Experts who have managed companies for the longest time have always provided their best knowledge and industry know-how in theories, methodologies and styles. If you have been looking for ways to manage your business better, they usually fall into the few categories below:
- Assertiveness
- Time Management
- Project Management
- Selling and Leadership
1. Assertiveness -Being confident matters
First things first. It is important to know that the best strategies will only be good (or bad) if you realize it. That will determine your approach to the plan. In other words, it is always the perceived benefits that will make you want to act a certain way.
Self-consciousness
To show confidence, you need to have the right mentality. This is manifested through a set of ‘scripts’ that you bring with you.
Your behavior is determined by the script you carry along with you. It is a conscious choice. You can choose to be angry because you are stuck in a traffic jam or you can decide not to be.
If you have a script that says that you are shy, that will then determine how you will behave.
It goes without saying if you think about something often enough, it might just be true!
Your rights and responsibility
A person who is assertive is one who knows your rights and stands up for it. You would also respect the rights of others (and expect them to do the same).
You should be one who takes responsibility for your own actions.
This will cover situations where the person will be accountable for any mistakes made. If you are making mistakes (which is fine), it means you are doing more than you should.
Being aware and handling criticism
Any individual must know how to change behavior accordingly but that can only be done if you are self-aware.
This is where you must know when to take a step back from any situation. You must learn to deal with aggressive people, take criticism and deal with them professionally.
Use the right words
An assertive person is one who knows the right words to use. A safe template is to use the following:
- Acknowledge – Use words like ‘I understand’ or ‘I hear you’.
- Empathize – Use words like ‘I feel’ or ‘I believe’
- Request – Use words like ‘I want’
- Compromise – Use words like ‘Do you think its okay if….’
2. Managing your time
Know this! Having more time is not the answer to your problems. Time management is not about getting more time but it is all about using your time better and more productively.
Manage time as your life depend on it
Time is the only constant factor that is ongoing. If you want to manage your life effectively, start by managing your time.
Most successful managers get to where they are because they do not waste time on projects that are not worth their time or efforts. Choose your battles carefully.
Lack of time management leads to a lack of self-discipline
People who waste time are basically those who are not self-disciplined enough to make full use of the time given. They use up their time focusing on things that do not matter or make any difference to their lives which are then applied on to their professional capacities as well.
So, anyone who wants to have better self-discipline must be one who has clear goals. Having clear goals will be the most fundamental trait to get you where you want to be.
It is the root that will hold you true towards getting somewhere. When you have a goal you want to achieve, you will set a time to get there. Among the elements that will drive you to your goals are:
- Make a list of things to do.
- Create a timeline
- Prioritize – Make sure you know the difference between prioritizing and urgency
- Learn to say NO or at least learn to negotiate.
- Understand the meaning of procrastination – While it is the root of a lot of problems, there are situations where procrastination would help too.
- Track your tasks – A diary would be deemed old-fashion but it could be your way of tracking your progress toward your goals.
3. Managing your project like a Pro
Managing a project entails many facets. This could start from strategizing and planning all the way to the nitty-gritty details of costing and personnel.
A successful manager is one who knows how to run and manage a project and within the boundaries of the scope. In managing your project, you should:
- Define your project and its scope – A crucial first step to managing any assignments.
- Draw up a schedule or a Gantt Chart
- Define the tasks and sub-tasks to get the project done.
- Defining the critical path.
- Resources needed
- Budgeting and Cost Estimation
- Assess the risk and countermeasures
- Progress tracking and monitoring
4. Selling and Leadership
Good managers sell well. This means they try to sell ideas to the employees that work or sell products to the customers who want them. They communicate ideas to their teams and by the time they finish, everyone is a believer!
The first step to good selling is listening and subsequently asking the right questions.
When you listen well, you know what your customers are looking for.
When you ask the right questions, you will get the right answers.
Only through listening well will one get the right information to convey any idea.
Leadership and management
There is a huge difference between a leader and a manager. Good managers have leadership qualities that their followers respect. They usually make a difference to provide the direction of the company.
A leader will have:
- A vision that everyone is on board with and believes in.
- Clear objectives and targets that are communicated and accepted by everyone.
- Communicates well with subordinates and peers, using the right words and language.
- Motivates the team well and not by threat.
- A team player who works with the group well, identifying the positive traits of members and using them for the betterment of the organization.
