TIPS FOR SUCCESS – Leadership/Management

Tip #1 - Engage Employees

A key quality of a leader is the ability to "move people" to action. Here are some guidelines for inspiring cooperation:

• Begin with honest, sincere appreciation
• Develop an environment that encourages ideas and show respect for the other person's opinion
• Create opportunities for feedback to close the communication loop
• Ask questions instead of giving direct orders
• Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest
• Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves
• Recognize human potential and reward the accomplishments of others

Tip #2 - Plan Properly

Having a planning process is crucial to success. Try following this process:

• What should be accomplished in the scope of this plan?
• Determine the reality of the current situation.
• Define and set the goals
• Work out a definite program, including the action steps.
• Estimate the cost of the plan.
• Set timetables.
• Implement the plan.
• Follow Up

Tip #3 - Set Achievable and Measurable Goals for You and Your Team
Here are some tips on how leaders can coach employees to persevere in the attainment of their goals:

• Prioritize your goals. Brainstorm with your team and place all the ideas into categories – urgent, important, and unnecessary. Develop a numbered list of specific goals.
• Establish a production schedule with intermediate goals. Make an actual schedule so you can put dates to all the ideas. Intermediate steps allows you to watch the progress of the production and evaluate your team’s performance.
• Communicate the goal system and objectives to your team. Obtain your team’s input about how to best meet these goals. Let each member know what they are personally responsible for producing.
• Reward success. Keep your team and yourself motivated to achieve your goals by giving a small reward each time a goal is met. Let everyone know you value his or her effort and time.

Tip #4 - Delegation

Failing to delegate tasks is a common problem among inexperienced managers. Delegating allows you time to do your job and helps employees to grow toward their own potential. Consider the following delegation tips when tasks need to be completed:

• Identify Opportunities
• Select the Person
• Plan the Delegations
• Hold a Delegation Meeting
• Create a Plan of Action
• Review the Plan
• Implement the Plan
• Follow Up