Better Managing Tips

There has always been two ways you can look at the world we work in. One is through the eye of a pessimist who only sees the bad, unemployment, slashed budgets, jobs under threat and the other through the eyes of an optimist, low mortgage interest rates, cheaper petrol and opportunities everywhere. Which one are you? If you really think about it, as long as you have a job, things aren’t really that bad. The hard part is to adopt a positive attitude. easier said than done.

A positive attitude is hard to have when all we’re being told is we can feed our families for under $10 a meal, only go out shopping when there’s an interest free sale or a recession busting deal and off course there’s “tight arse Tuesday” at the movies where its less than half price for a ticket. When faced with huge challenges, most peoples reaction is fear which can then trigger feelings of depression, anxiety as well as anger. These sorts of emotions and fear have a negative effect at the workplace. You as a manager have to rise above all of this and stay positive for your staff as well as for yourself. One way to do that is to look for ways that you can make more of a difference to your company and maybe re-evaluate the values and the culture of the organization. In other words, become part of the solution and not the problem. there are a few simple things you can do to achieve this:

1. Have your goals and your vision of your future clearly in mind. When you’re having a not so great day, think about where you want to be in the future and how you are going to get there and refer to it in your mind or some other visual aid you might have to bring you back on track.

2. Make sure that your boss understands your worth to the company. Instead of being seen as Mr or Mrs Doom and Gloom, maintain a profile with the decision makers of the company as one of a ‘fixer.’ Your managers love people who can save them money. They especially love it when their staff are motivated and happy which can translate into more sales for the company which in turn means more profits.

3. Be part of the solution, not the problem. It really doesn’t matter how high or low you might be in the company structure, you can make a huge difference. Always look for opportunities in the department you are responsible for and use the information to streamline things to save money or to make more sales. Looking for trends in the products or services you sell and tweak them for maximum return. Your managers will then see you as the fixer and someone who is proactive in keeping the company afloat. So next time you are faced with a problem, look for a solution and focus on that. You don’t need to think about the problem as that’s already there but a solution is not.

4. Show your manager that you are in it for the long haul. Nothing brings a smile to your managers face more than seeing someone who is committed to the company. Years ago when a company I worked for was in the process of a major upheaval, one of the directors asked me where I stood with the company and if I was staying or leaving. I loved working there so I told him that I was in it for the long haul and I would stick around no matter which way it went. He was tickled pink with such loyalty and I was rewarded with a pay rise as well as lots of other perks. It was short lived however as the company went bankrupt six months later but it just shows how senior management value loyalty and commitment.

A positive attitude at work during hard times will take you literally miles. The whingers in the company will stay behind you as nothing impresses management more than someone who is solution focused and not problem focused. If you are a positive thinker and you wake up hearing that Australia’s national debt is over $100 billion, it wont worry you as much as the person who’s all doom and gloom.

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