The first three installments in this series covering management’s most basic principles addresses Planning, Organizing, and Training. Once those have been done, or more realistically, once those are being done, the final principle is that of controlling action. If nothing is moving, the first challenge is to get things moving in an orderly manner. One...

Whether you’re planning a meeting with your associates or the launch of a new product, the plans are doomed unless and until things are organized. Plans may make us feel better and plans do give us a sense of accomplishment and purpose. But plans, in and of themselves, will remain locked in and of themselves....

POTC – the four elemental components of any effective management strategy I am still in Uganda and will be for several more weeks. It is my privilege to be training some new managers as they make the transition into the realm of those who lead others. I am well aware of the Peter Principle which...

Ok, we have to admit it. We are busy. Too busy. There are meetings to prepare for and participate in. There are reports to write, read, review, comment upon, and process. The day’s schedule is very often controlled by someone else or at the very least, torpedoed by unplanned events. In my time management seminars,...

In earlier posts I wrote about the three benefits of an effective strategic team; that they will 1) extend your reach, 2) multiply your effectiveness, and 3) divide your work. Admittedly that is easier said than done. Hiring the right people is not a simple task. Of the many factors that must be considered –...

There is a good deal of satisfaction in finishing a job. I make lists of tasks then check them off as they are done. I’ve noticed, as I am certain you have, that many tasks are done repetitively.  It takes one skill set to start up a business but another skill set to keep it...

I want a staff entirely populated by trusted associates. Everyone does but hardly anyone has a staff who function at that level all the time. Someone somewhere at some time is unaware, that is to say, they are unconsciously incompetent. You’ve probably seen this chart but I’ve put it in for a visual reference. Louis,...

  NOTE: This post is a continuation of a topic I started last week. If you haven’t read it already, I suggest you begin with “How to multiply your effectiveness – 2 critical assessments you must make.” I ended the previous post with a promise to disclose how Louis rated himself. But before I do...

Jeff does not enjoy performance appraisals. His lack of enthusiasm for the task stems not from any reluctance on his part to scrutinize and identify strong and weak places in his staff’s performance nor does it arise from apprehension over the need to make corrections if needed. Indeed, Jeff’s lack of enjoyment comes from his...

Our particular, and in some cases peculiar, personality style gives rise and abets a favorite leadership style. In the 1960's, Douglas McGregor’s study suggested two divergent leadership/management styles – Type X and Type Y. The Type X style, according to the researcher, is a top-down, task oriented style. Type X managers favor giving orders, making...