Basic Management Skills for Beginners

Basic Management Skills for BeginnersBasic Management Skills for BeginnersLevel 1 of the Management Skills Pyramid shows the basic skills any beginning manager must master. It is the foundation of the management skills pyramid, which shows the skills a manager must master to be successful and shows how these management skills build on each other toward success. Basic Management Skills There are four basic management skills anyone must master to have any success in a management job. These four basic skills are toplan, organize, direct, and control and they are discussed separately in detail below. Plan Planning is the first and most important step in any management task. It also is the most often overlooked or purposely skipped step. While the amount of planning and the detail required will vary from task to task, to skip this task is to invite sure disaster except by blind luck. Thats what provides the old adage of the 6 Ps of planning Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance, (or the 7 Ps Proper, Prior,Planning, Prevents, Piss, Poor, Performance) depending on how you count. Although most people associate the term planning with general business planning, three different levels of planning actually exist Strategic PlanningTactical PlanningOperational Planning And, different kinds of planning are used to achieve levels and areas of preparedness Disaster PlanningSuccession PlanningCrisis PlanningCompensation Planning Basic Management Skills Needed for Effective Planning These are some sample skills that you must have to effectively plan. Envision a future stateMentally organize the essential mission and vision that will move you to the future state desiredDetermine an overall strategy that will achieve the future state desiredSelect short term goals and activities that will get you there Organize A manager must be able to organize kollektivs, tasks, and projects in order to get the teams work done in the most efficient and effective man ner. As a beginning manager, you may be organizing a small work team or a project team. These same skills will be required later in your career when you have to organize a department or a new division of the company. Clearly, overlap exists between planning the work and in organizing it. Where planning focuses on what you need to do, organizing is more operational and is more focused on how to get the work done best. Basic Management Skills Needed for Effective Organizing When you organize the work, you need to Determine the roles needed to accomplish the planAssign tasks to the rolesDetermine the best resource (people or equipment) for the roleObtain the resources and allocate them to the rolesAssign resources to the roles and delegate authority and responsibility to them. Whether you have been assigned a small team or a project to manage, beginning managers must also be able to organize offices and data systems. More Related to Organizing You may not be able to physically move people around in order to get your team together, but you should consider the possibility. On the other hand, you may need to move several people into a small space and you will have to organize things so the team can work effectively within that space. Later in your career, you may need to organize an office to accommodate teams from several different departments and their specific needs. You will also need to be able to organize all of the computer systems that will handle the data your team needs to collect or distribute. You must decide whether, for example, you need to set up shared web pages on the companys intranet or just a shared folder on the file server. Decide how are you going to organize the systems so everyone who needs information has access to it (and that it is not available to those who should not see it, like your competitors). If your team needs or produces something other than information, you must organize so that your team gets what they need, when they need it, and can get out to others what your team produces at the right time. Organize Yourself Dont forget about organizing yourself. This is covered at a higher level in Level 3 of the Management Skills Pyramid, but even as a beginning manager you must be able to organize yourself, your time, and your space so that you can be most effective. Finally, you will find that it is seldom enough to organize projects once. With constant changes in resources, goals, and external factors you will usually need to reorganize to adjust for them. Direct Directing is the action step. You have planned and organized the work. Now you have to direct your team to get the work done. Start by making sure the goal is clear to everyone on the team. Do they all know what the goal is? Do they all know what their role is in getting the team to the goal? Do they have everything they need (resources, authority, time, etc.) to do their part? Pull, Dont Push You will be more effective at directing the team tow ard your goal if you pull (lead them) rather than push (sit back and give orders). You want to motivate the people on your team and assist and inspire them toward the team goals. Basic Management Skills Needed for Directing When you direct the teams work, you need to Provide clear direction so the team can succeedMake certain that team members are clear about the role they need to play for the team to succeedProvide the least amount of direction to the team so the team is empowered to succeedProvide inspiration and follow-up to maintain a presence in support of the team Control Some writers try to soften this basic management skill by calling it coordinate or similar terms. The stronger term,control, is essential, though, so that the manageris able to control the teams activities. In the steps above, you have planned the work, organized the resources to make it happen most efficiently, and directed the team to abflug work. In the control step, youmonitorthe work being done. You compare the actual progression to the plan. You verify that the organization is working as you designed it. If everything is going well, you do not need to do anything but monitor. However, that seldom happens. An employee gets sick, the database sort takes longer each iteration than projected, a key competitor drops their prices, a fire destroys the building next door and you have to evacuate for several days, or some other factor impacts your plan. Readjusting the Project The control step now dictates that you have to take action to minimize the impact and bring your project back on to the desired goal as quickly as possible. Often this means going back to the planning stage and adjusting plans. Sometimes it may require a change in the organization. and you will have to re-direct everyone toward the new goals and inspire them. Then, of course, you control the new plan and adjust if needed. This cycle continues until you complete the task. Basic Management Skills Needed for Control ling When you control the work, you need to Monitor the progress of the team and projectsAscertain that each role is accomplished by an employeeSet standards for performance and qualityHelp the team solve problems and remove barriers to their successProvide feedback on actions taken and the teams progressProvide rewards and recognition for the teams successes and progressMake adjustments to decisions made at the planning, organizing, and directing phases as needed Managers Also Control Tools In the control step, you set standards for performance and quality and then you monitor to make sure they are met. There are as many tools available you as there are things you need to monitor. Scheduling tools A number of software tools allow you to input your schedule and then update progress regularly. The program will highlight changes in the schedule so you can identify corrective action to take.Financial controls as a manager, you will usually have a budget. The reports from the Financ e Department will let you know how your spending (on people and other resources) matches the plan.People control you must make sure all the people on your team are performing as planned. If they are not, you need to find and fix the cause. Do they not understand the goal? Do they not have some resource or skill they need? Is the task too big for them and needs to be modified or assigned to a different resource? Your job as the manager means giving your team members feedbackon how their performance meets the plan. When it doesnt, you need to take corrective action. The Bottom Line The beginning management skills plan, organize, direct, and control are fundamental to a managers ability to accomplish their assigned goals, projects, and the work products and progress of the portion of an organization for which the manager is responsible. With success in each of these basic skills, a manager is on the right track to a successful management career.

15 Words and Phrases to Never Include in a Cover Letter

15 Words and Phrases to Never Include in a Cover Letter15 Words and Phrases to Never Include in a Cover Letter While many job applications have the word optional next to the field that asks for a titel letter , it shouldnt be overlooked. After all, a cover letter is intended to show you off and captivate a hiring manager, kind of like a movie trailer. Its meant to tease and entice the recruiter or hiring manager to keep reading and be so interested in you that they simply cannot put down your resume. Think personable and professional.Some of the best cover letters tell interesting stories about the candidate andhelp them to be seen as a good culture fit for a company . Recruiters always remember the personal side of cover letters - this is when you become more than just another applicant, says career expert Heather Huhman. They connect your experiences with your name because youre giving them another dimension of you, sharing what makes you unique.Given the importan ce of a cover letter, you cannot afford to blow it. Once youve got a working draft, its time to grab your red pen. Here are 15 words and phrases that are simply dragging your cover letter down. Cut em Take the expert advice below to craft the best cover letter possible and let your personality , not robotic prose, shine through.Generic salutations, while professional, can be a bit sterile. Do a little digging to find the name of the hiring manager or the recruiter. Lets say you discover an opening for an electrical engineer position at an engineering organizations website. The position description indicates the employee will report to the lead electrical engineer. You decide (initially) to beipass the companys automated application system so you can customize your communications, advises Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, master resume writer. You sail over to LinkedIn and begin researching. Use the advanced search feature and type in name of company for the company name, lead electric al engineer for keywords and 64152 for a zip code for greater Kansas City (where the company headquarters and this position are located) and click enter. Your results will appear.Recruiters read thousands of cover letters and resumes. Its their job. So try hard to make reading your cover letter a treat. Career coach Angela Copeland says, more specifically, stay away from phrases that are known to annoy hiring managers, such as heavy lifting or think outside the box or game-changer. Be creative instead of using meaningless buzzwords.When it comes to todays job search process, another thing to remember is your online footprint , says Copeland. Phrases like this one underestimate a recruiters ability to Google and may come across as naive. HR professionals and recruiters do their due diligence on you. Trust us, they know. In a way, your Google search results are a lot like the modern day cover letter. After an employer reads your cover letter, they will also Google you. Beat them to the punch and Google yourself. Be sure youre comfortable with the information that shows up on the first two pages of the Google search results. Look through social media , photos and any other websites that show up when you search for yourself.Job seekers should try to minimize phrases that are very industry-specific, especially if theyre switching industries, advises Copeland. Although these phrases may sound impressive within one industry, they will most likely confuse your hiring manager in the new industry you want to switch to.Instead of simply saying youre good at what you do, Huhman advises providing a valuable anecdote.Lets say youre applying for a absatzwirtschaft director position. Among other aspects in the description, the job requires several years of marketing experience, a deep knowledge of lead generation and strong communication skills. Describe how, in your previous role as a marketing manager , you ran several campaigns for your clients and exceeded their expe ctations of lead generation (with specific numbers, if possible), and how you also trained and mentored new associates on how to manage their own accounts, which improved client retention rates. In other words,show how effective you have been in the past. Your anecdote is accomplishing a lot at once - its demonstrating one of your top hard skills, lead nurturing, and showcasing how you can collaborate with trainees, communicate effectively and educate new employees on processes and client relations, says Huhman. Youre proving that you can meet the communication standards and marketing knowledge theyre seeking.Cut the millennial speak. You shouldnt just say that you want the job or that you love your industry. You have to show your passion, says Huhman. Share why your career path best suits you and how your love for your work drives and motivates you. For example, answer some questions about what made you want to enter the field, how your personality helps you succeed and what pas t experiences influenced your career decisions. Embellishing in a cover letter is one way to set yourself up for letting down your future employer once youve been hired, warns Huhman. Steer clear of touting skills you dont really possess or overselling your impact on a key project at your current employer. The best-case scenario is that lying on a cover letter creates uncomfortable situations. Worst case scenario? Youll lose the job because you are not the candidate they were looking for.When youre looking for a job, do your best to bring your authentic self to the table. As the old saying goes, people hire people. Often, youre hired because the hiring manager likes you - not just because you can do the work, says Copeland. Nobody likes insincere flattery. It leaves an impression that you arent authentic and therefore cant be trusted. In geschftliches miteinander, especially in an employee/employer relationship, trust is paramount. Avoid being insincere, and focus on building a true relationship with your future hiring manager.Ending your cover letter with a clear call-to-action is key, but instead of being gentle, be direct. Show your confidence and prove to the recruiter that you know you wrote a compelling cover letter by wrapping up with a more self-assured request for an in-person interview or phone screen.Get away from stuffing cover letters full of clichd phrases and think clear, honest and impactful. Think in terms of telling a story, says resume expert Anish Majumdar. Youre not a dynamic, agile leader who can deliver rapid marketing and biz dev ROI in rapidly-changing environments. Instead, you are someone who thrives on helping companies more fully realize their vision, and have some amazing successes on the marketing and business development front that youd like to discuss.Instead of tiptoeing around the impact youve had at your current company with words like significant, measurable or huge, get specific. Nicole Cox, Chief Recruitment Officer at national recruiting firm Decision Toolbox, advises job seekers to, substantiate your accomplishments with numbers. Some recruiters prefer to see actual numbers (such as cut manufacturing costs by $500,000), while others prefer percentages (cut manufacturing costs by 15 percent). Either way, provide enough context to show the impact. If your objective welches to cut manufacturing costs by 10 percent, make it clear that you exceeded the goal.Flowery language and excessive adverbs can come off as insincere. Dont get me wrong, you need to share your accomplishments in your cover letter. Nobody else will do it for you. But, you want to come across as confident , not arrogant, says Copeland. Fluffy jargon will risk turning off the hiring manager.Resist the temptation to write a cover letter that regurgitates what youve outlined in your resume . Instead, recognize the opportunity that a cover letter presents. Use the cover letter as an opportunity to highlight the parts of your resu me that align to the job, says Copeland. And, add things you dont normally include in your resume that are relevant to the work. For example, I once coached a job seeker who was a university administrator. He was interested to work for a large hotel chain. Although he didnt have direct hotel experience, his hobbies included both real estate investing and managing a fitness franchise location. This information was critical to him landing a job with the large hotel company.These are whats known as frequent offenders amongst cover letter and resume experts. They are overused and carry little weight these days. Treat a cover letter as a chance to make a human connection , not a formality, says Majumdar. What gets you excited about this job? What have you been up to recently that theyd find interesting? What should they know about you that they couldnt discern by reading your resume? All great points to touch on in this letter.While it may be tempting to head to thesaurus.com to add a f ew high-brow words and smart-sounding phrases, resist the temptation. Be yourself. Be honest. This is a prime opportunity to showcase skills, says Majumdar. Words like change, execute, communicates and relationship building will all get the job done effectively when paired with strong anecdotes and authenticity.

Why Employers Dont Care About Your Cover Letter (and How to Change That)

Why Employers Dont Care About Your Cover Letter (and How to Change That)Why Employers Dont Care About Your Cover Letter (and How to Change That)Most of the job seekers I know get hung up on writing their cover letter. How do I tell the hiring manager everything he needs to know about me in one page? they ask.And I answer You dont.Heres the thing In your cover letter, employers dont only want to hear about you. They want to hear about themselves, too. Think about it Some employers receive hundreds- even thousands- of applications for a single standort, and presumably, a large percentage of those applicants are qualified for the job. They read pages upon pages of very qualified people describing their very relevant qualifications- so, unless youve done something really out-of-this-world, yours may or may not stand out.On the other hand, if you can show a company right away how (and why) youd add value to their team- thats compelling.So, for your next cover letter, stop making it all ab out you. Heres what you should be saying instead.1. Why You Love the CompanyThe best cover letters Ive read are from people who have a passion for my company, and can make that passion come to life on a page. The letters that make me say, Yes This person really gets it. Because, at the end of the day, I want to hire people who already get it. Most hiring managers do.But most candidates dont go the extra mile of showing that they get it. At best, theyll mention the company name or say something like, I want to work at an exciting company- neither of which really say much. Instead, spend the first paragraph of your cover letter sharing, in great detail, why you love the company and just how much you get it.2. What Youd Do ThereYour resume is a list of your qualifications and skills, so you dont have to regurgitate those in your cover letter. What you should do instead? Talk about how those qualifications and skills would be put to good use at the company. In detail. Dont just say, I k now I could put my social media expertise to good use on your marketing team- share 1-2 very specific ideas of what you might do once hired at the company (backed up by your track record of amazing accomplishments, of course). For example, talk about an on-brand hashtag campaign youd run on Twitter to engage users (and mention youve done this before, if you have), or make some concrete suggestions on how the company might adapt its Pinterest strategy to better get in front of its target demographic. Make the hiring manager think he or she cant live without you.3. Why Youre a Culture FitLast, but certainly not least, your cover letter is the perfect place to show how youd fit in with the company culture. You dont necessarily have to describe why youre a culture fit (and in fact, this can be annoying), but you can show you are by the tone, words, and level of formality you use. (Uber-corporate office? Keep it professional. Creative ad agency? Absolutely ditch the I was excited to find this position opener.)But, by all means, if there are specific cultural references you can include, do. Is the place known for being the most dog-friendly company in your city? Say how much you and your golden retriever would like to join the team.If you can show your passion, your ideas for the company, and your personality, and translate them into language the hiring manager understands, youll be doing so in no time.Photo of cover letter courtesy of photo source.