Managing the Team– Let them Do What They are Good At

Recently, during an exchange of emails with a young, talented, aspiring consultant, I was asked a simple question regarding management.   Specifically, the question was, had I managed people during my career?  Proudly, I replied that one of the greatest honors of my professional career was to be in management and to manage a team.  Thinking back, even as a very young salesperson just starting out, I dreamed of being a manager and a leader.   First, I wanted to be successful in sales, prove myself as a salesperson, and then become a manager, to train,  lead, and guide younger salespeople.

The beginning is always a challenge.  At age 29, I was one of the youngest Directors of Sales in a hotel to be appointed by the company.   Was I ready to manage a sales team?  Not quite.   I believe what has been told to me countless times throughout my career, that no one is ever ready on day 1 of being a manager.   Much of our management skills are learned along the way while on the job.   We make mistakes, learn from them, and improve.   We learn how to inspire and motivate to manage and continue to manage.   It is no surprise to anyone that to this day, I continue to learn about management.

One of the biggest challenges in management must be managing the people while managing the business at the same time.  

To manage people, we care for them, be alert to their needs and well-being, train them with the appropriate skills, and provide them with the necessary tools to do their jobs.   To manage the business, we focus on budgets, achieving financial goals, and executing with precision (as much as possible).   To do both, the people are the key, as without them, it would not be possible.   The team and the business are closely intertwined and connected.   The success of a company is directly related to the success of its people.   There won’t be one without the other.  

I learned a very important lesson in my early management years.  The secret to managing people is to have confidence and trust in them.    

Let them do what they are good at because that is why you have them.     

Respect every individual for their strengths and help them overcome their weaknesses.  During my career, I searched for and was always fortunate enough to surround myself with talented, capable, enthusiastic, innovative, creative, and dedicated people.  It was easy to believe in them and have total confidence in their abilities.   Their knowledge of their role and the business was exemplary.   Their business ethics, integrity, and honesty were never questioned.  

Delegating, a fundamental management practice, was practical, and the best way to manage them was to guide them but let them do what they are good at doing.  

I was there to provide support, encouragement, direction, and left the rest to them to execute.  There are many management strategies, and to me, this was the most effective one.