Be an Example

“Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other”, said Edmund Burke.

It is the truth of this statement which makes good management such an exacting discipline. We all achieve most of our learning from experience, but especially from the actions of those above us.

Following are some of BAD HABITS your subordinates could be learning from you:

1. Poor time-keeping, long lunches, or ‘missing’ for long periods when no one knows where you are or when you will be back. 
2. Delegating unpleasant tasks to others, e.g. informing unsuccessful job interviewees, handling the regular ‘pain in the neck’ client, carrying out an evening or weekend assignment, or doing duty over the holiday period. 
3. Fiddling’ expenses, misusing company equipment or supplies, and making personal calls on the office telephone. 
4. Sending staff out in office time to do personal household tasks for you. 
5. Keeping junior staff waiting when you have arranged to see them, and then letting anyone and everyone interrupt when they are talking to you. 
6. Making disrespectful comments about your boss, or your boss’s boss-even in jest. We all know that reveals the greatest truths.
7. The way you treat customers, clients or patients, but most of all what you say about them afterwards, including non-verbal communications- it takes only one gesture to make a lasting impact.
8. Interrupting your subordinates’ work unnecessarily, and not meeting your own deadlines.
9. Accepting mediocrity rather than striving for excellence.

Few effective tools to use socialization as a POSITIVE FORCE:

1. Share your own development and learning with your staff tell them what went well and what didn't, how you might handle it next time, and what you have learned from your experience. When possible, let them observe you at work.
2. Talk about what you rate as successes; relate the myths of ‘greatest’ in the oganisation, and your staff will learn what is valued and emulate it.
3. Treat your subordinates as you would like your boss to treat you, and they will treat their own staff the same way.
4. Share your mistakes (or some of them), and demonstrate how to learn and develop from them.
5. Keep staff informed on what you are doing, especially on things which relate to their work.
6. Be enthusiastic about your work and theirs, and about what you are all there to achieve – it is second only to self –interest as a source of influence!
7. Respect people, time and the company’s goods, and be seen to do so.
8. Maintain high personal standards of honesty and truthfulness, but if it is necessary to be ‘economical with the truth’, do it yourself, don’t delegate it. 

Stop Being a People-Pleaser!

It you’re always felt a compulsion to meet everyone else’s needs before your own, it’s hard to imagine being different. People-pleasing is not only what you do, but a strong part of who you believe you are. If you’re ready to start investing your time, instead of letting other people spend it for yours.  

There are three common scenarios that can trigger our people-pleaser tendencies and how you can think and act differently.

1. The Unrealistic Standard Scenario- many managers feels guilty about the fact that they are in so many meeting so they develop the mindset that “I am bad manager if I don’t always keep my door open when I’m in my office”. But this can lead to every spare minute between appointments being field by people walking though their door eager for attention. In turn, all of their own work needs to happen in the evenings and weekends which then lead to a cycle guilt about being a bad spouse, parent, or friend. It sound like you, the escape route is to change your standard for what it means to be a good manager. This then frees you to set better boundaries and get more work done at work.
2. The ‘YES!’ Man or Women Scenario- if you are an energetic, service-oriented person, your tendency is to always respond to any saying. “Sure, I can do that.” Or when you are sitting in a meeting and someone ask for volunteers to help, you always raise your hand. Or even when no one ask for help; but you know they need help you offer to assist. In end of itself, a strong desire to take action is not bad. But if this attitude means that you are completely overloaded with work and unfocused on your top priorities, you are failing to keep commitments that truly should fall under your ownership.
3. The “I’ll Just Do It Myself” Scenario- Generally highly intelligent, hard-working people tend to struggle with letting go of control though delegation. This challenge seems most acute when they go from a “doing” role such as a consultant to a “leading” role such as a department head. Instead of passing off responsibilities to the appropriate parties, you tell yourself, “It will just take a minute I can get this done better and faster than anyone else.” These thoughts do have some truth to them in that you may have the ability to execute on some activities very well. But if you are like most business leaders, you don’t have the minutes to spare. In a typical week, you will have just a few precious work hours you can devote to doing the activities that only you can do. The first question you should ask with any item big or small is :” Could someone else do this for me?”  If so, delegate it. The more organized you get, the better you will be able to delegate without “inconveniencing”  others.

You cannot please everybody in world. So priorities your own assignments first before lending your time to other person. This will help you to keep your own commitments.

Handling Team Conflicts

When two or more persons work together in a project for a common goal, conflicts may occur. What we mean by conflict in nothing else but the disagreement that broken our between in their views, thoughts and opinions. Conflicts are natural. But at any time, it should not disrupt the mutual relationship nor affect the functionality of the entity be it in personal or professional life.

Dealing with conflicts at work:

Conflicts are unavoidable but a solution is essential to give mutual benefits for both employees and organization to complete eh project.

Let’s have a look at few tips; essential for a project manager to handle the conflicts within team:

1. Analyse the source/reason of conflict. As project manager, you should have a complete understanding about the root course of the problem.
2. Emphasize the need to solve the conflict. Define the solution, what do you have to achieve at the end of the conflict, it course and consequences.
3. Identify the level, when the conflict is constructive and beyond which it becomes destructive for the team. 
4. Organize indisputable discussion among the team members to explore about the topic and their opinions. This will enable the mutual sharing of information and a clarity of thought within team.
5. Communication during the discussion should be democratic, but manager should follow autocratic style of communication when needed.
6. There should be active participation among the members.
7. During the discussion time, complete focus should be on the topic and no deviation should be entertained by project manager
8. Control the emotions and showing of professionalism becomes key points for a project manager, in solving the solutions of conflicts
9. Note down the key points of discussion and prioritize it for solving the conflicts
10. Arrive on a solution which is supported by members

A Project Manager holds the responsibility, in finding a right way to solve the conflict with its team.

Preventing Conflict

As well as being able to handle conflict when it arises, teams need to develop ways of preventing conflict from becoming damaging. Team members can learn skills and behaviour to help this. Here are some of the key ones to work on:

1. Dealing with conflict immediately – avoid the temptation to ignore it.
2. Being open – if people have issues, they need to be expressed immediately and not allowed to fester.
3. Practising clear communication – articulate thoughts and ideas clearly.
4. Practising active listening – paraphrasing, clarifying, questioning.
5. Practising identifying assumptions – asking yourself "why" on a regular basis.
6. Not letting conflict get personal – stick to facts and issues, not personalities.
7. Focusing on actionable solutions – don't belabour what can't be changed.
8. Encouraging different points of view – insist on honest dialogue and expressing feelings.
9. Not looking for blame – encourage ownership of the problem and solution.
10. Demonstrating respect – if the situation escalates takes a break and waits for emotions to subside.
11. Keeping team issues within the team – talking outside allows conflict to build and fester, without being dealt with directly.