Management 102

I wrote about “Management 101” long time ago. By now, you should have mastered the basics. Right? 🙂

A while ago, few senior managers got together in Santa Clara, California. We talked about what a new manager must master to succeed. No doubt, delivery is the foundation. An engineering manager should be able to plan, execute, and communicate about the projects he or she is charged with. Beyond this basic, we enter the realm of managing people. Rule #1 is to focus on high performers. New managers make the mistake of spending disproportional amount of time on low performers to “rescue them” or to “coach them back.”

  • Motivating

    The secret is in knowing people and the secret to that is listening.

  • Coaching/Development

    Self-awareness is the first step. If your employee does not know where to go, there is little point constructing a path.

  • Recruitment

    How to judge a person in 30 seconds? Look for intelligence and energy, not experience.

  • Firing People

    Keep it simple. Be honest. Make sure HR is on your side.

  • Performance Management

    Maybe the employee should do a different job?

  • Peer Relationships

    Few projects can be done these day by one organization alone. Collaborative skills go vary far. The key to collaboration is the true understanding of the other party's interests.

  • Managing up

    Do you know what your boss wants? His or her priority? Does he or she know yours? Do you talk about each others' plans?

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One Response to Management 102

  1. Pingback: Sin-Yaw @ Juniper » Blog Archive » Management 103: Change Management

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