Saturday, March 6, 2010

As a corporate leader, one must always strive to improve and change with the changing business environment. At a certain level, "training" has become a culmination of all previous management experiences and not something that was read in a book or gleaned from a web conference. Perhaps the most important lessons come from management mistakes. The more failures made, the more opportunities there are to learn from them and succeed in the future. Of course, no one wants to fail.

Even the best corporate leaders have areas to improve upon. While these are largely based on the individual, there are a few global areas of improvement for all managers, regardless of team size or company size.

My top picks for management improvement areas:

1. Communication & Listening

This is not earth shattering, but essential. Regardless how seasoned a corporate leader becomes, there is always room for improvement - particularly in the listening department. Think back to Communications 101 in college. Taking this course as a college freshman probably had little impact on you. It was a requirement and if you were like most 18-year olds, you dreaded speaking in front of the class. Fast-forward to where you are today. If you could retake the class you'd realize just how crucial and relevant that course is to your management career.

2. Cultural Awareness

Sensitivity to diversity issues and becoming more culturally aware will get you much further today. As the globe shrinks due to e-commerce, and if you work for a global company or travel (even domestically) this is a key area for development. It is important to recognize that cultural awareness is necessary even within our own borders, as regions of the US often have their own "cultures" and ways of doing business. Of course, this is a broad area covering gender issues, religion, geographical nuances, race issues, as well as foreign cultures. When traveling or even meeting a customer for the first time, do your homework. Your cultural sensitivity - or lack thereof - can make or break a deal. I cannot overemphasize the importance of this skill as we evolve. I mean "we" in the human / society sense and not the management sense. This will help you in business dealings, recruiting new talent, developing your teams, setting an example as a leader, and raise your level of awareness and understanding. In short, it is a path to success in business and in the community.

3. Removing Bias

This is one area that is an offshoot of cultural awareness, although may be broader in scope. It is also one that is inherently difficult to successfully achieve, because we all have biases ingrained in us at some level. This is also one area that has legal repercussions if not fostered earnestly. In particular, it is important to groom new managers both by example and by providing training on hiring practices, legal interview questions, and what defines a hostile work environment. I would also include newly hired managers (even those with long track records) under this umbrella. Do not assume because the newly hired director of accounting has 10-years management experience with a former consulting firm that he or she has had proper or current equal opportunity and non-discrimination or diversity training. Regardless, your organization bears the burden of liability if that individual asks an illegal question in an interview.

4. Compliance

Compliance and governance are fortified by the risk involved due to complacency. Everyone is talking about Sarbanes-Oxley. Few really understand it or its implications, which are far-reaching. There are now companies whose sole purpose is leading audits and guiding corporations through "SOX" compliance. Accounting practices can be complex and with corporate security awareness and financial reporting at an all-time high, you definitely want your executive team and managers to understand the reasons behind compliance, as well as the impacts. This is an area that will only grow over time.

5. Time Management

This is nothing new. Managers for decades have been plagued with time management (and stress management) issues. Not much has changed. Some leaders are expert in this area and others struggle with it. My point is that everyone can benefit from additional help in this area.

6. Stress Management

Another oldie but goodie - stress management - is not going away any time soon. Today's executives are under a tremendous amount of pressure and largely overworked. Especially with the mobile workforce and communication devices, there is no escape from the daily grind and work schedule. The office follows you everywhere. According to the United Nations' International Labor Organization (ILO), workers in the United States are putting in more hours than anyone else in the industrialized world. Of course, this creates physical and emotional stress on the body. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the Federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illness and injury.

To read more, please see the NIOSH booklet titled Stress at Work: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/99-101/

Have any other great thoughts on the topic? ...Please share them with me.
Info@gerryczarnecki.com

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-Kenneth Blanchard

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

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