78 / BECOMING SUCCESSFUL
Succeeding as a manager
The role of the manager is to implement the organization’s strategy
through his or her stewardship of the available resources. Just like
the leadership role, there are conflicts and tensions that have to be
resolved, and all managers need to be leaders to some extent.
Defining the role
As a manager, your focus is on the
delivery of tasks, on the efficient use
and coordination of resources, and
on developing capabilities of people
within your team or organization. You
must quickly realize that you cannot
do everything yourself, and develop
skills in setting objectives for yourself
and for others, in delegating tasks, and
in managing your team.
Delegating tasks
Delegation is about giving responsibility
to others for part of a project, so freeing
time for you to coordinate the work
of all members of the team, like the
conductor of an orchestra. It’s also
a good way of developing people—of
growing their skills, experience, and
confidence. You need to be clear in
communicating the tasks to be delegated,
the standards and goals to be achieved,
and the boundaries of what can and
can’t be done. Not all tasks are suitable
for delegation. Don’t delegate unless
the objectives of a task are:
•
Clear, specific, and measureable
•
Targeted and achievable in a set time
•
Worthwhile and realistic, but
also challenging
•
Written and recorded
•
Consistent with the goals
of the organization
•
Set participatively.
Communicate the
big picture. What is
the organization
trying to achieve
and how does
your team fit in?
Develop skills in setting
objectives for yourself and for
others, in delegating tasks,
and in managing your team
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Managing
team
performance
Explain the
objectives
you have to
achieve and
the measures
on which you
will be judged.
Discuss, as a
team, how these
will be achieved
and develop an
outline plan.
Decide how tasks
in the plan will be
distributed among the
team, the milestones to
be achieved, and who
will be responsible
for what.
Meet individual
members on a one-to-
one basis at regular
intervals. Monitor
progress, listen to their
needs and concerns,
and provide support.
Meet as a team
regularly to review
progress, track the
performance measures,
reallocate resources as
necessary, and revise the
plan when needed.
Delegate tasks
to team members.
Avoid telling people
in detail how the task
is to be performed—
leave them to get
on with it.
Share the
team’s
success
and accept
personal
responsibility
for failure.
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