Hey Manager! This is Your Job.

Do you want to be a good manager, a great manager or do you want to be Michael Scott? It’s not about talent, and it’s absolutely a choice. There are several key components of strong and effective management you must understand if you want to be successful.

1 - Say things that matter

I could have just as easily said, “Don’t be full of crap.” The idea here is simple: when you talk, make it worthwhile. Build your people up. Don’t just instruct, add value. Make them better. When you talk about a project, talk from authority, not just with authority. Too many managers run their mouth just because they feel the need to talk. You get repetitive, preachy and pedantic. People don’t need that. You’re talking to adults. Treat them like adults, adjust your expectations accordingly, and they will act like adults. Treat them like children, they will rebel.

2 – Develop a shared culture

As a leader, one of your primary missions is to create a shared sense of responsibility for the health and future of your business. People are there to do a job for a paycheck. It’s YOUR job to turn that into something more. You need to develop these people, as well as their understanding of and commitment to the mission of your business. In multiple head-to-head competitions, companies with the best employee culture beat their competitors in nearly every metric that matters. Don’t be the only one carrying water for your company. Spread that work around.

3 – Practice good judgment

The key word here is “practice”. You won’t always make the best or right decision. But that’s not an excuse for lazy thinking or snap decisions. You need to understand issues before you rule on them. Sure, you think you can trust your gut. You can’t. Get information, good information, then act on it. Decide for a reason, and be prepared to offer an explanation as to why you made that decision. Not that you owe one to your people, but because you could create a teachable moment that will make them better and make you look like a superhero.

4 – Keep it meta

Your primary job is to work on the business, not in the business. We’ve talked before about the tendency of some managers to micromanage or lord over their people. Let’s flip that around and look at what you should be doing rather than what you should avoid. Your thoughts should be focused on what you can do to make your people better, both at their jobs and just as people in general. Also, you should be looking at what the market is doing and what that means for your business. You know why so many managers don’t see the writing on the wall in their industries until it’s too late to turn the Titanic away from the iceberg? Simply put, they were not paying attention. They were too focused on work someone else was supposed to be doing, so they were not doing their job.

Don’t be That Guy. Focus on your work, which, in a nutshell, is making your people and your business better, raising your collective ceiling and increasing your potential. Again, this is not about “talent” or “mindset” or “bent”. This is absolutely about CHOICE. You can be good, great or ridiculous. It’s up to you.

David Milberg is a leading investment expert based in NYC.