by Kevin Hartford

Created on: October 30, 2008

Throughout history there has been one group of people that everyone loves to hate. That group of people are the managers. Managers have the responsibility and the authority to get things done, unfortunately the qualifications for most managers are unclear and most managers are not ready for the job. It is inevitably true that the talented technician becomes a manager and is put into a situation where failure is a foregone conclusion. There are three essential things that a person can do to become a good manager; delegate, follow-up, and recognition. Never assume that managing people is easy, people are unpredictable and do not always follow the neat little plans that managers create.

The first essential thing that a manager must do is delegate. Delegation is important, because there are always more tasks than time in the day. Managers need to delegate and they need to know that the tasks are getting done. Most managers are not good delegators. They believe that they are the managers because no one else is can do the job as well as they do. So, good managers know when to let go. These successful managers know that they best way to develop their subordinates is to give them good and interesting work. Just as delegation is important, follow-up is absolutely necessary.

Follow-up is important to managers. Managers need to live by the credo that they will get what they expect when they inspect. This saying is so true. People will do what they must, when they know that the outcome will be judged. It is important that the manager realize that without follow-up the delegated tasks may simply not get done. The subordinates will watch to see what the manager does and does not do. If the delegated tasks are forgotten then the tasks will be erased off the subordinates to-do lists. Follow-up brings up the third essential: recognition.

A recognition system does not have to be a fancy, costly, or full blown thing. Sometimes the best recognition is a simple "Thank You." Sometimes it can be a more formal recognition process that includes letters, plaques, an other awards. These awards should not be given too often or for trivial pursuits. Recognition needs to be tied to the goals of the organization. It is hard to do it sometimes, but a recognition program that is fair and balanced is a great management tool.

In conclusion, there are three elements that every manager need to know. These elements are delegation, follow-up, and recogniton; they will help any manager to successfully manage people.

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