Managing any kind of business is an exercise in trying to get more done than you have time to do. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it better, more efficiently, and get more for your time and energy. It’s not a sin to be more efficient and working “harder” when you don’t really have to is not a virtue, it’s a waste of precious resources.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few ways that you can get more return for your time investment.
Don’t be afraid to be more aggressive. There’s no doubt that sometimes a more conversational or empathetic tone is necessary to connect with your team and get more out of them, but there are definitely some times in which a more aggressive approach is the way to go. Here are a few examples of when you need to step up the aggression, both in and out of the office.
Are you always coming in second (or worse) to the competition? Forget if they have “bigger” or “more” or even “better.” Those are reasons, but they are also excuses. Smaller and less well-funded businesses have been able to be very successful when they have committed to winning despite any advantages their competition enjoyed.
Are you comfortable with where you are and what you’re doing? While there’s nothing wrong – and a lot right – about enjoying what you do, becoming too comfortable can be a recipe for long-term failure. Companies that rest on their laurels almost always get lapped by younger, slimmer, more enthusiastic, and aggressive brands that “want it” more. Don’t let that happen to you. Find your sweet spot between loving what you do and challenging yourself and your business to do more. Find that place and learn to live there.
Learn how to make decisions you are comfortable with for the right reasons. Don’t make comfortable decisions, get the information you need to make the decisions you need to make more comfortable. You’re going to make decisions. Might as well make the best, most-informed decisions.
Understand that employee performance is more about conducting evaluations and averaging the “out of 5s” on some list. Performance is a gumbo of a worker doing what they’re hired to do with enthusiasm and skill as well as that worker looking for ways to be better and accomplish other tasks. When you set up a system and an environment – you will need both – that encourages and rewards both excellence and creativity you will find it easier to evaluate your employees because all of you will be marking progress and celebrating success together.
How have you implemented these methods in your management style and what increases have you encountered?
Jay Sekulow is the Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law & Justice.
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