March 2008
Management: Know Your People—Part 2
In the last column I
discussed the importance of knowing things about people in your
organization or group so you could manage more effectively. I suggested
you should be able to answer seven questions about each person.
It is important to know
things about the people who report to you, but it is equally important to
know your responsibility to them and their perceptions of you. You will
be no better manager than your people let you be. Here are seven
questions which bear directly on fulfilling your responsibility as a
manager.
Are you
providing the person opportunities for growth?
Are you using the person’s knowledge
skills and abilities?
Does the
person think you demonstrate appropriate behavior?
Does the person think you encourage and care about your people?
Does the person feel he or she can communicate honestly with you?
Does the person
believe you listen carefully and non-judgmentally?
Have you let the person know how much you care about him or her?
To effectively manage people
you need to know them and understand your relationship to them. Take time
to think about these seven questions and the seven from last month’s
column. Then act on them and you will be a better manager.
