Everyone’s heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” But how does that affect your management? Well, at least one columnist believes that good planning equals good management.
I’ve never thought about it quite like that. I know when I make my job-related plans — what I’m doing for the day, for example — I base it on what I can get done in the time constraints I have, with who I can work with. That’s correct, the columnist says, but he also points out that “Management is related to leadership, and it’s related to productivity.” I can vouch for both of those points: Poor leadership and poor management go hand-in-hand, and it’s hard to get motivated to do the best job you can for a bad manager.
Making a plan will help you see you priorities and what you’re good at, the column suggests. Also, create some kind of vision for success. What does successful mean for you and your business? 50 percent sales increase? 50 percent increase in volume of your service? Spell it out and you have something to shoot for.
Having a plan, and goals, in place will then help you to better lead your employees. Everyone is working for something, instead of doing what they think is their jobs in an isolated environment. Plus, if the goal isn’t being met, it’s easier to see — and get everyone back on track.
What do you think? How has your business plan helped with your management?
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Dale Carnegie Training of Michigan, providers of professional development and management development courses and information in Michigan. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter @MarkWillDCT.
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