Top Mistakes Top Mistakes Managers MakeManagers Make

… and How to Avoid … and How to Avoid Them !!!Them !!!

A Quick QuizA Quick Quiz

Managers make mistakes Managers make mistakes because …because …– they’re dumbthey’re dumb

– they don’t carethey don’t care

– they’re in a hurrythey’re in a hurry

– they’re meanthey’re mean

– they’re poorly trainedthey’re poorly trained

– they focus on the visible they focus on the visible rather than the importantrather than the important

– they haven’t a cluethey haven’t a clue

Quick History of Business Quick History of Business MistakesMistakes

No sense of customerNo sense of customer– RRs, Ford, IBM, People Express RRs, Ford, IBM, People Express

No value of subordinatesNo value of subordinates– Harold Geneen, Deming gospelHarold Geneen, Deming gospel

No listeningNo listening– Edsel, Osbourne computers, KiwiEdsel, Osbourne computers, Kiwi

No seeing beyond selfNo seeing beyond self– autos & steel of 60s, Bill Gates??autos & steel of 60s, Bill Gates??

and some recoveries!and some recoveries!– new Cokenew Coke

Top Ten (Recent)Top Ten (Recent)

Failing to listenFailing to listen– keep ears open & mouth shutkeep ears open & mouth shut

80% effort for 20% results80% effort for 20% results– inability to prioritize work issuesinability to prioritize work issues

Failure to learnFailure to learn– doing same thing & expecting different resultsdoing same thing & expecting different results

Living in world as I want it to beLiving in world as I want it to be– reality beats fantasy every timereality beats fantasy every time

Making false assumptionsMaking false assumptions– verify your informationverify your information

Top Ten (Continued)Top Ten (Continued)

Failure to communicateFailure to communicate– words/actions mean different thingswords/actions mean different things

InflexibilityInflexibility– what worked last time …what worked last time …

Polishing images instead of resultsPolishing images instead of results– no limit to what one can achieve if you no limit to what one can achieve if you

don’t care who gets creditdon’t care who gets credit

Forgetting your customersForgetting your customers– internal & external customersinternal & external customers

Check the details!Check the details!

Sharing Some Personal NomineesSharing Some Personal Nominees

Positive disciplinePositive discipline– book vs. real-worldbook vs. real-world

» situation must support solutionsituation must support solution

Delegation is easyDelegation is easy– not too little & not too muchnot too little & not too much

Team from hellTeam from hell– downsizing by team decisiondownsizing by team decision

other storiesother stories

Basics of Good ManagementBasics of Good Management

Common senseCommon sense– set real goals, make good decisionsset real goals, make good decisions

Common courtesyCommon courtesy– involve people, share the praiseinvolve people, share the praise

Hard workHard work– set the exampleset the example

MagicMagic– excitement & enthusiasm … leadershipexcitement & enthusiasm … leadership– ““imaginization” & creativityimaginization” & creativity

Five Steps to Good Decision Five Steps to Good Decision MakingMaking

State problem/decision re organizational goalState problem/decision re organizational goal– often hardest stepoften hardest step

Gather information to understand issueGather information to understand issue– facts … and opinionsfacts … and opinions

Develop alternative solutionsDevelop alternative solutions– brainstorming … do not limit to obvious solutionbrainstorming … do not limit to obvious solution

Choose best alternativeChoose best alternative– devil’s advocate approachdevil’s advocate approach

Implement with benchmarks … & evaluateImplement with benchmarks … & evaluate– no management decision is 100% rightno management decision is 100% right

Some Recommended Some Recommended BooksBooks

Classics: Drucker, Practice of Management … Simon, Classics: Drucker, Practice of Management … Simon, Administrative Behavior … McGregor, Human Side of Administrative Behavior … McGregor, Human Side of ManagementManagement

History: Goodwin, No Ordinary Time … Womack, et al., History: Goodwin, No Ordinary Time … Womack, et al., The Machine that Changed the WorldThe Machine that Changed the World

Economics: Heilbroner, Worldly Philosophers … and, Economics: Heilbroner, Worldly Philosophers … and, Modern Economic SocietyModern Economic Society

Modern: Covey, Seven Habits of Highly Successful Modern: Covey, Seven Habits of Highly Successful People … Peters & Waterman, In Search of Excellence … People … Peters & Waterman, In Search of Excellence … Davidow & Malone, The Virtual Corporation … Morgan, Davidow & Malone, The Virtual Corporation … Morgan, ImaginizationImaginization