Business and Money Tips

Whether you are a mid-level manager, working level supervisor or high level manager, you need to achieve more with less.  The secret to becoming a high performing manager is to be a challenger. Yes, the manager is a challenger.  He challenges himself, his team and the organization to do better than before.  This challenger manager sees all problems as opportunities and challenges to be overcome.  There are 3 things that a Challenger Manager does well: Teach, Take Control and Touch Hearts Teach The manager teachers people to be better, to be more mindful, more skilled and more skillful.  Most importantly, the manager is never stingy with what he knows, he shares with them and treat his team like his life-long students.  Of course to be able to teach the manager must be competent and that's why he goes for many seminars and courses like this Take Control The manager is always in control of all situations.  In cases where the environment is dynamic and the c

Most managers are doing their job well, in fact, too well, and that's the problem.  They do not make any difference to their organization, the people and most importantly themselves.  Just ask any manager this question and you'll get stares from them: "What is the most difficult decision you made in your career and how has this decision turned up now?"  Many managers will be asking you this question instead, "Am I supposed to be doing this?  I am a good manager, you know..." To me, if a manager does not make a difference, he is irrelevant and will either be by-passed or made redundant.  Just look at many companies where they don't make any replacements for resigned managers and you'll know what I'm talking about.  In fact with today's workforce being more educated and experienced, many jobs can be done directly, with the staff reporting to the boss without a middle manager.  In many cases, the staff just report to the client directly and

It is not easy being a manager because you're always being squeezed in between. First you have to take care of your subordinates and yet take care of the company's bottom-line. As a Manager, you are assumed to have the know-how and you're expected to know everything. Unlike your subordinates, it is not easy to measure a manager's performance because much of what he does is of long term in nature and cannot see short term results. Like training and development of staff. Often it is during special situations that you will know whether your manager can perform or not. Like in solving difficult problems, getting new business and responding to crisis. But you know it's worth it to be a manager because at the end of the day, it is the manager that get things done and provide answers to the bosses. So the question is how can we be a more effective manager?  Effectiveness means not just doing things right but doing the right things.  There are 10 things that a

For decades, businesses have been trying to discover the formula for the 'perfect' manager.  There are tons of books, blog posts and editorial articles out there, and even training courses on   how to be a better manager .  While I cannot claim to have unlocked the secret theory of management, discussions with bosses and managers since 1987 revealed the following 5 traits of a 'perfect' manager: 1. Know How to Be Tough Many managers are know to be tough to themselves, tough to their customers and sub-contractors and even tough to their families but soft on their team members. The reason is the lack of people working due to the tight labour market and the ban on foreign workers in many industries.  As a result, managers are too pleasing and let the subordinates climb over their heads.   On the other hand, there are some managers that are too tough that they become abusive, aggressive and hated by people.  Such managers end up with zero staff and hav

Successful managers use a very effective management tactic that wins people over easily. This tactic is actually a process that  manages people without managing people .   This is because a good manager never managers anyone, he simply  creates the conditions for people to manage themselves.    Transformational Leadership (TL)  is the latest buzzword in management.   This is how works: You find out what are the goals of people You share with them the goals of your organization You link how achieving the organization's goals will achieve their individual's goals You show them the step-by-step pathways to achieving the 2 goals, plus you offer assistance and coaching.   You see, when you do the above, you are not telling people that they must achieve your organization's goals.  You're  helping your people to achieve their own goals.   Asking questions helps you to find out what are their real needs.  You will be seen as a  caring manager .  But you cannot

For decades, businesses have been trying to discover the formula for the 'perfect' manager.  There are tons of books, blog posts and editorial articles out there, and even training courses on  how to be a better manager .  While I cannot claim to have unlocked the secret theory of management, discussions with bosses and managers since 1987 revealed the following 5 traits of a 'perfect' manager: 1. Know How to Be Tough Many managers are tough on themselves, tough on their customers and sub-contractors and even tough on their families - but soft on their team members. The reasons could range from difficulty in hiring suitable people due to the tight labour market and the caps on employing foreigners in many industries to poor people management skills.   As a result, managers are afraid of telling their staff what they expect from them, giving negative feedback when required or being tough on poor behaviour or performance. It is no surprise that their subordi

Don't wish your job is easier, wish that you were better, so said Jim Rohn, the guru.  Indeed if the manager or boss is a better person, the team will perform better.  Everyone talks about employee discipline, and everyone assumes that the boss is naturally disciplined and will do all the right things. I beg to differ.  Just look at the many cases of corruption committed by top level people in the civil service and corporate world and you'll know what I'm talking about.  So today's let's look at Boss Discipline and the 5 precepts a boss should take.  These precepts are not rules set by anyone, they are code of conduct that protect the boss from unwanted consequences like high staff turnover, poor reputation and financial losses.  The 5 precepts are:  Abstain From Harming People . Harming people includes mental harm like giving people undue stress, anger, bad temper and taking away credit from employees.   Abstain From Taking What is Not Given .  By avoiding

Most managers are promoted based on their technical expertise.  For example, if you are a good engineer, you will be promoted to an Engineering Manager. After being promoted, managers are expected to perform their managerial and leadership roles well, on top of also performing their technical roles well. And when managers have problems, they often consult their bosses.  Unfortunately their bosses too have no formal training on management and leadership.  Even if they have a MBA, it is the day-to-day people management issues that make bosses headache. For example, many companies until now still cannot cope with the tightening of foreign labour .  Unable to find locals to take up jobs, they choose the obvious route: cut down business.  That's why you see Robinsons shrinking and many restaurant groups reducing their outlets.  Other than people issues, managers are always in a conundrum: how to balance the competing different interests of t

The other day I talked to one manager about how to upgrade his team so that they can perform better. He answered me, "I don't know, if I upgrade them, wouldn't they be more capable than me and soon take over my job?" This is a clear example of the thinking of a messenger not a manager. There are 7 ways that you can tell your manager is just a messenger and not a manager: Never Develop himself or his team .  You'll be shocked to find out that there are many managers out there that have never attended any non-technical courses since they left school.  Some of them don't even know that such courses exist!  Unbelievable but true! Good in Passing the Buck .  As we know, a manager must take up the blame even though he has no control over the hiring of his team.  As long as the team is under his responsibility, he must be responsible for ALL their actions Hardly Motivate, Inspire or Encourage his people. Worse still, such 'managers' often de-motivate

It always amazes me to see how our good government come up with so many handout schemes for businesses, like free consultancy, free ISO etc.  Handouts are good, but for how long?  As a entrepreneur, the motivating factor is not free money, but an environment where they can have a fair fight and prove their capabilities.  So when the government gives out money to the small businesses, the government needs to follow-up with more business opportunities. Otherwise, the money is not put to good use.  We know that in business money grows money, and handouts are good if they can be put to good use to generate more business. Otherwise, the money will be gone in no time. What I think the government should do to give more business opportunities for small businesses include: Law requiring the public sector and all big companies  to, before asking for quotes from foreign companies, to put up their purchase requisition in a website whereby  only local companies can quote, say for 2 weeks.