Forming good habits

Managing a group of people is a complicated task. No matter how well you plan out your day, there are sure to be bumps in the road that can either slow your progress or divert you off path completely. Still, it is important to have a list of goals for the day, sorted by order of importance.

At the top of your list should be staffing and scheduling. If you don’t have the right amount of people to get the job done, stop what you’re doing and get staffed. Scheduling is equally important because you need to have people there when your business dictates. Complete these two tasks above all others.

Your next step is to train your associates and set your expectations. Keep it simple to start with, then see how they respond and keep going. Some people naturally learn faster than others. You have to show patience and consistency to get results.

Now that your employees are trained, you must get them in the habit of recognizing problems, coming up with a solution, and implementing said solution. Over time, your skilled people will learn to do this without your input. Those are the people you should keep in mind for promotion.

Consistently practicing the same routine day in and day out is key. If you walk in the door every day at 7am, touring your work area and setting priorities, then do administrative work at 8am, you’ve established a routine. This is important because it forces you to do the same things every day consistently so you get in the habit of taking care of the important stuff.

Making a list of tasks is a good way to establish priorities and delegate responsibilities. I personally keep a detailed list of everything I need to accomplish for the day. Then I can go back through and highlight the most important tasks, and use strategy to figure out who I can assign tasks to and figure out how long they are going to take.

Being a good Manager involves removing obstacles that are in the way of your associates. You must provide the tools, training, and time for them to be successful. I prefer to manage one level up and focus most of my attention on analyzing numbers, training, scheduling, staffing, and taking care of any needs that my associates have.

Remember, you are there to support your people as well as set an example. You can’t consistently practice bad habits and expect your business to succeed. If you are ten minutes late everyday to work, expect your associates to think that it is acceptable behavior.

Of course, no matter how well you plan there are bound to be emergencies and fires to put out. The key is to plan for this. Set aside time to deal with situations that might come up throughout the day. Have alternate plans in case something happens.

This is why delegation is so key. The less you physically do yourself and the more time you leave yourself to manage the business, the more prepared you will be to deal with situations that arise. If you are too busy micro managing when someone has a crisis and needs your advice, then you might as well not be in your position. Make yourself available when needed, don’t overbook.

The sum of all these things is that when you have achieved the job title of Manager, then act like one. By establishing good habits, you can effectively run your business instead of letting your business run you!