Assessing Your Company's Management Skills
You are a great technician but you haven’t had much business management training. Vendors will come into your organization to train you and your staff on “the latest and greatest” technology, but no one is coming into your organization and training you on the “latest and greatest” management techniques to improve your company’s performance. You may be frustrated because managing people is a lot different than anything else you have had to do throughout your career. We are that source for best practices training in business management. There is no need for you to be frustrated anymore. Review the following questions and be honest with yourself when answering them. In some of these areas you may be fine but in other areas you feel you need help. If you want to establish programs and processes to improve your company’s management but you don’t know where to start, give us a call we can help.
Do you have job descriptions for your key associates? +
A good job description summarizes the most important features of a job, including details regarding required tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, responsibilities, and reporting structure. You as the owner may want to ask your key associates to help in identifying these details. A job description can aide you and your supervisors in job evaluations, in the selection process, in recruitment of employees, training, and performance appraisals. It can save your company money in the form of lost training costs and increased turnover costs as some perspective employees may chose to screen themselves and only apply for position that suite them best.
Do you have job specifications and core competences in writing for your key associates? +
It is necessary to identify job specifications for the employee to perform the job to the best of their abilities. These specifications may be experience, training, education, licenses, and physical demands. Core competencies reflect how an employee aligns themselves with key business objectives and company values. Within key positions in your company, these core competencies can be more important than job specifications. In order to grow a company, an owner must be able to identify these core competencies in order to develop the best individuals into key positions.
Do you have a training program for new employees? +
Many job applicants may lack sufficient reading and math skills to perform the minimum duties of the specific job, setting them up to be unsuccessful at that job. The proper interview process and screening at the time of hiring can help avoid such costly mistakes for both the new employee and the company. Establishing an on-going training program is an investment in your people and in your company. Areas to consider are technical training, sales training, interpersonal training, and quality training programs. Think of a good training program as a competitive advantage for your company and an investment in employee retention.
Do you have a training program for new managers? +
Managers require unique skills as they are responsible for managing people. As an owner, you may promote a person to a supervisory position because they are a great technician and are process oriented. Establishing an on-going training program for your managers may include planning, organizing work flow, coaching, communicating, motivating, and scheduling. Other key areas of training are performance appraisal training, interviewing, and understanding financials. As a manager, getting your people to do what you need to have done and liking it, is often very hard to do without the proper training.
Do you have a formal review process for all associates? +
Performance appraisals are used to evaluate employees on how they measure up to your company’s performance standards. Using the exact same forms, the supervisor evaluates the employee and the employee evaluates themselves individually, prior to meeting together. In a private meeting the supervisor and the employee compare their evaluations and discuss any discrepancies. The supervisor’s evaluation is final. From this evaluation the supervisor may develop a personal growth plan with the employee determining what skills the employee should improve upon and the supervisor identifies the proper training to achieve those skills. The performance appraisal may or may not be tied to a raise. If the performance appraisal is tied to a raise the employee tends to evaluate themselves unrealistically high not being honest, as they are trying to garnish the highest raise possible. Their supervisor must identify this and ask that the employee redo their evaluation making it as realistic as possible.
Are manager’s goals attainable and measurable? +
As the owner, you are responsible for leading your company in setting financial and strategic goals which are often measured using a tool called a balance scorecard. This balanced scorecard also is used to track the achievements of the company from period to period. Managers in a company are responsible for these objectives and are held accountable for achieving them. These goals are designed to achieve strategic objectives that improve the company’s competitiveness in the market and overall profitability.
How often do you review manager’s goals? +
Manager’s goals should be reviewed monthly in order to correct any underperforming areas before they become huge problems. The sooner these problems are identified and addressed the sooner corrections can take place and your company can retain those cost savings as profit. Reviewing the balance scorecard with your managers and setting the expectation that they monitor variances and solve problems, will give them a sense of ownership in the solution. Eventually your managers should spend less time dealing with problems as acceptable results are achieved on a regular basis.
Do you have a formal process for setting business strategies? +
You as the owner, together with your trusted advisors, are responsible for setting the Business Strategy. Here you determine how to strengthen market position and build completive advantages. You and your managers are responsible for setting the Functional Strategies. Here you will provide a game plan for managing a particular department or area that supports the overall Business Strategy. Then under your guidance, your managers are responsible for setting the Operating Strategies. Here your managers use their balanced scorecards to achieve their department or areas Operating Strategies to support the overall Business Strategy. This whole strategy-function is developed by a few key people in your organization. A formal process for setting strategies and having the ability to adjust strategies to current economic conditions helps to assure the sustainability of your business in today’s changing economy.
