Management

Small Business Management

Successful Skills for Small Businesses

By Britney Finn

An effective manager can mean the difference between the success and failure of any company. When climbing the corporate ladder, many people suddenly find themselves in a managerial position with no specific training. Those who succeed in this endeavor often share a few important characteristics:

  • Know your strengths and your shortcomings. Surround yourself with those who can pick up where you leave off. Successful business owners often develop a leadership team. As a whole, a well developed management team is equipped to handle a variety of personalities and situations.
  • Build careers. We spend a large portion of our lives at work. Employees who see their current position as just a job are less likely to feel a sense of loyalty and more likely to leave you high and dry. Sit down with your employees and find out what they want out of their work. We all need to earn a paycheck, but those who gain something more than money by showing up every day will continue to work hard. Have a clear vision of the future. Share it with those you work with and make sure they see it clearly. Make everyone a part of something bigger.
  • Feed your eagles, starve your turkeys. Those people who miss deadlines, projections or overall fall short of expectations are regularly the focus of a manager’s time. Time spent correcting this behavior is time that could be better spent working with top performers. Key employees are often left on their own with an “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” mentality. Divert your attention to those who are performing at or above your expectations. Others will follow.
  • Become a master of conflict resolution. This is rarely a favorite part of anyone’s job, but how you handle problems will make or break you. As a manager you will need to deal with situations as they arise. Your employees will look to you for guidance in future situations. A clear and detailed employee handbook can be a helpful tool in choosing the proper action. Though every situation will be different, there are three very helpful tips that can help:
    1. Deal with problems in a timely manner.
    2. Seek guidance if you are unsure what to do.
    3. Be consistent.

There is no magic formula that makes for a good manager. The business, the employees and the circumstances are all ever-changing variables. Good managers, however, are constantly evaluating their surroundings and looking out for their employees as well as the business. Unrelenting personal growth and development can ensure a long and successful career.