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The Manager's Book of 100 IDEAS JARVIS FINGER and NEIL FLANAGAN

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The Manager's Book of 100 Ideas

The Manager's Book of

100IDEAS

JARVIS FINGER and NEIL FLANAGAN

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JARVIS FINGER and NEIL FLANAGANIllustrations by Paul Lennon

The

Management

BIBLE

The Manager's Book of

100IDEAS

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The Manager's Book of 100 IdeasThe Manager's 100

C lever fellow that Will Rogers, the cowboy philosopher who was famous for his homespun humour. It was he who once observed that a

person 'learns only by two things: one is reading and the other is association with smarter people'. We hope that managers everywhere will learn something of interest by reading this short book. We'll leave you to find and learn something from someone smarter than yourself. As management authors, we are convinced that the essence of management can be delivered most effectively in short, sharp bursts and, if it can be done with a touch of humour, then so much the better. The 100 short, sharp bursts in this book are designed to make you a more effective manager. Through practical, informative, inspirational and entertaining ideas and observations we also want to convince you of one more important fact—that if you are responsible in some way for the work of other people in your organisation, then you are a manager, and you will need your own copy of a unique publication that's taking management by storm. It's name? The Management Bible. How to stay in the groove without turning it into a rut is the challenge for every manager. We're convinced that The Manager's Book of 100 Ideas and its very big brother, The Management Bible, will help you do just that.

—J.L.F. and N.F.

A message for managers

Copyright © 2010 Plum Press

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

Prepared and published by

Plum PressPO Box 419, Toowong, Queensland, Australia 4066email: [email protected]

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Write it down before you leave

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1 Losing his cool at the football

The referee ended up abandoning the game. Afterwards the Headmaster admitted his actions had been silly.

'On reflection, it was all rather undignified', Letts said.

☞ Headmaster Letts no doubt would have been able to retain his dignity if only he had taken the time to read The Management Bible before the game—and, in particular, 'How to use anger constructively' on pages 442-443.

B ritain's public school toffs were shocked in 1991 when a brawl broke out between a headmaster and his school's football coach at

an under-13s rugby match.Disciplinarian Richard Letts, Headmaster at the

$12 000-a-year Oakley Hall School in Gloucester, had lost his cool. Before the assembled crowd of student and parent supporters, the Headmaster wrestled with coach Ronnie Hakin in an attempt to stop him criticising the referee and shouting at his team.

When your next meeting is over—before you gather together your papers, and pack up and head for the door—sit down in a quiet

corner and make two lists. Firstly, list everything you did right. Secondly, list everything you did wrong. This after-action report, as the military would say, is essential for any activity that will be repeated. Your brief written record of what happened last time, including recommendations on how you can do better in future, will be a valuable document at a later date. Memory is treacherous and even in a week's time you will have forgotten the valuable lessons to be learned from your last meeting—if you don't commit them in writing there and then.

The best way to accomplish anything is to set your goals—then publicise them widely. If you commit yourself publicly to a

certain thing by a certain time, then it's very difficult to back out. If you do, you lose face—and most of us would rather get the job done than be judged as one who can't deliver the goods.☞ And if you want more useful advice on how to set and achieve your goals, consult pages 308-310 of The Management Bible.

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The key to getting it done

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Getting to and from work each day can be a time consuming and inefficient exercise if you let it be so.

If you commute by car, train, bus or even foot, consider how you might more profitably use the traveling time. Here are a few ideas…

Where appropriate:

• use the time to organise your thoughts for the day, for the upcoming staff meeting or for an important appointment.

• reflect on three encouraging incidents that occurred at your office during the day.

• do some job-related reading of journals or newsletters.

• listen to management-related cassette tapes.• focus on a work-related opportunity or issue that

requires resolution.• list the three tasks that you felt most happy about

accomplishing during the day.• do some fresh thinking about a work-related

problem that requires a solution.Commuting time need not be wasted time. It’s

amazing what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it.

☞ And if you want to squeeze even more into your working day, there are plenty of useful strategies listed on pages 26-27 of The Management Bible.

Or if you prefer your management strategies online, then consult www.management2go.com

P rioritising your jobs is a proven time management strategy and there are useful guidelines which can help you compile such

a priority list. Clearly, when one task is more urgent than another, it should take priority. But frequently the sequence in which to tackle a series of projects isn’t obvious. In such cases, management consultant Auren Uris, in The Executive Deskbook, suggests these guiding principles be considered:

No. 1: Do the easier job first. With it out of the way, you can concentrate on the tougher one without worrying about the other hanging like the sword of Damocles.No. 2: Start the longer of equally easy jobs when they must finish together. This, he says, is the old lamb-chop-and-baked-potatoes principle used by the kitchen-wise cook who starts the potatoes baking first and puts the chops on later. If both items must finish at the same time, this principle is decisive.No. 3: When the outcomes of both jobs are equal in value, do the short one first. The virtues of this course of action are as follows:• With the brief assignment out of the way, the

decks are cleared for you to go all out on the remaining task.

• In getting the shorter task completed, you may have partially mobilised resources which can then be swung on to the bigger job.

☞ There are additional ideas on priority setting on pages 202-203 of The Management Bible.

Making best use of traveling time

What do I do first? 5

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I f you look disorganised, you probably are. Look at your office desk, for example. It's a key indicator. If it is well organised, it will reduce

your stress, increase your productivity, and allow others to view you as a competent professional. On this topic, management writer Jeffrey Davidson poses several important questions for consideration:■ Is your desk piled horizontally with reports, papers,

notebooks, and magazines? No one can manage a horizontal file.

■ Do you have trouble finding a particular item that you use frequently in or on your desk? Why is that?

■ Do you feel that you could be more organised if only you had more space? More space is seldom the answer. Filing and getting rid of what isn't important is.

■ Do you have piles of paper and magazines that you don't have time to read? If you're trying to read these from cover to cover, good luck. Read only what is important or interesting. Ignore the rest.

■ Are there papers on your desk that have been there at least a week? A desk is not a filing cabinet!

■ Do you ever find at the bottom of a pile something that you didn't know was there? This is a danger sign when you're capable of losing anything on your desk.

■ Do you sometimes spend five minutes looking for a paper that you need? The search should take no more than a minute.

■ Do you read every piece of junk mail that crosses your desk? Take but a few seconds to determine whether to keep, reroute or throw it out.

Getting your desk organised, says Davidson, affords a sense of being in control of your life, rather than having your desk control you.

Control your desk,control your life

Honking the horn of criticism

Then there's the story of the young woman driving to work at morning rush hour. The light turned red as she approached the

intersection and she came to a screeching stop. Her car stalled.

As she desperately tried to restart her car, the light turned back to green. A truck approached behind her and the driver began honking the horn. Through one light change, and a second, the young woman nervously pumped the accelerator and turned the ignition—and the truck driver continued to honk his horn.

Frustrated by her inability to get the car going again, and the impatience of the truck driver behind her, she calmly got out of the car and walked back to the truck. As he opened the window, she politely said to the truck driver: 'If you will start my car for me, I would be happy to continue honking your horn for you.'

And so it is with criticism. We can honk our horns of criticism as long as

we want—but it rarely changes the situation or the people involved. All it does is make negative emotions surface or explode.

As Abraham Lincoln said: 'You only have a right to criticise if you have a heart to help.'

☞ If you want to learn the art of criticising other people—the right way, then pages 174-175 in The Management Bible is a great place to start.

Perhaps you prefer your management strategies online… then consult www.management2go.com

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8 Seeking those answers on time

In his 1966 management classic, The Effective Executive, Peter Drucker suggested that managers who seek to make better use of their

time, need to ask three basic questions:1. Are there things I do which don't need to be done

at all?2. What do I do that could be done better by

somebody else just as well, or better? and3. What time do I myself waste?☞ The simplest way to find an answer, he says— is to ask other people. And The 630-page, hardcover Management Bible is chock full of answers as well.

How to usethe circular file

According to Barbara Hemphill, author of the book, Taming the Paper Tiger, uncontrolled information isn't a valuable resource for busy

executives —it's a burden.She argues that the wastepaper basket lies at

the heart of any paper-management system. Her research shows that 80 per cent of the paper we collect is never used and she is convinced that our ability to achieve our goals is directly related to our willingness to use the wastepaper basket.

Always open your mail next to this 'circular file', she advises. And the bigger the wastepaper basket, the better.

The small things that count

Anthony Medley, author of the best selling Sweaty Palms: The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed, recalled that a candidate he once

interviewed for a secretarial position could type 90 words per minute and take short-hand at 120 words per minute.

'She was presentable and had good references,' he continued. 'But in addition to showing up ten minutes late, she called me 'Mr Melody' throughout the interview.

The two main things I remembered about her were that she had kept me waiting and that she had constantly mispronounced my name. I finally offered the job to someone whose typing and shorthand skills were not nearly as good.'

His message? More often than not, it is the small things that

occur in an interview that spell the difference between getting a position and being rejected.

☞ If you want to know how you can face your next job interview with confidence, then The Management Bible is essential reading on pages 46-47.

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All the essential management expertise, advice and solutions you'll require in one succinct, handy hardcover volume. Over 300 topics presented as double-page spreads, delivering what you want – simply and immediately.

Sample pages and purchase details at:

http://bible.management2go.com

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11 A focus on strengths

P resident Lincoln, when told that General Ulysses S. Grant had a drinking problem, and well aware that Grant was his only winning

general, replied: 'If I knew his brand, I'd send a barrel to the other generals.'

According to Peter Drucker, each of us is abundantly endowed with failings and weaknesses.

'The effective executive is as hidebound as everyone else,' says Drucker. 'He differs, though, in that he is willing to ignore individual weaknesses, including his own, and focus instead on bringing out people's strengths. He concentrates on what they can do, not what they can't, as his criterion.'☞ If you want to get the most out of your staff, there are pages and pages of advice in The Management Bible. Try pages 250-259 for starters.

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Facts on fax

People love using faxes. Remember, however, that while you might view the message you send by fax as urgent, important, or helpful,

the person who receives it is likely to see it as less critical. In other words, we always value the messages we send—by fax or any other means—more than the ones we receive… and we respond accordingly.

Do you know why animal trainers carry a stool when they go into a cage of lions? Of course, they have their whips and their

pistols at their sides as well—but invariably they also carry a stool.

The stool is the trainer's most important tool. He holds the stool by the back and thrusts the legs towards the face of the wild animal. Those who know say that the animal tries to focus on all four legs at once. By trying to focus on all four, the animal is overcome by a kind of paralysis—and it becomes weak, tamed, and disabled because its attention is fragmented.

So too with us. We look at our in-trays filled with memos, letters and papers, we try to write a report while having to answer the telephone, we juggle visitors while trying to prepare for an important staff meeting. We end up trying to focus on everything at the same time and simply end up feeling frozen, mesmerised by the sheer volume of our administrative load.

☞ Too many priorities paralyse us. Starting tomorrow, it might pay to remember the lions—and to check out what The Management Bible says about priorities (pp. 202-203) and procrastination (pp. 206-207).

Too many legs

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In 1979, the words rang in the ears of Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats who turned them into a world-wide number one rock song.

The words were used earlier that year by an American schoolgirl Brenda Spencer. 'I don't like Mondays,' she said when explaining why she shot dead the headmaster and the janitor at her school.☞ If you have trouble coping with the beginning of a new working week, then it will certainly pay to consult 'How to beat the Monday morning blues' on pages 22-23 of The Management Bible.

The only thing that limits our achievements is the thought that we can't achieve. When it all boils down, people who say they can, can, and

people who say they can't, can't.Or, as Henry Ford said: 'If you think you can or

you think you can't, you are probably right.'

☞ Which is one reason why a personal achievement list is worth considering. Pages 64-65 of The Management Bible make some ready-to-use suggestions in this regard.

Or if you prefer your management strategies online, then consult www.management2go.com

Henry Ford on achievement

I don't like Mondays

F rom the most stressful business environment on earth comes the ultimate pacifier for the busy executive—mobile psychological services.

According to Fortune magazine, business is booming for this new 'shrink-on-wheels' service.

A specially appointed, unmarked van will pick you up and drive you to work or your next appointment—and provide psychological counselling along the way.

Greatest demand apparently comes from workers on Wall Street, who use it to fit their therapy into a hectic schedule, but others simply enjoy being driven around while unburdening their daily woes to a professional stress counsellor or even conduct the whole hour-long session at the curb outside their office or home. Only in America.☞ Of course, had these executive-patients consulted pages 26-27 of The Management Bible, they may well have saved themselves the anxiety and expense of having to schedule sessions in the unmarked stress van.

Mobile head check1614

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Now the microchips are down…

Computer technology has revolutionised the way businesses work, but there are those employees who insist on demonstrating that

their brain is still smarter than the microchip, and their bosses'…■ An employee at a New York stockbroking firm

programmed the computer to siphon off funds from a company account into his own account. In eight years he stole nearly $500 000. His employer found him out—and then together they milked funds from a rival company's computer, forcing that company into bankruptcy.

■ When accused of transferring stocks to his own possession, using a bedside telephone and teleprinter to talk to the computer, one Manfred Stein told the computer to erase all traces of the transactions—but the message was intercepted by a telephone maintenance man who by chance was making a routine check of his phone line.

■ A German corporation paid $400000 in 1973 to retrieve 22 reels of customer records and marketing data, stolen by one of its computer operators.

■ A ransom of over $1 million was paid for software snatched in Japan, and several ransoms have been paid in similar cases in the United States.

☞ We are told that only one in 100 computer crimes is ever detected, much less successfully prosecuted—which is one reason why managers must pay particular attention to crime-proofing their organisation, a topic treated on pages 470-471 of The Management Bible.

A fter some early setbacks, Lou Holtz soon realised that he would have to set goals to reach his dreams.

So he made a list of 107 aspirations. They included scoring a hole in one, coaching football at Notre Dame University, and being coach of the year.

More than twenty years after setting them, Holtz had achieved 89 of those goals—including all of the above.

If you want to set goals that are achievable, then heed the advice of US business consultant Erik Olesen. He says that, when formulating your goals:• Make them realistic. Pick goals that aren't

impossible but that require a stretch.• Write them down and be specific. Decide what

you want to do, how you want to do it, and when you want to achieve it.

• Visualise yourself reaching the goal. See a positive outcome. What do you look like? How do you sound? How do you feel?

• Ask yourself key questions: Does your goal fit in with other plans? Does reaching it conflict with anyone? What obstacles stand in your way?

• List action steps you need to take—at least 8-10 per goal, and an estimation of how long each will take.

• Review your goals often.

☞ Whether you’re setting goals for yourself or helping others to set theirs, The Management Bible is a good place to start. Try pages 308-309 and 312-313 for more useful advice.

Only sixteen to go, Lou17 18

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Why does it take some of us so long to get things done in our organisations?

Well, perhaps Tom Peters has the answer. Is it that we don't possess sufficient of that 'purposeful impatience' upon which a number of well-known leaders have built their reputations?

Take former US Presidential candidate Ross Perot of Electronic Data Systems and General Motors, for example… 'At General Motors, the first thing you lot do when you see a snake is to organise a committee on snakes. Then you bring in a consultant who knows a lot about snakes. Third thing you do is talk about it for a year. Me, I see a snake and I kill it!'

Or Chrysler's Lee Iacocca. He wanted to add a convertible to the company's line. His first engineer promised a prototype—in nine months. Iacocca was furious: 'You don't understand. Go find a car and saw the top off the damned thing!'

Or Perot again: 'It takes five years to develop a new car in this country. Heck, we won World War II in four years.'

Achievers, says Peters, must be 'purposefully impatient' every day.☞ Anecdotes which illustrate the personal qualities of successful people provide valuable insights for us as we attempt to chart our own career paths.

The accumulated messages from the biographies and autobiographies of such people have been captured on pages 16-17 of The Management Bible so that you, too, can now begin emulating those qualities that have made other people so successful.

Perhaps you prefer your management strategies online… then consult www.management2go.com

When billionaire oilman and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller made his first million, he wasn't surprised. He had simply

been faithful to a personal goal and a strategy for achieving it.

So, too, when he was 60 years old. He made up his mind that he would live to be 100, so he compiled a set of rules to achieve that aim and followed them with the same determination.

These rules have become know as 'the ten commandments of health':

1. Never lose interest in life or the world.2. Eat sparingly and at regular hours.3. Get plenty of sleep.4. Take plenty of exercise, but not too much.5. Never allow yourself to become annoyed.6. Set a daily schedule and stick to it.7. Get a lot of sunlight.8. Drink as much milk as will agree with you.9. Obey your doctor and consult him/her often.10. Don't overdo things.

☞ You may not make it to your 97th year like Rockefeller but, even allowing for differing medical opinions on one or two of his commandments, you've got to concede that he achieved what he set out to do and his healthy lifestyle would certainly not have disadvantaged him. The Management Bible offers on pages 6-7 its own list to help busy managers lead a healthy life.

Rockefeller's Ten Commandments

Try a little purposeful impatience2019

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So who needs charisma anyway?

I f you're not a charismatic leader, then don't get too upset. According to researchers David Nadler and Michael Tushman, a charismatic

leader can be a problem for an organisation anyway.In fact, they list these as common problems

surrounding such haloed chieftains:• Charismatic leaders set unrealistic expectations.• They create an organisational dependency in

which everyone freezes until the boss issues another order.

• Subordinate levels can't lead well because no vision, exhortation, reward, or punishment is meaningful unless it comes from the leader.

• Charismatic leaders create a need for 'continuing magic'.Charismatic leadership can thus 'turn an

organisation's employees into a bunch of junkies thirsting for a fix of magic instead of helping them focus on a clear and steady vision'.

So—who needs charisma?

☞ If you check out 'How to become a leader' (pages 36-37) and 'How to release the leader within you' (pages 38-39) in The Management Bible, you'll find that there are many more important leadership attributes and requirements than the possession of charisma.

I thought I told you what to do…

I t was the staff assistant's first day on the job. Handing the new staffer an industrial stapler, the supervisor said:

'I'll get the photocopied pages of this report in the right order and then, when I nod my head, you staple it.'

The assistant did exactly as he was told—and it took the supervisor half an hour to get his toupee off.

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All of which reveals how important communication can be, and how vital it is for us to check that our instructions have been clearly understood.

☞ And in this regard, the valuable advice on pages 228-229 of The Management Bible may well keep the staples out of your scalp!

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So you’re trapped in a conversation with that drop-in visitor. It should have ended minutes ago. The seconds seem like hours. You have

other things to do but you’re too polite to cut the other person off. Even your body language—tapping fingers, squirming body, nodding head—isn’t working.

In Success Secrets, Mark McCormack suggests three lines that should bring a swift conclusion to a conversation that has overstayed its welcome:1. 'You’ll have to get me out of this conversation.'

Few people will be stung by this line, he says. By framing the ending of the discussion as a favour they can do for you, most people will be very happy to oblige.

2. 'Let me see if I can help you get where you seem to be going.' Here is an interruption that both implies ‘I understand’ and ‘I can help you’. McCormack suggests you use this line when people interminably restate the same idea in different ways. If you promise to help them, few will mind the interruption.

3. 'Tell me what you think we should do.' Most people prefer to talk about problems because it’s easier than finding solutions. They keep rehashing the past at your expense and avoid the future, again at your expense. This phrase works as a challenge. It asks for a solution, says McCormack, and either forces the person to rise to the occasion or rise to leave.

☞ The Management Bible lists a host of other strategies for handling those time-wasting, drop-in visitors. Check out pages 214-215.

The late, great management guru, Peter Drucker, in his article, 'The Deadly Sins of Administration', identified six frailties which

he advised leaders in any organisation to guard against:1. Having a lofty objective that can't possibly be met. 2. Trying to do several things at once. Splintering of

efforts guarantees non-results.3. Believing that 'fat is beautiful'. For example,

overstaffing makes non-performance somewhere a certainty.

4. Failing to experiment.5. Making sure you cannot learn from experience.6. The inability to abandon. Everything outlives its

usefulness and the belief that it won't will ensure that it will.Committing two or more of these sins, says Drucker,

will guarantee that a manager will perform poorly.

☞ More gems of wisdom from such gurus as Peter Drucker appear as short 'Management Memos', scattered throughout the pages of The Management Bible.

That endless conversation…2423 Drucker's Six Deadly Sins

All the essential management expertise, advice and solutions you'll require in one succinct, handy hardcover volume. Over 300 topics presented as double-page spreads, delivering what you want – simply and immediately.

Sample pages and purchase details at:

http://bible.management2go.com

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Combatting clutter and confusion 26 Try a little spd wrtg

So you have trouble keeping up with the speaker when trying to take written notes of what is being said? Why not get into the habit

of speed writing where you lv out unwntd vwls & consnts & smply abrev whn poss & dvlp shrt cts.

A simple matter of delegation

One day in 1898, a printer brought to Edwin Booth the proof of a new poster, which introduced the famous American actor as

'the very eminent tragedian, Edwin Booth'.Said Booth: 'No, no. That's too much. Here's

something I want you to do. I want you to leave off that 'eminent tragedian' stuff. I want it to be a simple 'Edwin Booth'.

'Very good, sir,' agreed the printer.The following week a modest Mr Booth went

for a walk and found the town plastered with large posters announcing the forthcoming appearance of 'A Simple Edwin Booth'.

☞ The point of the story is that it is important, when delegating a task, for you to make sure, among other things, that your instructions are clearly understood. Consult The Management Bible, pages 216-229, for details.

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You should be able to pick whether people are right- or left-handed by looking at the way things are arranged on their desks.

If you’re a right-hander, you should have your telephone to your left side, allowing your right hand to be free for note-taking and other tasks. Is there a set of message slips readily available to your left beside the telephone? And are your pens and pencils to the centre/right of your desk?

Are the objects on your desk used enough to warrant the space they take up—decorative objects, mementos, photographs, etc? Is the equipment used most frequently easily accessible? Would a small container containing paper clips, pins, and Post-it™ pads be better placed on your desk or in your drawer? And are your in- and out-trays, and your wastepaper basket, conveniently situated? There’s a ‘right’ and a ‘wrong’ place for everything on your desk and in your office. Fight the cluttered desk and disorganised office syndrome. Take ten minutes to contemplate the way your desk and your office are set up—are things arranged for ease of performance?

I have marked pages 198 and 566 of The Management Bible, Mr Simpkins. I'm sure you'll find the advice useful.

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You can generally expect resistance to change. In Hope is Not a Method (Times Business, 1996), Gordon Sullivan and Michael Harper relate

how, early in the American Civil War, manufacturers created new rifles that were both easier and quicker to load than the standard muzzle-loading weapons of the time.

Strangely, the response from officers to these new guns was most unexpected. In fact, the new, more efficient weapons were never to be widely used in the war.

The military resisted changing rifles for two main reasons. Firstly, the easy-loading gun, the officers argued, would encourage soldiers to waste bullets. Secondly, the new weapon would enable soldiers to shoot lying down—they would refuse to stand up and fight, it was claimed.

☞ It’s odd how change is so often resisted. However, we can learn to live with and adapt to change—as pages 324-329 of The Management Bible reveal.

On a lighter note, an observation about the incredible pace of technological change…

The cockpit of each commercial aeroplane in the future, we are told, will probably be occupied solely by one pilot and one dog. The dog’s job will be to bite the pilot if he or she tries to touch the controls. The pilot’s job will be to feed the dog.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, Shakespeare wrote. Not necessarily, according to the marketing gurus. It seems

that the sound of a name, too, can alter how we think about something.

A classic experiment proves this point. Researchers identified two women whom a group

of people had rated as being equal in beauty. The researchers then went to a second group and added the dimension of sound—they added names. One woman was given the name ‘Jennifer’, the other was called ‘Gertrude’.

When the second group voted on which woman was prettier, Jennifer won hands down—for no other reason than that of her name.

Choosing the right name for your business is vitally important to your marketing and repositioning efforts. Names should be memorable and communicate the message. DieHard batteries and Caress bath soap say something good about the product and are pleasing to the ear as well. Similarly, Hog Island in the Caribbean was going nowhere until it changed its name to Paradise Island.

☞ Want some more advice on marketing? Try pages 500-505 and 508-522 in The Management Bible for starters.

Perhaps you prefer your management strategies online… then consult www.management2go.com

Shakespeare was wrong about roses

No to a better gun 2928

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31 Are your people happy?

People are usually an organisation's most valuable resource, says management trainer Ron Coleman and, for that reason, he

advocates that managers keep an eye on staff absenteeism and turnover, for they are the best indicators of job satisfaction.

Annual staff turnover percentage is calculated as people who leave in the year multiplied by 100 divided by average staff strength during the year. So, if 25 people leave your organisation in one year and the average staff strength is 200, then staff turnover is (25/200) x 100 = 12.5%.

If staff turnover is above 10 percent or absenteeism is above 3 per cent (excluding holidays), then don't blame external events. Look for causes within the organisation, look at the way you are managing, says Coleman.

If you have a 5 per cent absentee rate and you need 20 people in your unit, you must employ 21 to be certain 20 will turn up. And you could still be understaffed on Mondays and Fridays.

Good managers do have lower staff turnover and absenteeism in their sections, despite bad weather or unreliable public transport or even outbreaks of flu.

The bottom line, advises Coleman, is that, if absenteeism or turnover is especially high in your area, then you will need to consider ways of making jobs more challenging and interesting.

☞ If you want to know how to deal with the problem of continuing absenteeism, then consult pages 420-421 of The Management Bible.

Once more with feeling

Actor Charles Laughton was at a dinner party in London just before Christmas. Late in the evening, the host asked everyone to recite or

read a passage that represented the Christmas spirit.When his turn came, Laughton read, in his

beautifully trained voice, the Twenty-third Psalm. All applauded the effort.

Everyone eventually participated except an elderly aunt dozing in the corner. The family woke her gently, explained what was happening, and asked her to join in.

She began, in a shaky voice, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. . .’ The room hushed, and by the time she was done, tears streamed down every face.

Laughton’s recitation resulted in appreciation; the aunt’s in deep connection and involvement.

‘How do you account for it?’ someone asked Laughton later.

‘I know the psalm,’ he said, ‘She knows the Shepherd.’

Authentic leaders and speakers touch deep values in themselves and others. Passion is far more powerful than polish.

☞ And that’s valuable advice to take on board next time you’re preparing for a speaking engagement. The Management Bible provides even more advice on how to add sparkle to your next speech. Check out pages 276-279.

30

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In support of praise

I t's strange the way we use praise. It's such a powerful motivator – yet we so often misuse it or under-use it.

'In my work with managers,' says Dr Kenneth Matejke from Duquesne University's School of Business and Administration, in the United States, 'we have noted an ironic twist.'

'Most managers feel that applying praise to their people is over-rated. Yet, when you ask these same managers, "How many of you get more praise than you deserve?", virtually no one responds.'☞ The use of praise is a management skill which is simple, powerful, inexpensive, and inexhaustible—and you'll know how to use it effectively after reading pages 252-253 of The Management Bible

On one occasion a man shot an after-dinner speaker who was talking too long and saying nothing of interest.

The man immediately turned himself in at the local police station and said, 'I just shot a long-winded after-dinner speaker.'

'You've come to the wrong place,' the constable on duty said. 'You should go to the game warden's office. You can collect the bounty there.'☞ The moral of the tale is that, if you are required to make a speech in public, be sincere, be brief, be seated, or be shot. And read pages 274-276 of The Management Bible before you begin.

Long-winded speakers under fire

Your most important words

The five most important words for any manager: You did a great job.The four most important words:

What do you think?The three most important words: Could you please…The two most important words: Thank you.The most important word: We.The least important word: I.☞ These are important words if you want to get on well with other people. And there are more on pages 108-111 of The Management Bible.

3432

33

"And they gave me that one for keeping a neat and tidy desk at all times and that one for providing exceptional customer service and that one for not horsing around at the water cooler and that one

for always referring to The Management Bible."

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1 Stress is not something we have just invented and which seems out of control. The Book of Job in the Old Testament, written 400 years before Christ, shows the various stresses to which man may be subjected. But while the sufferings of Job were great, almost overwhelming, he eventually rose above them. And so it can be for us. —Edwin Knight in Living with Stress

2 When asked to define stress, most people usually refer to its bad side. They describe stress as an unpleasant experience, for example being under too much or too little pressure… What they are in fact describing is distress—the bad side of stress… On the other hand, some people describe stress as a pleasant, exciting, stimulating and thrilling experience. —Terry Looker & Olga Gregson in Stresswise

3 Stress is not necessarily something to be avoided. It is associated with the expression of all our innate drives. Stress ensues as long as a demand is made on part of the body. Indeed, complete freedom from stress is death! —Hans Selye in The Stress of Life

4 Stress is an attitude. People must realise that throughout their lives different situations cause stress at various levels. There's an old saying that sums up this concept: 'It isn't what happens to you, it's how you choose to let it affect you.' —John Shepherd in Manage the Five Cs of Stress

☞ The Management Bible lists ten simple strategies for keeping stress in check. They're easy to remember—and they work, too!

A message from McDonald's

One day while on his way back to the office from an important lunch in the best restaurant in town, Ray Kroc, owner of the

McDonald's chain in the United States, asked his driver to pass through a few McDonald's car parks. In one he spotted papers caught up in shrubs along the outer fence.

He immediately went to the nearest pay phone, called his office to get the name of the manager, then called the manager to offer to help him pick up the offending rubbish.

Both the owner of the McDonald's chain in his expensive business suit and the young manager met in the car park and got down on their hands and knees to pick up the paper.

As managers we are frequently more interested in activity inside our business premises than in the building's outside appearance. The appearance of your building and its surrounds is at the front line of your organisation's public image—as Ray Kroc was well aware.

☞ If you want a good public image for your organisation, then The Management Bible has some great advice for you on pages 494-497.

Four views of stress3635

All the essential management expertise, advice and solutions you'll require in one succinct, handy hardcover volume. Over 300 topics presented as double-page spreads, delivering what you want – simply and immediately.

Sample pages and purchase details at:

http://bible.management2go.com

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38

For many years, time management pioneer R.Alec Mackenzie studied the work habits of managers in fifteen countries throughout the

world and, in About Time! (McGraw Hill, 1981), he presented this list of the top time wasters in priority order:1. Telephone interruptions2. Crisis management/shifting priorities3. Lack of objectives, priorities, planning4. Drop-in visitors5. Ineffective delegation6. Attempting too much at once7. Meetings8. Personal disorganisation, including a cluttered desk9. Inability to say no10. Lack of self-discipline11. Procrastination/indecision12. Untrained, inadequate staff13. Incomplete, delayed information14. Paperwork, red tape, reading15. Leaving tasks unfinished16. Unclear communication and instructions17. Understaffing18. Confused responsibility and authority19. Socialising.

Reflect on your own activities and management style. Take a few minutes to jot down your top ten time wasters, using Mackenzie’s list to start you thinking. And which in your list are self-induced—the ones you have caused for yourself?

As Mackenzie argues: ‘Discovering your own time wasters is the key to managing yourself in relationship to time!’

Mackenzie's top time wasters

I t was George Bernard Shaw who said that the test of people’s breeding is how they behave in a quarrel.

It might also be argued that the test of a manager’s virtuosity is how well he or she handles conflict.

Richard Wynn in The Practitioner elaborates: 'Just as the great test of a ship captain’s skill occurs in stormy rather than calm waters, so managers face their most bracing tests and their greatest opportunities in times of conflict.'

'The work of a manager,' writes Wynn, 'is an almost never ending sequence of conflicts, some trivial and some very consequential. The challenge is not to eliminate conflict, but to minimise its destructive impact and make it a positive force in the organisation.'

☞ If you want to avoid causing conflict or to know how to take the heat out of a confrontation, then The Management Bible can help on pages 436-437 and 444-445.

Adrift on a sea of conflict

Done!

I f there are six tasks on your to-do list, it's best to finish three of them completely than to do a little bit of each. You'll feel a lot better, having finished

a couple of jobs entirely than still having half a dozen only partly completed.

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37

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41 The Do-it Book

I t's very simple to keep a Do-it Book. Its purpose is to provide a constant reminder to you of matters which need definite action. It is not

intended to be a storehouse of information or a depository of statistics.

A small, pocket-size book is preferable since it can always be at hand ready for immediate use. Heavy, spaced rulings are made throughout the book, every half-dozen lines or so. Between these rulings various items requiring your action are jotted down as they come to your attention, a separate space being allocated to each item.

Typical items might read: 'Ring…', 'Find out if …', 'Get a new supply of…', 'Check if…', 'Ask…' and so on.

As soon as the individual action has been taken later, the entry is then crossed out. A quick glance through the book, at any time, shows which items are still outstanding and need to be dealt with.

Making an entry takes only a matter of seconds—that's why it's a handy kind of book to have in your pocket.

As soon as the book is filled, it can be thrown away after any outstanding items have been transferred. After all, it's not a book of data about what has occurred, but purely a management tool to jog your memory.

☞ Other essential tools for smart managers include diaries, day books, daily organisers, and calendars. Guidelines to help you make best use of these tools can be found in 'How to use diaries and calendars effectively' in The Management Bible.

Before you buy, ask…40

So you’re about to purchase a photocopier, a new computer, or some other piece of equipment for the office?

Before proceeding, make sure you answer satisfactorily the following questions:

1. Will the new equipment fulfil an essential function?

2. Is the piece of equipment appropriate to the specific requirements of our particular organisation?

3. Will it be effectively used by people who can be properly trained and are motivated to use it?

4. Will it be genuinely cost effective?

5. Has its use been fully discussed with those affected?

6. Will its installation be non-disruptive to the environment in which it is placed?

☞ If you can answer yes to each of these questions, and provided you have consulted pages 330-331 of The Management Bible, then go ahead and make the purchase.

All the essential management expertise, advice and solutions you'll require in one succinct, handy hardcover volume. Over 300 topics presented as double-page spreads, delivering what you want – simply and immediately.

Sample pages and purchase details at:

http://bible.management2go.com

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42 Stop fighting those grass fires

Many managers do not control their time because they fail to plan its use. Many neglect to set aside quality time for

program development and new initiatives because of the competing demands of small crises during the day. When the water cooler bursts or the photocopier plays up, many managers respond to the grass fire, rather than delegate the matter and stay with their planned schedule.

It does not have to be so, says James Keefe in How do you find the time?. No matter how many crises you respond to, he says, there will always be more. Crises can dominate your life unless alternative plans are made and appropriate delegation or collaboration is exercised.

For the manager, fire prevention is more important than fire fighting.

Too busy?

Avoid telling people you've 'been really busy' when reminded that you had promised to do something for them by a certain time. All

you're probably telling them, from their perspective, is that you've placed a low priority on their request.

43

44

A recent weekend edition of The New York Times consisted of 1600 pages, weighed 5 kilos, and contained 10 million words.

Keeping up with your reading

And did you know that, on any day of the week, there is more information contained in a copy of The New York Times than a person living in the mid-Eighteenth Century would have been exposed to in a lifetime?

☞ The truth of the matter is that it's vital for us to become selective about what we read. We also need to make much better use of our reading time. Pages 60-61 of The Management Bible, 'How to make the most of your professional reading', will help you to grapple with the never-ending flood of reading material that currently swamps the management marketplace.

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Don't read this unless you try to be perfect

The big drawback in being a perfectionist is that it takes time—perhaps a lifetime. So, if you tend to write and re-write the same

paragraph over and over because it's never quite right, then it's time to ease up. When you think about it, there's no such thing as the perfect paragraph, the perfect letter, the perfect annual report—or perfect anything.

Instead, a better strategy is—

1. Always strive for excellence, not perfection.2. Always allocate an amount of time to the task and

try to complete it within that time.3. Excellence will be the result if you adhere to the

above two rules—and you'll save a great deal of time as well!

Unless you use your time well, writes supersalesman Tom Hopkins in The Official Guide to Success, you’ll never even get a

glimpse of what your potential is. And he clarifies our casual attitude towards our most valuable resource—time, as follows:

‘If I gave you a cheque for $86 400 and said, “From this moment you have 24 hours to invest it. You can invest in anything you want to with this money. But whatever you don’t invest, I get back tomorrow at this exact same moment.”

What would you do during the next 24 hours? You’d be out there working hard and fast to invest that $86 400, wouldn’t you?

That being your attitude, why aren’t you busily investing as much as you can of the 86 400 seconds given to you every day? That’s right—at the beginning of every day we’re all given 86 400 seconds. As each one ticks by, we’ve lost it forever in every way unless we find a way to invest that moment in the future.

If you don’t invest your daily treasure of 86 400 seconds wisely, in essence you hand them back at the end of each day to the force that gave them to you.’☞ You can improve your time management skills considerably if you adhere to the wealth of advice offered in the pages of The Management Bible.

Or maybe you prefer your management strategies online… then consult www.management2go.com

Money or time? asks Tom Hopkins

Just that extra hour a day

T ime management consultant Brian Tracy suggests that everyone works eight hours a day for survival. The time spent beyond eight

hours allows one to become excellent in one's field.He believes that, by simply spending one extra

hour a day on a special area, it is possible to rise to the top three per cent in one's field within three years. But disciplining oneself to create that extra hour is the critical element in the process.

☞ Kick-start yourself by checking pages 40, 198 and 294 of The Management Bible.

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49

Having to stand up and speak in front of a group is one of the most terrifying experiences that mankind can undergo,’ says

Max Walker, test cricketer turned author and public speaker.

‘The first three or four minutes is like the first over in a test match. You don’t quite know what your opposition is like, whether they’re going to play a shot or whether they’re going to be defensive.’

He says one of his worst experiences with public speaking was when he expected to be speaking to a hundred blind people and arrived to find a hall full of deaf people instead.

‘So I’m trying to be funny on some bloke’s fingers and all the punch lines are coming back about sixty seconds late,’ he said.

‘But it worked—and the moral is that you’ve got to be flexible enough to readjust to your audience and make it work.’

☞ And you can add to Max Walker's advice on speech-making by considering the advice offered in The Management Bible—on preparing speeches, delivering speeches, adding sparkle to your speeches, giving an impromptu speech, a retirement speech and a speech to a hostile audience, on accepting an award, introducing a speaker, moving a vote of thanks, and handling questions at the end—just about everything you'll ever need to know about speech-making!

Be flexible, says Mr Walker48 Missed opportunities

One of the most remarkable motion pictures ever made by Walt Disney was The African Lion.

One sequence shows a cheetah accelerating from a walk to a sixty m.p.h. sprint while chasing a nimble member of the deer family. The cat is so intent on the one animal he has selected as his prey that he actually passes other deer who are frenziedly running in all directions. One of them even runs alongside the cheetah for a while, not realising in his abject terror that the pursuer is his running companion. One swipe from the predator’s paw would bring down the nearby prey, but the hunter runs on, eyes fixed on the animal directly ahead. And he catches him.

There is a lesson to be learnt from this. Author and lecturer Edwin Feldman once encapsulated the message precisely: ‘We must be so intent on attaining our goals as to be able to ignore distractions—but not to the extent of missing better opportunities.’

☞ And there's more valuable advice on goals and goal-setting on pages 308-313 of The Management Bible.

All the essential management expertise, advice and solutions you'll require in one succinct, handy hardcover volume. Over 300 topics presented as double-page spreads, delivering what you want – simply and immediately.

Sample pages and purchase details at:

http://bible.management2go.com

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I f you have ever served on a committee, then perhaps there's no need to point out to you that…

1. The dullest member of the committee will always do the most speaking.

serve on the same committee, you won't be afterwards.

10. It takes all committee members to make meetings enjoyable but it only takes one committee member to make meetings hellish.

☞ Committees are criticised for their inability to accomplish a great deal, for being costly and time-consuming, for being unable to reach decisions, and for often producing mediocre decisions anyway. You can do a great deal to overcome these criticisms if you implement the suggestions advocated in 'How to get results from a committee you appoint' on pages 248-249 of The Management Bible.

Whenever the famous inventor Thomas Edison was angry, he sat down and wrote a scathing letter—to himself. He left it on

his desk for a day or two, and then he tore it up.There is a message here for all of us: do not write

anything, certainly not a memo or letter to anyone (other than to yourself) while you are angry. Wait until you simmer down. What you write in fury you will almost certainly regret in composure.

An emotional upset impairs rational thinking and an uncompromising memo or letter in response not only reflects unfavourably on you but is also a permanent document which could easily return to haunt you.☞ The Management Bible contains some more useful suggestions for keeping the lid on your anger and, importantly, for putting it to use constructively. Check out pages 442-443.

Angry Edison, the writer51

What you always knew about committees50

2. The amount of time spent debating agenda items is in inverse proportion to their importance.

3. 'Any other business' takes longer than all the other items on the agenda put together.

4. The less someone likes serving on committees, the more likely they'll be invited to join one.

5. The secretary is always the hardest working person on any committee.

6. The deputy chair is always the laziest person on any committee.

7. Whatever the purpose of a committee, if it has more than one meeting a month, the meetings become more important than its purpose.

8. Any committee that can't agree on the minutes of the last meeting is doomed to break up—in tears.

9. If you're friends with someone before you both

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The value of an idea 5352

Next time you’re wanting to convey to others the importance of sharing ideas and information, try this simple exercise:

• Ask people to form pairs.

• Now ask them to share a similar amount of money—say ten dollars.

• Ask how much money each person has after they’ve exchanged their ten dollars. (They’ll have what they started with.)

• Now ask each person to share an idea with his or her partner.

• Ask how many ideas they now each have. (They will have twice as many ideas.)

It was Harvey Firestone, the US rubber and tyre pioneer, who said that, in business, capital isn't so important, nor is experience, because you can get both of these. What is important, he said, is ideas. If you have ideas, you have the main asset you need. What is remarkable about ideas, too, is that they multiply, and because of this, there isn't any limit to what you can do with your business and your life, said Firestone. They are our greatest asset—ideas.

☞ There are many great ideas lurking within your organisation, waiting for the opportunity to be revealed. And that's why it's important for you to know how you can unleash the creative potential of your staff—and pages 378-379 of The Management Bible can help you do just that.

How do you handle those angry customers or clients who call you on the phone? They're angry. They're noisy. They're impatient.

To play for time, try putting them on hold. It won't make them any angrier—provided you do it the right way.

Try saying, 'Look, I can help you with this, and I'll need to give your problem my full attention so I can fix it for you. But I've got a little drama to handle at this end first. It'll take me about 30 seconds, and I'll get back to you. Is that OK?'

What you'll find is that the angry callers at first will not be overjoyed at your procrastination, but they will know that you are at least on the job and are being proactive. Most agitated callers don't expect someone to be so calm and collected about their call.

Of course, there are any number of reasons for putting them on hold if they're interested—a boiling kettle, a courier standing next to your desk, a fire drill in progress, coffee spilt on the carpet.

And the reason for this approach? You need time to gather your thoughts and calm

down after the initial tirade. As well, the delay will provide the caller with the opportunity to slow down, consider their agitation and take a little of the heat out of the confrontation.

After you have collected your thoughts, return to the caller: 'Thank you for waiting. Now we can get to the bottom of your problem…'

☞ And The Management Bible contains more helpful hints on how to handle angry customers on page 208-209.

Handling that angry caller on the phone

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Two taxidermists stopped before a shop window in which an owl was displayed.

They immediately began to criticise the way it was mounted. Its eyes were not natural; its wings were not in proportion with its head; its beak was too pointed; its feathers were not neatly arranged; and its feet were too small…

When they had finished with their criticism, the owl turned its head—and winked at them.

☞ Until we know all, we should not pass judgement at all. And we certainly shouldn't criticise until we read pages 174-175 of The Management Bible. Perhaps you prefer your management strategies online… then consult www.management2go.com

Criticism can be hazardous56

57

Job interviews can sometimes attract the strangest candidates. US recruiting expert Robert Half has collected a swag of the world's most bizarre

interview encounters, among which he lists…

• 'Applicant walked in and asked why he was here.'• 'When asked about his loyalty, showed a tattoo of

his girlfriend's name.'• 'Took three mobile phonecalls. Said she has a simi-

lar business on the side.'• 'Arrived with a snake around her neck. Said she

took her pet everywhere.'• 'Said that if he was hired, he'd teach me ballroom

dancing at no charge—and started demonstrating.'• 'She returned later that afternoon asking if we

could redo the entire interview.'

☞ All joking aside, there is a serious side to interviewing and The Management Bible tackles this important issue on pages 46, 178, 424, and 434.

Who's answering the phone?

Soneone once said that doers get to the top of the oak tree by climbing it. Dreamers sit on an acorn.

☞ You won't be needing an acorn if you keep The Management Bible as your constant companion. Or consult www.management2go.com for online assistance.

54 Why am I here?

On climbing trees55 According to Tom Peters, 'people answering the phones are a major competitive asset—or a major liability'. And he proved his point by

calling 13 companies. Only two passed his test while the others simply lacked basic phone skills. Most put him on 'hell hold', hung up on him, or were just plain rude.

☞ Check pages 152-153 in The Management Bible for the basics on telephone courtesy.

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The odd-times strategy for starting on time

Do your staff meetings, which you call for, say, 4.00, usually start at '4.00-ish'— somewhere around 5 to 15 minutes late?

And do they start later and later each time because everyone knows that everyone else is going to be late?

You can attempt to solve this annoying problem by using the 'odd starting time' approach.

For example, instead of scheduling a 4.00 start, specify 3.57 or 4.04.

And when you're asked—as surely you will be — why you're being so specific, you reply: 'Because I mean it. That's precisely the time when the meeting must begin.'

That's the key to the strategy's success. But you must start on time—at 3.57 precisely—even if all your staff aren't present.

If you can set the standard with your first odd-time meeting, the credibility of the strategy will quickly establish itself.

☞ There are further useful strategies to help you conduct a successful meeting—on pages 230-247 of The Management Bible.

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☞ The task of bringing about change is just as difficult today as it was in the days of Plato and Machiavelli. The Management Bible, however, has some useful suggestions to help managers prepare for and implement change in today's organisations.

How times don't really change

I t was Plato, back in 400 BC, who first observed that 'change takes place no matter what deters it… (But) there must be measured laborious

preparation for change to avoid chaos.'1900 years later, Machiavelli also contemplated

the challenge of change when he concluded: 'There is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.'

And more recently, James Belasco, in Teaching the Elephant to Dance: Empowering Change in Your Organisation, observed that, if the circus tent catches on fire and the elephant sees the flames and smells the smoke, you can believe it—the elephant will move! So, if you want to get things moving in your organisation, your first task is to create the fire that will get people to change. But, he warns, you have to be careful not to burn down the tent in the process.

All the essential management expertise, advice and solutions you'll require in one succinct, handy hardcover volume. Over 300 topics presented as double-page spreads, delivering what you want – simply and immediately.

Sample pages and purchase details at:

http://bible.management2go.com

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WHERE?

WHEN?

ACTION? WHY?

WHO?

HOW?

WHAT?

SPEEDY MEMOTo: ALL STAFFFrom: DI SMITHDate: 24 May

PRELIMINARYMEETING ON NEXT

YEAR'SBUDGET

Monday 29 May 2.00 p.m.

Conference Room

Budget planning

All staff

By hook or by crook—but be there

Bring initial ideas and coffee mug

Have questions ready

Bringideas

Be on time

Sticking your neck out

C luster memos are simple, eye-catching, and efficient internal written communications— ideal for getting a message quickly to those

on your staff. They're fast, easy to write, and don't require that you prepare polished prose.

Devise a predictable format—such as the one below, and duplicate a supply of blanks for use as required.

To write a memo, simply add details, in hand printing, to the cluster diagram and send it, just like a regular memo. The only requirement is that you print legibly. It's a good idea to explain the memos' use and intention at the staff meeting prior to their introduction.

Cluster memos are administrative timesavers and, oddly enough, people look forward to receiving them. More importantly, they do get read—and that's what really matters after all.

Bizarre but effective cluster memos 61

There were twenty producers who said to composer Leonard Bernstein, 'It's too risky!' when he had the idea of converting Romeo and

Juliet into a musical, set in modern day New York. He proved them all wrong—and West Side Story became a smash hit.

Inventor Alexander Graham Bell was hard pressed to find a major backer also. When he took his telephone to Western Union, for example, he was told, 'What use could this company make of an electrical toy?'

Kodak turned down Chester Carlson. 'Your idea is too risky,' Carlson was told. So he took his invention elsewhere—and the Xerox Corporation was born, riding on the success of Carlson's new photocopying machine.

Even composer Irving Berlin himself wasn't prepared to take the risk. He left a little song called 'White Christmas' locked away in a trunk for three years—he felt it just wasn't good enough. After he took the risk, it has sold in North America alone over 6 million copies of sheet music and 140 million records!

☞ The bottom line is that, to achieve, you must sometimes be prepared to take a risk—and The Management Bible provides you with some valuable guidance on risk-taking on pages 272-273.

If you prefer to access your management strategies online, then there are hundreds available at www.management2go.com

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The secret is to invite the right people

Once upon a time a baby girl was born to a king and queen. In their joy, the royal couple invited the three good fairies to

their kingdom to bestow magic gifts upon the tiny princess.

Meeting at her cradle, the first fairy blessed the infant with incomparable beauty. The second fairy promised that the child would grow up to be as wise and as good as she was beautiful. But before the third good fairy could present her gift, the evil witch Malevolent burst into the nursery. Furious at not having been invited to this event, she swore that, when the child reached her sixteenth birthday, she would prick her finger upon a spinning wheel and die.

Fortunately, the third fairy could countermand this evil curse. She accepted that the princess would prick her finger but, instead of dying, would sleep for one hundred years, until Prince Charming should awaken her with love's first kiss.

And so it happened, producing the longest postponement of any meeting on record—116 years before Sleeping Beauty and her prince could finally get together.

☞ The message for managers is that you must be very careful indeed about whom you invite—or don't invite—to your meetings.

According to US communications specialist Milo Frank, unnecessary participants, like unnecessary meetings, are a waste of everyone's time. But, he adds, a person opposing your objective may do more harm by being expelled from a meeting than by being present. Malevolent, the witch, is proof of the pudding. Remember, you can always create a

balance by inviting people favourable to your cause.So whom do you invite? Milo Frank suggests you

consider six questions in deciding:1. Whom are you obliged to invite?2. Who can give you what you want?3. Who is in favour of your objective?4. Who will oppose your objective?5. Who is on the fence?6. And, of course, who can cause trouble if not

invited? ☞ The amount of thought and preparation you put in before you hold a meeting is vital to that meeting's success. The Management Bible has some valuable advice for you in this regard—on pages 230-231.

I demonstrate the art of leadership with a simple piece of string placed on a table. Pull the string, and it will follow wherever you wish. Push it

and it will go nowhere at all. It's just that way when it comes to leading people.'

Good advice from wartime commander and, later, US President, Dwight D. Eisenhower. ☞ And you'll find more useful advice on how you can display leadership qualities when you turn to pages 36-39 of The Management Bible. Perhaps you prefer your management strategies online… then consult www.management2go.com

The piece of string63

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B rainstorming is universally recognised as one of the most effective ways of coming up with creative ideas but, according to 'Stormin''

Norman Schwarzkopf, the dictator Saddam Hussein had trouble understanding the rules of the game.

According to Schwarzkopf, the Iraqi dictator called together his think-tank of trusted advisers to explore ways the long-running war with Iran could be ended. One of his closest friends and confidants was first to speak.…

'Here's an idea,' he said. 'Seeing that the Iranians refuse to sign a peace treaty while you remain as President, why don't you stand down for six months until the treaty is in place? Then you can assume control after this time.'

Saddam Hussein was not impressed. He took his friend and adviser outside—and shot him!

At that point, we suspect, the really creative ideas from the President's advisers suddenly dried up.

☞ Before calling his next meeting of advisers, Saddam Hussein would have been well advised to check out 'How to generate creative ideas through brainstorming' in The Management Bible.

Finding time to sharpen your axe

W ill Sherwood was a woodsman. One day Will was working in a forest, cutting down a large tree. A stranger happened to be

passing by and on meeting the woodsman asked, 'What are you doing?'

'I'm cutting down this tree,' came Will's gruff reply as he continued to chop.

'You look very tired indeed,' the stranger continued. 'And just how long have you been cutting the tree?'

Will downed his axe. 'A long time,' replied the woodsman as he wiped

his brow. 'In fact, I've been at it for many hours now, and I'm exhausted. It really is hard work.'

'At the risk of interfering,' suggested the stranger, 'why don't you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen your axe. That'll make your job easier and you'll take less time on the job.'

Will replied. 'I don't have time to sharpen the axe,' he said as he again swung his axe into the tree. 'I'm too busy chopping!'

☞ Are you like Will Sherwood, the woodsman—too busy to stop doing what he was doing? Or do you make sure you take the time every now and then to sharpen your axe? If your axe isn't sharp—you'll not achieve!

We all need to set aside time to sharpen our axes—and The Management Bible provides a wealth of information to help you in this regard. Try pages 40, 56, 60 and 62 to begin with.

64 Brainstormin' Saddam Hussein65

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Your face is familiar but…

Their words didn't come easy

Red Adair was the king of oil rig fires, the first person you would call when an oil well blew sky high in flames.

One day Red was called in to fight a blaze near Houston, Texas. Despite 48 hours of heat, smoke and soot, he capped it. It was out. Red had come through again.

On the way home he stopped for a cold beer. The bartender, looking at this sorry looking, soot-covered patron, said, 'Let's see your money first.'

'Money?' screamed Adair. 'You don't carry money to oil rig fires! I'm Red Adair!'

'Who?''Red Adair!''Get out of here. I've never heard of you.''Never heard of me? You call yourself a Texan

and you've never heard of me?' Turning to the other patrons, he said, 'Do any of you know Red Adair?'

'I certainly do,' said one tipsy bloke, 'and I would be honoured to buy Red Adair a drink in return for his company.'

'Thank you,' said Red. 'I'll be glad to chat with you.'

'Gee, Red Adair,' sighed the man. 'I'm with Red Adair! Tell me Red, are you still dancing with Ginger Rogers?'

☞ People feel important if you can recall their names but, if you're like the rest of us—indeed, like the tipsy Texan—you probably have difficulty remembering the names of other people. If so, consider the useful tips listed on pages 114-115 of The Management Bible.

For American humorist Will Rogers, writing came easily. 'When I started out to write and mispelled a few words, people said I was

just plain igerant. But when I got all the words wrong, they declared I was a humerist and said I was quaint,' he wrote.

Serious writers, however, are rarely allowed to be ‘quaint’ and most must work hard at their craft.

According to Writers Digest, Katherine Porter spent 20 years writing Ship of Fools. The prolific author Isaac Asimov would spend hundreds of hours on a science fiction novel. Sinclair Lewis laboured for 17 years on Main Street, taking the manuscript through three complete rewrites. Margaret Mitchell rewrote the first chapter of Gone with the Wind seventy times. Ernest Hemingway rewrote the last page of Farewell to Arms 39 times. Plato redrafted the opening sentence of The Republic 50 times. In the British Museum, one can see seventy-five drafts of Thomas Gray’s poem, ‘Elergy in a Country Churchyard’. Gray didn’t like his first attempt, nor the second, nor the third. He was not satisfied till he revised it seventy-five times!

☞ Writing well is normally a time-consuming task. It’s something that has to be worked at. So often we procrastinate over the job, or struggle to find enough time or the right word. Occasionally we even try to avoid the task altogether.

Managers are often required to communicate with staff, colleagues, customers, and the public through notes, letters, memos, newsletters, press releases, or other written documents. The Management Bible tells you how to tackle the task on pages 180, 182, 184, 186, 194.

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The sight of two hands clapping

Shortly after World War 2, when Ed Sullivan asked entertainer Jimmy Durante to accompany him to a veteran’s hospital to

entertain the many wounded and disabled young men, Durante was keen to go but was scheduled to do two radio shows on the same day. When Sullivan assured him that they could finish early and be back at the studio in time, Durante agreed, provided he did only one brief routine at the hospital.

The pair arrived at the hospital, Durante gave his single performance—and the audience of young veterans was ecstatic and pleaded for more. What happened next surprised Sullivan who knew that Durante had to leave immediately if he were to get back to the radio station in time for his network shows.

Durante responded to the pleading and laughter of the army audience. He returned to the stage, not for one but two more long routines. When he finally made his exit to a standing ovation, Sullivan advised him that he was too late for his radio shows.

'Look at the front row of the audience,' Durante said, 'and you’ll see why I figured those radio shows weren’t all that important.'

A curious Sullivan poked his head through the curtain and spotted two soldiers in the middle of the front row. Each had lost an arm. Yet they were applauding enthusiastically by clapping their two remaining hands together. Although Durante received many accolades for his work as an entertainer, the sight of those two young men was, for him, the ultimate compliment. He relished this memory the rest of his life.

☞ Compliments can take many forms—a written note, a kind word, applause, a public acknowledgement. Whatever form it takes, in a society where praise is sweet but short, and criticism is long and detailed, nothing can brighten a day quite like a sincere compliment from a parent, friend, or colleague. Indeed, praise can be a highly effective motivator—provided it is given the right way, at the right time, and for the right reasons, as The Management Bible suggests on pages 252-253.

Here's a tale for everybody

This is the story about four individuals named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, and Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn't do it. Anyhow, it ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody, when actually Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

☞ Of course, this confusion would never occur in the workplace if managers adopted the team approach as proposed on pages 262-263 of The Management Bible.

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Why that initial staff enthusiasm wanes

Through a process of participative decision making, your staff enthusiastically agreed to undertake that new initiative—but you've

noticed that the initial exuberance has begun to wane. Why has this happened?

One of the following factors, or a combination of them, could be at the root of the problem:• You took too long to get the initiative started after the

planning phase. In the meantime, other interests or imperatives have intervened and your staff have 'cooled off'.

• In the initial planning stage, you may not have taken account of unanticipated events or conditions that can distract your staff. Did you spend time trying to foresee such obstacles?

• The momentum of plans that span vacation periods, the Christmas holidays, and sometimes the shorter breaks, runs the risk of slowing down. Timing is an essential ingredient of any new initiative.

• Did you set reasonable objectives that were attainable? Or were your staff like the greyhound chasing the rabbit at the dog track—kept running but never able to catch the wretched thing!

• If your staff are having difficulty with some activity early in the program, they could drop their bundle.

• You may have failed to plan periodic feedback sessions to identify and remedy difficulties encountered. Feedback and evaluation keep interest high.

☞ Remember, planning begets confidence, confidence begets enthusiasm, enthusiasm conquers the world. And you can gain staff commitment by consulting pages 254-255 of The Management Bible.

7170 Moses and the media man

Moses stood on the shore of the Red Sea. Hundreds of Israelites were looking to him for leadership because thousands of

Egyptians were bearing down upon them in chariots.'What are you going to do now?' asked the

journalist from the Hebrew Times, standing at his side.Moses thought for a while, and then said, 'What

about if I arrange for the sea to divide, thereby leaving a dry causeway up the middle for us to walk over? Then, when the Egyptians get here, the sea can roll back again and drown them all.'

'Struth!' exclaimed the journalist. 'I can't see that working…but I'll tell you what. If you can pull it off, I'll guarantee you a double-page spread in the Old Testament.'

All of which goes to show that some journalists can't be trusted, even when you perform miracles for them. The actual coverage of that incredible news event consumes less than half a page.

☞ Getting media coverage has always been a tricky business. However, if you're looking for a few useful suggestions to help you get that coverage for your organisation, then try pages 178-179, 186-187, and 542-545 in The Management Bible.

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O rganisations are like saltwater ships, says James Cribbin, Professor of Management at St John’s University in the United States.

Willy-nilly, they pick up barnacles that reduce their speed.

He suggests you should try an occasional barnacle session that will sensitise people in your organisation to those small inefficiencies that inevitably take hold if they are not detected and eliminated promptly.

Select a part of your operation that can and should be improved—photocopying procedures, placing orders, filing... Before the session, inform your staff of the nature and objectives of the session and ask them to come prepared to contribute constructive ideas on the theme.

The chairpersonship should be rotated, with each leader being responsible for thinking of a part of your organisation’s operation that can be improved or in which inefficiencies can be eliminated or minimised. Thus, each session treats one barnacle proposed in advance by the chairperson on that occasion.

Participants are encouraged by the manager to voice their suggestions, no matter how radical, as long as all ideas are based on evidence and practicality. When the group has expressed its ideas, each is evaluated in terms of the realities of the work situation and, hopefully, another barnacle is removed from your ship.☞ Gripe sessions are another valuable way of bringing about meaningful change in your organisation. Pages 172-173 in The Management Bible provide the details.

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According to Successful Salesmanship, there are five commonly held myths about time management—in fact, there is no such thing

as time management…the term itself is a misnomer.1. The activity myth. For some people, busy-ness equals

productivity. The solution can be summed up by the phrase: 'Don't tell me how busy you are. Tell me what you've done.' The secret is to focus clearly on the objective and do as little work as possible to achieve it.

2. The myth of delegation. Effective delegation does save time, but often it is an excuse for abdication. Always ask yourself: 'Am I delegating this because I don't feel like doing it, or will the delegation of this job really help me to achieve my objective?'

3 The myth of time shortage. The next time you are tempted to say: 'I don't have the time to…' or 'There is not enough time to…', say instead 'This does not have the priority for me to do it now, then, or whenever'.

4 The myth that time flies. Time is one of the few constants in the universe. All we can do is to decide how to spend each precious moment.

5. The myth that time can be saved. Time cannot be stored. It passes and is gone. A job may be done more efficiently or in less time, but the passage of time is constant and irretrievable. We can 'make up' lost time by travelling faster or working harder, but there will always be a cost in increased energy expended.

The paradox of time is that no one has enough of it, yet everyone has all there is! We cannot manage time, but we can manage ourselves. So when we hear the hackneyed phrase: 'I have a time management problem', what we really hear is: 'I have a self-management problem'.

The five myths of time management

Barnacle sessions can eliminate faults72

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What research says to the interviewer

A lthough the interview is today a key tool in the appointment of staff, there is a body of evidence which shows that it can be a very

poor predictor of future performance. Research conducted in recent years reveals just how inherently unreliable interviews can be, confirming the notion that interviews should fill only a supporting role in any selection procedure. But if interviews play an important role in your staff selection process, you can improve your interviewing technique by considering the following research findings: • Most interviewers do not take adequate notes.• An average candidate who follows several poor

candidates is invariably seen as particularly good.• Physically attractive and well groomed candidates are

more likely to be appointed—even though they might not have been the best on paper.

• Even with highly structured selection procedures, the interview is often used to justify and explain the decision rather than guide it.

• Interviewers reach their decision about each candidate very early in the interview, according to one researcher within four minutes.

• Interviewers are poor at recalling information about the candidates.

• In higher level interviews, e.g. for an executive position, more personal questions are asked than any other category.

• In making a final decision about higher level positions, selectors give more weight to personality and personal qualities than to job-related criteria.

☞ More advice on conducting interviews on pages 362-363 of The Management Bible

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In her book The A to Z of Time Management, Lynne Wenig lists the unproven assumptions that have become part of management legend. Among her

favourites are the following:• People procrastinate because they work better

under pressure.

• The harder you work, the more work you get done.

• There is never enough time to accomplish what is really important.

• Delay improves the quality of decisions.

• If there were more hours in a day, people would finish what they need to do.

• It’s better to do small tasks first and save the big ones for later in the day.

• Managers who are the most active get the most done.

• By doing it yourself, tasks are handled better and faster.

• Identifying problems is the easy part of problem solving.

☞ You can take much of the mystery out of management by keeping a copy of The Management Bible as your constant reference tool.

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The wrong brand of coffee

Is it time for an annual check-up?

Can you honestly say that you have in some way over the past year become better at what you do as a manager? Take a backward

glance over the past year or so to see if you have indeed improved your performance. Here are a dozen questions to help focus your thoughts…1. Did I succeed, once and for all, in ridding myself of any

bad work habits (e.g. poor communications, untidy desk, inadequate delegation)?

2. Have my relationships with staff improved, stayed the same, or deteriorated?

3. Did I devise any new work methods or procedures that reduced wasted time or resources in the organisation?

4. What did I do to add to my own personal job skills and knowledge?

5. Did I solve any personnel problems that were adversely affecting our efficiency, morale, or productivity?

6. Specifically, what did I do to prepare myself for my next step upwards?

7. Was I ever guilty of 'picking' on a particular employee by belittling ideas, by handing over the least desirable jobs, or making it clear that I didn't think much of his/her abilities?

8. What did I do to improve the personal performance of individual staff members?

9. What exactly did I do to make employees proud of their work and achievements during the past year?

10. How many professional books did I read during the year and what impact did each have on my performance?

11. Did I allow my staff freedom of expression—to complain, to do things their way?

12. Did I set myself long-range goals, personal as well as professional?

P resident Nixon was working alone, very late at night in a hotel room while on a trip across the United States.

He opened the door, beckoned to a waiting aide and ordered: 'Get me coffee.'

The aide immediately responded to the request and headed off down the corridor. Most of the services in the hotel were not operating at such a late hour—and that included the hotel kitchen. Hotel personnel had to be called in and a fresh pot of coffee brewed. All this took time and the President became more and more impatient as the minutes ticked by.

Finally, a tray was made up with a carafe of coffee, cream, sugar, and some sweet rolls and this was rushed to President Nixon's suite.

It was only at this point that the aide learned that the President did not want coffee to drink—he had wanted to talk to an assistant whose name was Coffee!

☞ The issuing of vague instructions is but one of life's communication sins, yet clear communication is a skill that is not always mastered—even by a President of the United States.

There's no reason why you should issue vague instructions—provided you abide by the advice given on pages 228-229 and 216-219 of The Management Bible.

Would you prefer your management strategies online? Check out www.management2go.com

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Speech-making: the right way to use notes

Getting to those meetings on time

You’re a very lucky person if you can deliver a speech without any notes to jog your memory. For the majority of speakers,

however, notes are an essential requirement for any presentation, and here are four important points to remember in that regard:

1. Keep your notes to a minimum.If your notes are in essay form, you will always be tempted to read them to the audience. To prevent this, you should compose a delivery outline, using only key words. In this way, you relieve anxiety over the possibility of forgetting what you were going to say but at the same time force yourself to interact meaningfully with your listeners.

2. Be familiar with your notes.You should rehearse your speech at least twice using the actual notes you will be taking to the speaker’s stand on the day.

3. Use your notes openly, but subtly.Don’t try to hide your notes from the audience. On the other hand, don’t wave them around, or steal sly glances at them. Use them openly, honestly, and with casual dignity.

4. Don’t let your notes prevent you from speaking directly to your audience.If you must refer to your notes, pause while you refer to your next point, then resume eye contact with your listeners. Top speakers do not read from their notes; they take their cues from them.

☞ Want more on speech-making? See The Management Bible, pages 274-289.

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Late again for a meeting? Being on time for an appointment shows respect for others and it's just plain good business. If you have

trouble getting to meetings on time, then here are some valuable pointers to contemplate:

• Never make promises you can't keep. Be realistic about making appointments and try not to overcommit yourself.

• Be precise about meeting times. 'Between 10 and 10.30' or 'around 2.15' is never good enough.

• Discipline yourself to end your previous appointments on time.

• Since it usually takes a few minutes from the time you say 'I must be going now' to the time you actually leave, make a practice of preparing to leave a previous meeting before it's actually scheduled to conclude.

• Be aware of your environment. How long does it take by cab? by bus? How easy is it to park? If it's raining, will it take you longer to arrive? Will peak hour traffic hold you up?

• Assume the worst and prepare for it. If it takes 15 minutes to get somewhere, allow more time than that. If being early makes you look over-eager, stop off at the nearby coffee shop and do a little report reading etc.

• If you are a chronic case, carry a beeper or a watch with an alarm function.

• If you're going to be late, show courtesy by making a phonecall.

• If you are late once, don't let it happen to the same party a second time. Avoid earning the label of being someone who is 'always late'.

☞ Want more on meetings? See The Management Bible, pages 230-247.

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The yellow traffic lightersA slap in the face

D id you know that criticising someone's idea during a meeting can be as harmful to that person as physically striking him or her?

A group of United States consultants, who advise organisations on how to make discussions more creative, are convinced that personal antagonism is the main cause of unproductive meetings. They reached this view after studying dozens of tape and video recordings of meetings.

One of their major findings was that meeting participants are often unnecessarily antagonistic towards the ideas of others. The person who offers the idea tends to view this antagonism as a personal attack. This in turn causes conflict which is not at all conducive to producing good ideas.

The consultants proved their point by carrying out an experiment with a psychogalvanometer. In the course of a meeting, the subject whose fingers were connected to electrodes, was deliberately criticised. The pointer on the psychogalvanometer rose to a level it had reached when the same subject had been physically slapped earlier. So it seems that criticism can come as something of a blow—literally.

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F ind the essence of each situation—just like a logger clearing a log-jam. As a professional, he climbs a tall tree and locates the key log, blows

it up, and lets the stream do the rest. An amateur would start at the edge of the log-jam and move each log in turn, eventually moving the key log. Both approaches work, but the professional's approach saves time and effort.

☞ Almost all problems have a 'key' log if only we can learn to find it—which is part of the advice offered on problem solving, outlined on pages 266-267 in The Management Bible.

Finding the log82

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☞ To criticise constructively, consult pages 174-175 of The Management Bible.

The author of Cower Power, the fun-loving J. Upton Dickson, once claimed he was intending to establish a group for submissive

people. He was going to call the group 'Doormats'—which stands for 'Dependent Organisation of Really Meek and Timid Souls—if there are no objections'. Their motto would be: 'The meek shall inherit the earth—if that's OK with everyone else.' Their symbol—a yellow traffic light.

☞ Deny yourself membership of the group—by reading 'How to develop a positive mental attitude', 'How to boost your self-confidence', and 'How to stand up for yourself' in The Management Bible.

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The incident of the stubborn calf

Ralph Waldo Emerson had a reputation for being an unruffled, patient, good-tempered man. He was an eminent historian, noted

poet, and respected American philosopher.On this particular afternoon however, he was

far from unruffled, patient and good-tempered. For nearly half-an-hour, Emerson and his son, Edward, had been trying to persuade a calf into the barn.

No amount of pushing and shoving would entice the animal through the door.

In a final desperate effort, Edward circled an arm around the neck of the calf and Ralph pushed from behind. They struggled to get the obstinate heifer to move, but with each pull and push, the stubborn creature locked its knees and firmly planted all four feet into the ground. Emerson's clothing by now was soaked with bovine sweat. The perspiration streamed down from the poet's face. The great Ralph Waldo Emerson, dripping frustration, had lost his persistent and sedate spirit.

A young Irish peasant woman happened by. She immediately sensed the Emersons' predicament and asked if she could be of assistance.

'If you think you can do anything, then you just go right ahead,' came the exasperated reply.

The woman walked around to the front of the calf and stuck her finger into the calf's mouth. The calf followed her into the barn.

The son was amused, and Emerson himself was intrigued with the simple lesson the young peasant girl had taught him.

You see, most people are like the calf. You can prod them, push them, pull them, even kick them—and still they won't move. But if you give them a

reason they understand and a motive for their action, they will peacefully follow.

☞ From the plethora of information and advice about motivation, The Management Bible has isolated the ten essential principles to help you motivate your employees. Check out pages 250-251.

Nyet! Nyet!! Nyet!!!

The prize for the most useless weapon of all time would have to go to the Russians. They invented the dog mine. Dogs, with bombs

attached to their backs, were trained to associate food with the undersides of tanks in the hope that they would run hungrily beneath advancing German Panzers. Trouble was, the dogs associated food solely with Russian tanks. The plan was begun on the first day of the Russian involvement in World War 2 and shelved on the second day. Six hungry bomb-carrying dogs had forced an entire Soviet tank division to retreat.

83

84

☞ If only the Russians had read pages 316-317 in The Management Bible—'How to guard against things going wrong'!

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The bogus birthdayLook at what they did85

Here's an idea to help you handle those little jobs that don't appear to be very important—you know, the ones with a

deadline down the track, the ones you keep putting aside, even though they may take no longer than a few minutes to complete. 'There's no rush, so why do them yet?' is usually your excuse for putting them off. Ultimately, however, the day comes when the work is needed—and the job still hasn't been done. Then there's a rush to complete it and you might even end up with a crisis to handle.

The best friend of time management consultant Jeffrey Mayer has his birthday on 20 October. Every year, Mayer used to write it on his calendar and then just watch as the date came closer and closer, until finally he would rush out to buy a gift and, invariably, an apology card for being late.

Then one day Mayer had a brainwave. Why not make 18 October his friend's birthday? That way Mayer could go through his usual routine, waiting until the last minute to buy a present, and it would still get there on time. This time management ruse worked like a charm.

Mayer suggests that we should all try the bogus birthday trick on those 'distant deadline' tasks that tend to accumulate. Make up a due date and note it on your calendar. Even this artificial deadline creates a sense of urgency. Then, says Mayer, if you wait until the last minute, you'll still get the little jobs done—on time—because the 'last' minute is, in reality, the 'next-to-last' minute.

☞ More strategies on setting priorities and meeting deadlines can be found in The Management Bible.

There are only three pure colours—red, blue, and yellow—but look at what van Gogh and Renoir did with those three colours. There are

only seven notes, but look at what Chopin, Schubert, and McCartney did with those seven notes. Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address contained only 262 words —and 202 of them had only one syllable. Think of the impact those simple, direct words had on civilisation.

☞ The authors of The Management Bible have attempted to distil the essence of management succinctly into one comprehensive volume. Their hope is that managers at all levels and in all fields will treasure the advice as much as Chopin treasured those seven notes or van Gogh those three basic colours.

The average person spends at least one-fifth of his or her life talking. Ordinarily, in a single day, enough words are spoken to fill a fifty-

page book. Over a year, the average person's words would fill 132 books, each containing at least 400 pages. On the other hand, listening occupies on average around 30 per cent of our waking time. Listening is used more than talking, three times as much as reading, and four times as much as writing.

☞ Which is why The Management Bible provides 11 key listening principles on pages 148-149.

87

86 Listening loses out

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The Insect Man

Never too old

He was known as The Insect Man. He spent most of his 92 years observing insects and spiders in the gardens and fields near his

home in France, recording his fascinating life's work in a 10-volume Souvenirs Entomologiques. He was awarded The Legion of Honor—despite having once been fired as a teacher for having dared to allow girls to attend his science classes. His name was Jean Henri Fabre.

A great many scientific societies recognised his achievements, although much of his work involved very simple observations of insect life.

Like his experiment with processionary caterpillars—wormlike creatures that travel in long undulating lines, at the same pace and rhythm, giving no thought to their final destination. Without forethought, they simply follow the leader.

Fabre placed a group of these caterpillars on to the rim of a large flowerpot. The leader was nose-to-tail with the last caterpillar in the slow, deliberate, non-ending parade. Even for Fabre, it was impossible to distinguish the leader from the followers.

Fabre placed an abundant supply of food in the middle of the flowerpot. Day after day, night after night, the caterpillars paraded around and around the rim. After seven days and nights, the caterpillars, one by one, began to die of starvation and exhaustion.

The abundant supply of food was only centimetres away and only slightly outside the path of the procession. The caterpillars' source of life was visible, but unavailable because the creatures were reluctant to break out of their habitual processionary formation.

☞ Unfortunately, in an age of fast food, 24-hour television, packaged entertainment and the fast buck, it is easy to become caught up in the habitual side of life and work, bogged down, living and working without really accomplishing anything. Achievers aren't like that. They break out of the procession and make things happen. You can, too, if you stick to the advice offered by The Management Bible in 'How to take the initiative and make things happen' on pages 12-13.

Did you know that:

• Michelangelo was 71 when he painted the Sistine Chapel?

• John D. Rockefeller was making $1 million a week when he died at age 97?

• Albert Schweitzer was still performing operations in his African hospital at age 89?

• Winston Churchill, at 70, addressed V-E Day crowds, standing on top of his car to speak?

• Golda Meir was 71 when she became prime minister of Israel?

• George Burns won an Oscar at 80?• Benjamin Franklin framed the US Constitution

when he was 81?• Charlie Chaplin was still directing movies at 76?

☞ Eight facts which prove that we can be creative and productive at whatever age—and one reason why The Management Bible provides advice on 'How to help older employees stay valuable in your organisation'—pages 388-389.

88

89

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In front of that audience

Managers inevitably have days that are more stressful than others. But if you want to avoid those tension headaches,

back pain, and stiff necks that go with stress, the Australian Osteopathic Association says that these five simple exercises should be performed several times in your office during the day:

1. Slowly raise your arms over your head and draw in your stomach. Then let your arms drop. Repeat twice.

2. Close your eyes, inhale deeply through the nose, then breathe out strongly through the mouth. Repeat six times.

3. Loosen your neck, shoulders, arms, legs, and feet with a good shake.

4. Link your fingers behind your head and press your elbows back as far as possible. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat.

5. Grip the sides of a chair with both hands, lift the pelvis, squeeze the buttocks. Hold for five seconds. Relax. Repeat.

☞ Stress is inevitable but manageable—as The Management Bible proposes on pages 26-27. Perhaps you prefer your management strategies online… then consult www.management2go.com

Stress-beating exercises for managers

When Jennifer Denham, whose company, appropriately named Speaking and Confidence, was asked to list the key

presentation skills for a speaker, she responded by listing the following fifteen tips…

S Smile!—and win your audience.P Prepare thoroughly and rehearse your speech.E Enthusiasm—you need it to persuade your

audience.A Audio—how do you sound?K Knowledge—you must know your subject. Be the

expert.

C Convince your audience with simple words and visuals.

O Organise your speech and equipment. Speak to time.

N Natural—be yourself.F Funny—use humour to make your message fun

and effective.I Imagination—jump into the shoes of the audience.

What do they want to know?D Dress and Deportment—what do you look like.E Experience—practice makes perfect, so volunteer

to speak.N Nerves—work at controlling them. Nervous

energy is healthy.C Contact the audience by using effective eye

contact.E Enjoy yourself!

9190

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Bread and butter Check out your stress potential

A re you a Type A or Type B personality? The Type A is a stressful character who has the potential to end up with chronic health

problems. Ask yourself these questions…

■ When I play Scrabble, cards or sport, am I out to win—do I fight all the way? (Type A) Or do I like to win but mainly play for the fun of it? (Type B)

■ Am I a fast driver? Do I get irritated by the car in front travelling too slowly? (Type A) Does my spouse usually try to slow me down? (Type A)

■ Do I set aside time for hobbies? (Type B) Or are hobbies only to fill in idle time when there is nothing important to do? (Type A)

■ Do I get impatient when things are done slower than I think they should be? (Type A)

■ Do I think about work problems while eating or when in the bathroom? (Type A)

■ Do I get irritated when I have to wait for a table in a restaurant or in a bank queue? (Type A)

■ Do I always feel that I never get done all of the things I wanted to do in a day? (Type A)

☞ Hostility, aggression, impatience, 'hurry sickness' —all can be unhealthy traits and, as such, forerunners of stress and possible predictors of heart attack.

Work to keep those unhealthy aspects of a Type A personality in check—and live longer. 'How to manage stress at work' in The Management Bible might help as well.

Back in the 1930s, so the story goes, a baker in Scotland suspected that a farmer who was supplying his butter was giving him

short weight. Over a period of several weeks he carefully checked the weight and his suspicions were confirmed. This so angered him that he had the farmer arrested.

'I assume you have weights,' said the judge at the farmer's trial.

'No, sir, I don't,' replied the farmer.'Then how do you weigh the butter you sell?''Well,' said the farmer, 'when the baker began

buying butter from me, I decided to get my bread from him. I just use the one-pound loaf he sells me as a weight for the butter I sell. If the weight of the butter is wrong, he has only himself to blame.'

92 93

☞ The moral of the story is that dishonesty will ultimately return to haunt us. In The Management Bible, 'How to gain a reputation for honesty and integrity' provides some timely advice for all managers.

EVERYBODY'S HEARD OF SHORTBREAD, M'LUD, BUT NOT SHORTBUTTER.

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Do you recall Eliza Doolittle’s complaint to Colonel Pickering in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion? She said:

'...the difference between a lady and flower girl is not how she behaves but how she is treated. I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl, and always will; but I know I can be a lady to you, because you always treat me as a lady, and always will.'

Eliza has given expression to what has become known as the Pygmalion Effect. One person can give others new life, new abilities, new skills—but only by believing in them and treating them as if they already had those abilities and skills.

The Pygmalion Effect can work powerfully in your workplace. As a manager, you can literally give your staff new life, as you help them stretch to the utmost of their capacities.

Research has shown that, firstly, people’s performance and career progress are directly determined by their bosses’ expectations and treatment of them and, secondly, if a boss sets feasible high-performance goals for the staff, the staff generally meets them.

In other words, as Cheryl Reimold writes in Being a Boss, ‘the quality and amount of work people do reflects the quality and amount of attention and confidence they receive’.

Conversely, research has shown that bosses who treat their staff as unmotivated under-achievers end up with people who are just that!

☞ The Management Bible is loaded with ideas on how to get the most from your staff.

95The Pygmalion effect94 The pile of potatoes

One day a Tasmanian farmer hired Arthur Hogan, an itinerant labourer, to do some work around the farm. He asked him to

paint the barn and estimated that it would take three days—Arthur did it in one day.

Then he asked him to cut up a pile of wood. He estimated that would take four days—Arthur did it in two days.

'This fellow's the best worker I've ever had,' thought the farmer.

Then he asked Arthur to sort a large pile of potatoes. 'I want them divided into three groups,' he said. 'In the first pile put all those potatoes that I can use as seed potatoes; in the next put those that I can sell; and in the third put those for feeding the pigs.' He estimated that the job could be finished in a day.

At the end of the day, the farmer went to see how the labourer had done and found only three very small heaps—he had made little impression on the heap of potatoes. The farmer asked what was wrong.

Arthur replied, 'I can work—but I'm hopeless at making decisions.' ☞ For many of us, decision-making, together with the responsibility that goes with it, is no easy task, as the farm labourer found. But decision-making is an inescapable task for managers, who must make dozens of decisions, large and small, each day. Indeed, in the end, it is the quality of our decisions that determines the success of our efforts.

You can improve the effectiveness of your decision-making by sticking to the guidelines listed on pages 268-269 of The Management Bible.

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Self-motivation: we become what we think

Motivational guru Gerald Richards believes that attitude and motivation is a personal thing. Other people and events can

influence you, but only you can decide what your outlook on life will be.

Developing self-motivation and conditioning your mind is like exercising and conditioning your body, he says. Lift weights one day—will you be stronger the next day? Hardly. Lift weights a second day—will you be stronger? Doubtful. Lift weights every day for thirty days—will there be a difference? Definitely.

A quick shot of 'self-motivation' has a minimal effect. Your persistence will decide your fate.

Richards argues that, in the long term, 'we become what we think', and he proposes four important self-fulfilling prophesies:• If we are generally negative in thought, then we

tend to operate that way. If we think in positive outcomes, generally that's what tends to happen.

• If we believe that all jobs are difficult, then we tend to treat them that way. If we see an employee as a nuisance, our attuitude will be quickly conveyed to that person.

• If we think in terms of problems, we will find them. If we think in terms of opportunities and solutions, we will find them too.

• In many cases, it's not so much what happens to us; it's the way we react to the event that's important.

☞ We become what we think—and there is more on this in 'How to develop a positive mental attitude' and 'How to boost your self-confidence' in The Management Bible.

96 97 Why your colleagues get mad at you

It's so easy for your actions to make people angry. For example, are you guilty of using any of these tried and true approaches, identified by US

organisational psychologist Dr Al Bernstein:■ Talk behind their back. In any organisation, if you say

something behind someone's back, for sure s/he will eventually hear about it.

■ People are saying that you…' This variation of talking behind someone's back is never appreciated by your colleague who will normally treat you as if you started the rumour—whether you did or not. Remember, the Greeks used to kill the bearers of bad news for a reason.

■ Public humiliation. Many things that could be ignored in private become much more insulting when done in public. Interrupting, correcting facts, failing to give credit etc. can effectively push people's buttons when you do this in front of a group.

■ Pull rank. Nobody likes direct orders. The more you give, the angrier people get. There are more subtle ways of exerting your authority and getting a job done.

■ Minimise experience. If you imply, by your words or actions, that you know more about doing other people's jobs than they do, it will surely infuriate them. Changes initiated from the top without input from below are usually taken as criticism.

■ Call someone into your office. Don't do this when everyone knows the only reason you call people in is to chew them out.

■ Imply dishonesty or moral turpitude. If you set universal policies to control the worst of your employees, you will definitely anger your best who resent the implication that they are dishonest, disloyal, or lazy.

☞ Ten other irritating habits are listed on pages 92-93 of The Management Bible.

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The art of accepting praiseA Timely reminder 99

Do you get flustered and embarrassed when someone pays you a compliment? There is an art to accepting compliments graciously

and with dignity, an art which many people have never mastered.

One of the simplest and most appropriate responses, writes Vivian Buchan in The Toastmaster, is to smile and say, 'Thank you. It means a lot to me to hear you say that.' There's a subtle compliment embodied in that sentence, too, for the emphasis on you implies that the person's comments mean more because of who is making them.

As well, Buchan offers this advice:

■ Don't belittle praise. If someone says, 'You handled that situation very well', don't reply, 'Oh, it was nothing. Anyone could have done that.' Remarks like this belittle the praise as well as the person, because it makes the person commenting on your performance feel like s/he's from nowhere as far as judgement is concerned.

■ Don't try to repay the compliment. If you begin swapping compliments like children, then it simply becomes a childish exercise in hypocrisy.

■ Don't let compliments go to your head. Consider a compliment as a motivational spur to encourage you to do or be better. Think more about how you can improve and start to work on ways to do that. Remember what Adlai Stevenson said about compliments: 'Flattery is fine if you can handle it. It's like smoking cigarettes. OK, as long as you don't inhale.'

The 21 March 1983 issue of Time magazine featured a cover story on Lee Iacocca as 'Detroit's Comeback Kid'. But also part of the

cover was a blurb on Henry Kissinger's 'New Plan for Arms Control'.

The problem was that someone at Time had lost control of the word 'Control' and the word came out without the r—as 'Contol'. By the time an employee discovered the error, more than 200 000 covers had been printed.

What to do? Time executives considered only one option—stop the presses, correct the misspelled word, and destroy the offending covers. To put the r back in 'Contol' cost Time $100 000 and delayed distribution of the magazine to 40 per cent of news stands.

98

☞ Production blunders can be costly for any organisation—but costs can be reduced in many other areas of activity… as 'How to save money by cutting costs' reveals in The Management Bible.

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If you must own just one book, then The Management Bible is it. The book will…■ provide you with a short-cut to all the essential

management know-how there is—in one volume.■ help you climb the promotional ladder—hundreds of

strategies to help you develop personal management skills and improve your career prospects.

■ help you manage other people—hundreds of solutions about how to hire the right people, improve staff performance, handle difficult people, and tackle the many 'people problems' managers face every day.

■ help you run your organisation—everything from writing a mission statement to saving money, tackling harassment, handling crises, and boosting morale.

The five-minute quickie

Time is often wasted during the working day when you rationalise that, since there are only a couple of minutes left before lunch or

the next meeting, you'll not be able to do anything worthwhile—so you don't.

It's for times like this that you need a list of five-minute quickies—any self-contained task that can be completed in five minutes or less.

Spend a few minutes making a list of tasks that you can do in five minutes—• organise a file • dictate a brief letter or memo• update your to-do list• jot down a reminder in your diary• skim through the contents of your latest journal• make a telephone call• send a thankyou note• check your in-basket• read some paperwork• do a few de-stressing exercises•••••

☞ Put the list in a prominent place and, whenever you have a few minutes spare, take it out and refer to it to keep up your productivity. More on how to get yourself organised to save time on pages 198-199 of The Management Bible.

100

And it's so easy to use…At last you don't have to separate the practical ideas from entangling management jargon and theory—the authors have done that for you. Over 300 topics appear as double-page spreads, and each is cross-referenced and presented as step-by-step solutions to management problems and issues. An invaluable reference tool! Just about everything you need to know as a manager —in this 632-page hardcover publication! So convenient! So practical!

http://bible.management2go.com

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The Manager's Book of 100 Ideas

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It's your short-cut to essential management know-how!

Over 300 practical and immediately accessible 'how tos'…

The most comprehensive catalogue of management solutions yet.

Check it out...

Managing Yourself 19 topicsManaging Your Career 34 topicsManaging Relationships 18 topicsCommunicating 27 topicsBuilding Essential Skills 49 topicsPlanning 30 topicsStaff-Related Skills 40 topicsManaging Conflict 14 topicsManaging Crises 15 topicsMarketing 26 topicsOrganization-Wide Issues 32 topics

And when you purchase The Management Bible you will receive our FREE e-book Management Bible Supplement of 20 new topics!

http://bible.management2go.com

Custom-designed as your organisation's management or management training reference:• The first 16-page section devoted to

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What do the following have in common?

¢The English headmaster who punched his under-13's rugby coach on the nose

¢Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats¢The eminent Shakespearean actor, Edwin

Booth¢Actor Charles Laughton at a Christmas dinner

party¢The owner of the McDonald's chain, on his

hands and knees, in a McDonald's car park¢Former dictator Saddam Hussein¢Red Adair, the king of the oil rig fires¢The wise-cracking entertainer Jimmy Durante¢An impatient President Richard Nixon¢Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, with perspiration

streaming down his face¢A misquoted Moses

They're but a handful of the characters called upon in the pages of The Manager's Book of 100 Ideas to inspire, entertain and inform, and to introduce to the reader one of the most practical and useful management tools yet published – The Management Bible by Neil Flanagan and Jarvis Finger.

Compliments of www.justasktom.com

Q

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