07:00

Graduates - how easy is it to make progress in todays business world. What blockages are you experiencing in getting that brilliant job or progressing as fast as you'd want to? Let me have your thoughts.

2006-09-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

The problem with 'management'. Are you new to management? Are you an experienced manager? Today, what's the biggest 'problem' in being a manager? Staff Management? Priorities? Time? Work/Life Balance? Let me have your thoughts?

The Accelerated Management Blog!

Domino's Pizza

Accelerated Management Newsletter - June 07

Welcome to the 101 new subscribers who joined in May 07.

Thanks for all your emails on the topics you would like to see covered. By far the most popular topic was 'Public Speaking'. So there will be a specific category on Public Speaking.

Please let me know if there are other topics you would like included.

I will be going live at the end of this month, so be quick with your topic suggestions.

I also attended the European Customer Management World Conference in London in May. I had the great pleasure of meeting Ken Blanchard, Sir Steve Redgrave and Kenichi Ohmae. I intend to share with you, over the coming weeks, all the tips and techniques I learnt from these 'masters'.

Last month I mentioned about my new Management Development Program and how I am now mentoring 2 individuals - a new manager and an experienced leader with 10 years management experience.

Just thought I would share with you some of the topics the new manager (John - made up name for confidentiality) and I have covered.

Back in April, John was the first individual to join my new Management Development Programme. John had recently been promoted and was told to ‘lead the staff’.

In the last couple of months, we have been concentrating on John getting to know his team and his stakeholders.

What is the service his team provide? Why do they exist? Who are the key customers? What do the customers expect? What issues are in existence? What is the team morale like? Based on these questions (and others) we have then agreed a plan of action which we will work on together to implement.

Whenever I start a new management role, no matter what level, I always start by talking to the staff. This is where you get all the most appropriate and relevant information.

Using the Relationship Builder Framework™, John now has a Stakeholder plan in place.

Some simple proven techniques have already had a direct, positive impact on John’s brand and respectfulness. Already, John’s team morale has improved, he has received some excellent customer feedback and he is managing his stakeholders (rather than the other way round).

Let's pretend you have a goal.

Let's say you want to double your salary or generate extra income so that you can purchase the latest sports car.

O.K.

What I want you to do is very simple. I want you to get up in the morning, grab a piece of paper and a pen.

On the top of that paper, write down your objective. In this case, you want to generate extra income so that you can purchase the latest sports car.

Then, write down 20 ideas, 20 ways you can get that extra income.

Let's say your first idea is to have a ‘spring clean’ and sell all your unwanted stuff on eBay; your second idea is to go and ask your boss for a raise; your third idea to look at all your outgoings to see what you can stop…….

Just write down whatever you can think of.

Don't spend too much time thinking about it; just write down whatever comes to mind.

Now, the next morning, do the same thing. Write down your goal again: My goal is to generate extra income so that I can purchase the latest sports car.

Then jot down 20 new ideas or ways you can do this.

Do this for 5 days, and at the end of those 5 days, you will have 100 ideas.

Now, will they all be good?

No.

But will you get some great ideas?

Yes. I'll bet you come up with a lot more useful ideas you can implement just by completing this simple, ten-minute exercise every day.

Now, if you can't come up with 20 ideas, don't stress, just come up with as many as you can.

Come up with 10, come up with five. Don't judge your ideas, don't think any idea you come up with is stupid; just write down whatever pops into your head.

Now, if you can't come up with any ideas, you probably need to do some research.

This task should be simple.

Don't just sit there. Jump online and start researching for ideas.

You need more input, more data coming into your brain so you can come up with more ideas.

So get out there and go get it!

You don't know what you don't know.

Try this exercise with other ideas. 20 ways to improve your time management; 20 ways to double your sales. This is a very powerful exercise. Take the time and I guarantee you will benefit from it.

Remember, it's just ten short minutes of your day.

Anyone can do that.

Go on try it!

How many times have you heard individuals say “I don’t have time to do that”? Hundreds? I meet individuals every day who say “I don’t have time to:

‘write that report’ ‘have discussions with my staff’ ‘take on anything else’ ‘play golf’ ‘cut the grass’ ‘wash the car’

You hear it all the time, don’t you? I bet you say it. I know I do sometimes.

Well, in my experience and in the majority of cases, it is not “I don’t have time”, it is more like “it’s not a priority” or “I would rather do this instead”, or they don’t have the passion for the task.

Let me share a story.

Last week he had an operation to overcome his blindness and now he can see again and he is back to ‘normal’. The vet was over 50 miles away – my wife and I were making two trips a week.

So next time you hear yourself saying “I don’t have time” it might be because you are not passionate about what you have to do or you have other priorities. If you are passionate, you will find the time.

See my ‘passionate’ article here:

http://www.greatmanagement.org/articles/3/1/Great-Career-You-Gotta-Have-Passion/Page1.html

"It is possible to be busy - very busy - without being very effective"

Stephen R Covey

To leave me feedback on the contents of this newsletter send an email to:

andrew@greatmanagement.org

I'd love to hear what you have to say or what you would like in future newsletters

Drop me a line at:

andrew@greatmanagement.org

...and you might see your question answered in an upcoming issue of this newsletter

‘write that report’
‘have discussions with my staff’
‘take on anything else’
‘play golf’
‘cut the grass’
‘wash the car’