Preflight Checklist

Effectiveness-Dynamics.Com

A Preflight Checklist

for Fledgling Managers

By Terry I. Eade, Ph.D.

As a manager you must be a planner. The higher the level of management, the farther into the future you must deal and the more important it becomes for you to effectively forecast, project, conceptualize, formulate contingencies, and deal with risk.
As a manager you must be a generalist. The higher the level of management, the broader the scope will be and the more critical it becomes that you delegate the details to a specialist and diversify your knowledge and information base.
As a manager you must be flexible. The higher the level of management, the more unstructured and undefined things become and the more critical it is that you deal with obscurity and change.
As a manager you must communicate effectively. The higher the level of management, the more methods of communication you must master to reach a larger and broader based audience.
As a manager you must make decisions. The higher the level of management, the more difficult, critical, and far reaching your decisions will become
As a manager you must be a change agent. The higher the level of management, the more active you must become in initiating rather than just facilitating or implementing changes.
As a manager you must be organized. The higher the level of management, the more critical it becomes for you to leverage your capabilities and time through setting priorities, scheduling, delegation, systemization, preparation, and self-discipline.
As a manager you must be an image maker. The higher the level of management, the more concerned you must become with creating positive images in all directions and the more aware you must be that perception is reality unless proven otherwise.
As a manager you must be an information broker. The higher the level of management, the more adept you must become in gathering, screening, analyzing, interpreting, applying, and disseminating information.
As a manager you must be inspirational. The higher the level of management, the more skilled you must become in translating organizational goals into the individual goals of your subordinates, creating enthusiasm, confidence, motivation, direction, cohesiveness, and a sense of purpose.
As a manager you must be innovative. The higher the level of management, the more creative and original your approach to problem solving will have to be, since all of the unimaginative solutions will have been tried before the problem reaches your level for resolution.
As a manager you must be a coordinator. The higher the level of management, the more levels of structure and areas of specialization you will oversee. It is your responsibility to make sure all these parts are working together toward common objectives and outcomes.
As a manager you must be resilient. The higher the level of management, the more frequently you will encounter failures and frustrations and the more critical it is that you be able to bounce back from disappointments and start out with a positive attitude.
As a manager you must be a counselor. The higher the level of management, the more you will be sought after for advice and assistance and the more critical it will be for you to help your subordinates solve their professional and personal problems.
As a manager you must be patient. The higher the level of management, the more complex and tentative matters will become and the more important it will be that you do not compromise the outcome by trying to force the issue to a premature conclusion.
As a manager you must be objective. The higher the level of management, the more important it will be for you to recognize your personal biases, to separate them from your professional judgment and make sure that your decisions can be substantiated and justified under both legal and ethical scrutiny.
As a manager you must be in control. The higher the level of management, the more important it is that you remain calm in the face of pressure and not let emotion cloud your thinking.
As a manager you must be committed. The higher the level of management, the more important it is that you gain the trust, respect, and commitment of your subordinates. To accomplish this end, you must be committed to both your organizational objectives and your people.