Validated Management Practices

By Dr. Raghu Korrapati

Validated Management Practices will walk you through the 108 required knowledge and skill areas so that you can develop to balance the 3 critical aspects of management- employees, customers and financials, well. While some of the chapters in this book are oriented towards managers working in an Information Technology industry, it will be useful for managers in any industry with practical advice and tips on how to become an effective manager. In addition, the appendices contain extract of mandatory skills for all professionals from my previous book - '108 Pearls of Wisdom' and 'Dr Raghu's Top Ten' — my guiding principles.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diamond Books
• Release date: Dec 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9788128828805

Book preview

1. Hard Work & Results

One percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration.

– Thomas Edison

This definition of genius has often been quoted in various contexts to define success. Rigors of hard work and success were described by master painter Michelangelo thus: "If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem wonderful at all."

Achieving success is almost like finding God - the destination is the same, but the roads are as varied as the seekers. All you need to do is choose your path. But one path that every successful person has definitely treaded is ‘hard work’.

That hard work is a key to success is a well-known adage. Hard work always leads to success which is basically about how you can turn adverse situations in your favor.

So, focus all your energies in a concentrated manner on your goal and then start perspiring for it. Note that the choice of your goal and the effort taken in reaching it are complementary to each other. If you want to accomplish your goal for the love of it and not because someone is asking you to do it, no amount of hard work would tire you.

As De Bono puts it: "Successful people do often enjoy their work that it does not seem like work."

I have met several personalities across the globe for whom, the foremost factor responsible for a successful and contented life was hard work.

Let me list a few simple things that help in your quest to be successful through hard work:

Start your day early.

Hard workers get up early. They take time out for themselves when it’s quiet. They usually follow some fitness regimen before work, and they get organized before the flood of activity starts.

Early in my career I used to get up at a normal time and arrive at work around 8 or 8:30. Little did I know that most of the high-performers had been there for an hour already and by the time I checked in, I was already catching up!

Getting up early is also good mental exercise, which gives you mental vigor and discipline. It also gives you the time and focus to stay organized throughout the day. Try getting up early and you’ll be amazed what happens and how much you can accomplish. Not only are you more focused and productive, but you will also find it easier to go to sleep early.

Remember - Most corporate executives and successful entrepreneurs are early risers. Commit to make this a habit from tomorrow.

Focus on your daily goals.

The biggest problem we have today at work is distraction. Social media sites, text messages, phone calls, meetings, emails etc, they’re all distracting. More and more of our life today is filled with these noise-making activities.

Successful people take time to focus. They ask themselves - What is the #1 deliverable or result I am responsible for getting done today?

All of us are accountable to someone for something. The more focused you are, the clearer you become about what you’re accountable for.

Pay attention to detail.

When you have a project to complete, a proposal to write, or presentation to produce, give it your best. Do everything in your power to make sure your work is accurate, complete and comprehensive.

Listen more, talk less.

That’s why we have two ears and one mouth isn’t it? One mistake that many people make is not listening enough, and as you move into leadership roles you will realize that listening is more important than ever.

Hearing but not listening is an easy mistake to make - your mind is racing, you know what you want to say, and you’re only half-listening to the person talking to you. Instead, focus on what the other person is saying. If you don’t, you can miss out on a valuable input. Also if other people perceive you as being receptive they are more likely to discuss their ideas and concerns with you.

Use tools around you.

Hard working high performers are lifelong learners. When you hear about something in your industry you need to understand, dig in. Look for articles, books and read about it. Talk with someone who might be an expert in that space. Make continuous learning a part of your career.

Whenever there is a mention of a book, model, company, or technology I’ve never heard of, I immediately make it a point to write it down and look it up later. Over the years I’ve acquired a tremendous amount knowledge about human resources, technology, leadership, and business simply by following up on all the things I hear about.

People who learn fast and adapt make great leaders. There is a well known leadership competency that companies often use to identify potential leaders - and it’s called learning agility. Note this down and start learning about it.

Practice mental toughness.

This one may be the most important of all habits. Have you experienced what it feels like to push yourself at the gym? A professional career or job demands the same kind of hard work and toughness.

I’ve worked with thousands of people over the years and never met anyone who couldn’t do amazing things if they just pushed themselves. This also means you should get comfortable with making mistakes. You may fall behind or handle a situation poorly. Pick yourself up and push ahead faster and wiser next time.

Hard work is easy – have fun!

Find a company or team of people you like. Have the strength to take a job you love, even if it isn’t the highest paying or most glamorous in your industry. If you like what you do, working hard will come naturally and success will always follow – no exceptions.

SO, IS ONLY HARD WORK ENOUGH?

Although hard work is very important it is not enough. We must also measure whether our efforts have achieved the desired results. We live in a competitive world that is obsessed with results and measurement. Did we hit our sales targets? Did we make respectable profits? Did we deliver the project on time, with high quality and on budget? How many leads did we receive from that campaign? What’s our market share?

The reality is - results measure how successful we are as human beings; be it business, sports or reality TV shows. If we didn’t measure, how would we celebrate our successes and learn from our failures?

Few Reasons Why Results Matter:

Results drive most business decisions today.

Five years from now (sometimes five minutes) no one will focus how hard you worked on the project that failed.

While processes are important, people sometimes get caught up in becoming really good at something while missing the point of the process entirely…the results.

Short term, results drive investment in new business.

Long term, shareholders and markets reward results.

Knowing what works and doesn’t, keeps us honest and leads to a future of success.

2. Develop Personal Power

Personal power is the ability to take action.

- Anthony Robbins

A simple example of exercising personal power is changing habits. Changing a habit could be going to work on time, finishing the given tasks on time, giving up smoking, implementing an exercise routine, or controlling an emotional reaction to a person at work. How fast and efficiently you change a behavior pattern is one way to measure your personal power.

Develop your Personal Power.

One very effective method of increasing personal will power is to abstain from yielding to the sabotaging thoughts that the voice in our head proposes. The ability to focus your attention is a way to navigate through conflicting desires.

Personal power can be seen among people at work. You will know those people who have it. They always seem to be in the right place and seem to have an instinct for what to say and when to say it. They are moved up the company ranks because everyone respects them. If you want to be one of them, here are some critical tips to take into account to increase your personal power at the workplace.

Be sincere in your work.

If you are late to work every other day and leave promptly at 5, people will notice. Once you have a reputation of slacking, you can rarely overcome this stigma. On the other hand, employees silently look up to people who are dedicated and willing to put in more than the required amount of time and effort.

Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.

Whether you are a new joiner or the top boss, never talk negatively about the decisions made by the company. True or not, you will never climb the power ladder if you are classified as a chronic complainer.

Embrace change.

If you can come up with some new changes to the process of delivery, service for customers or other elements of the products you sell, talk to the people that make these types of changes. They may say that it can’t be done or may even downplay your ideas, but they will look at you differently from that moment. Be mature about accepting constructive criticism and you will be respected for your professionalism.

Get better.

Join refresher classes, training sessions and stay up on new developments in your field of work. Keep in touch with industry forums and outside contacts so you understand what is happening in your industry. Being in the know zone is a powerful state to hold, even if you are not a manager, yet.

Network.

Look for a mentor who is one of the more respected leaders in your firm. Introduce yourself, meet with him regularly and ask for his advice in expanding your scope and role as a leader. Also ask him periodically to objectively evaluate your strengths and weaknesses with regard to future development. Go with a mindset to learn. Listen carefully to what he tells you and come up with an action plan to address any problem areas and to advance your strengths.

Being a power player is possible with the right tool set. It may not happen overnight, but you will reach your potential if you can be persistent and really want to succeed.

Fig 1 : How to build your personal power

3. Becoming a Great Employee

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.

– Albert Einstein

All leaders in companies believe that their employees are their biggest assets – no exception! But are great employee qualities fast disappearing in the workforce? If it is, then you should see if you can adapt some of these and give yourself that competitive edge. Some great employee qualities that all bosses appreciate include:

Manage yourself.

Manage yourself by knowing your roles and responsibilities in your company. In addition, learn to know what it takes to go a step beyond what your current role entails. Know what makes you a competitive advantage to your boss. How do you improve yourself? Do you know your key strengths you can play up? Weaknesses you should seek to lessen via training or even self learning?

Manage your boss.

Perhaps one of the most important qualities great employees have is the ability to manage your boss. This does not mean sycophancy. It means knowing his likes and dislikes, and how he works. For example, does he like to be updated via email which means he is perhaps a very visual based person versus being updated verbally which means he is perhaps more auditory?. Learn how to break bad news to him, prepare him for meetings and the unexpected. You will soon become a key competitive advantage in his team.

Show Managerial attitude.

Even if you are in the lowest layer of your company’s hierarchy, make sure you have a managerial attitude. This is one of the important qualities of a great employee. Behave like a manager and see to it that things are done the way they are supposed to be done. Manage expectations of everyone in the team from the boss to colleagues and peers within the department. Stick to time lines; follow up with next steps after every meeting, have progress reports ready even if they are informal ones like an email.

Manage time.

Prioritize your work and manage your time well. Know when to do what. Do not procrastinate on work especially when they involve other teams’ participation. Your delay will affect other people’s work. Great employees know how to manage their time well and even manage their boss’s time well.

Results oriented.

Work with objectives in mind. What is the overall objective of the project? Work towards the aim that everyone who is involved in a project big or small has a role. Everyone must contribute towards that goal. You must learn to get results and expect high performance of yourself. Do not just do enough to get by. This is another important quality of a great employee.

Stretch yourself.

Great employees have the stamina to do outstanding work. They set the pace for others to follow. If you want to be great at what you do and be appreciated by the boss, look for ways to outdo yourself. Be the best that you can be. Even if perfection is elusive, go out to get it. Even if you fall short of perfection, your near perfect would have pushed you further than you would have thought possible.

Optimistic.

Have a Can Do attitude. Ever worked with someone who is always so negative, that everything is impossible, nothing is easy, things are too troublesome and a million other excuses and reasons why things won’t work? Do you catch yourself making the same mistake? Have a Can Do attitude. Have the courage and patience to work things out and figure things out even if it sounds very challenging. Bosses trust people who have a Can Do attitude in approaching work.

Pursue excellence.

In everything you do, strive to be the best you can be. Take the initiative to ensure that things are going right and make sure that the details are tied down. Spend time doing what everyone else takes for granted.

Enjoy work.

Peter Drucker, the management guru said, "Those who perform love what they are doing." Even if it means a routine task, they know each step and each detail builds on another and helps achieve the company’s objective. A boss can feel whether employees enjoy their work or otherwise. Someone who enjoys their work will naturally bring their best to work.

Make Positive Contributions.

A great employee takes personal responsibility for everything she does. To be a great employee you must contribute positively to the organization. Take initiatives, give suggestions, or even be the silent hero who solves challenges quietly, that is how a great employee works. They work to help achieve greater goals for the organization.

Nurture Collaborative work relationships.

Being nice to people and have great working relationships across departments and ranks is one of the important great employee qualities. It means you can get a lot more cooperation and a strong network to help you in getting your work done.

Perhaps you already have these qualities and what you need is a plan to bring them to be noticed. If you don’t, start to see which of these qualities you can adopt and start on first. It will help you move up the corporate ladder a lot easier.

4. Manage your career

Believe you can and you’re halfway there.

– Theodore Roosevelt

Is there a secret to why some people have successful careers and others don’t? Some research shows that IQ or abilities often have no cause and effect relationship. Certainly, socio-economic background does have a significant influence, but no guarantee.

I have talked to several global executives and managers about their careers over the two decades. A constant theme for both high-performing and high-potential professionals has been the pitfalls and promises of corporate politics and finding the keys to career success. Here are some insights I can share that can shape, advance and revitalize the careers of executives and managers.

Take responsibility.

Don’t wait until you’re fired, laid off, burned out or fed up to revitalize your career. Manage your career on an ongoing basis, particularly through the good times. This reflects a belief you should embrace—take responsibility for everything that happens in your life.

Treat every conversation as an interview.

Everyone you talk to judges or evaluates your worth. Make that conversation worth something. And focus on the other person and not yourself.

Focus on your strengths.

Do what you’re best at, and what you have a passion for. Don’t spend an inordinate amount of time trying to make your weaknesses, strengths.

Don’t buy into the workaholic hype.

Workaholics achieve at a cost. Typically, they burn out and never recover or they burn out others. Having a balanced life is not antithetical to excellence. Research in fact shows that time off work and rest time improves productivity.

Increase self-awareness.

Being clear about your values and living them; continually being mindful of your inner state; being aware of your impact on others; and learning how to manage your emotions and thoughts can be the greatest contribution or downfall to career success.

Stop being egocentric.

Develop the discipline to listen more than you talk. Watch how often you use the word I when you talk.

Never be unemployed. Period.

If you anytime get fired, or laid off, volunteer immediately somewhere for something that puts your skills, knowledge and attitude to work. The longer you’re not meaningfully engaged, whether you’re compensated or not, the more this will drain your energy and confidence.

Remember the adage, "People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care."

Under promise and over deliver.

The celebrity and professional athlete hype and heroic CEO promises of super achievement have captured the public’s fancy. But humility, kindness, compassion and selfless service are a powerful combination that has a bigger long-term impact.

Find mentors.

Hire a coach, find a wise person to give you counsel, and preferably outside the organization, that will provide that oasis of calm to express your fears, dreams and hopes, and help guide you to the wisest decisions.

Get more involved with your industry.

This speaks volumes about your dedication to your career.

Network.

If you’ve ever looked at an evening networking event as a hassle since it involves time outside the office, you’re automatically behind the game. Instead, look at it as time well spent. Fleischman suggests looking at networking events as an "opportunity to find your next big career opportunity." This involves stepping outside your comfort zone to research attendees before arriving at the event and walking into the event with prepared talking points.

Always - Learn a new skill.

If you’re looking to advance within your current company, Flesichman recommends finding a skill gap within your company and becoming the resident expert on that topic. "Showing that you are proactive by educating yourself on a new or changing business trend is a quality that all employers value."

Create a timeline associated with your goals.

Although it’s one thing to write a list of goals, it’s another to add a timeline to them. Sometimes writing out your plan puts it into perspective and by creating a timeline, your goals become more attainable and you hold yourself accountable to achieving those goals.

The bottom line is that there are no magic potions or formulas for career success. It requires sustained effort, street smarts and insightful strategies, much like the focus of successful organizations.

Fig 2 : Requirements of a successful career

5. Take Initiative –

Dealing with a New Boss

Initiative is doing the right thing without being told.

- Victor Hugo

Regardless of whether the new person is you or your new boss, you should arrange (if he or she hasn’t already) a more formal one-on-one meeting soon after the first day on the job.

This is a great way to both demonstrate your initiative and start building this new relationship right away. Keep in mind that most new managers are feeling some stress at the change, too. You can help yourself by making clear that you can help him or her in the new position and that you’re someone to rely on to get things done. The new boss may or may not have read your resume on file, so give a brief background about yourself, emphasizing the skills you bring to your position.

Someone put your supervisor in that position for a reason, and it’s almost guaranteed there is a plan in place for how things will be run. As you come into your first formal meeting with your new boss, keep an open mind, be honest and, above all, don’t be fake. It’s not always easy, but having the right attitude and looking at the new relationship as an opportunity can make your life a lot easier.

Questions to Ask a New Boss

Before you can know what questions to ask, you need to ask yourself what you want to know. Barring urgent projects that can’t wait, keep your questions basic and to the point. You’ll show you value the company’s time and your own.

How many relationships end because of poor communication? One of the most important things to find out is how your new manager communicates. Everyone has his or her own style, and this person is no different. Most likely, you’ll be the one who has to adapt. Does your boss prefer e-mail or telephone? Is he or she crazy about meetings? It’s as simple as asking about the preferred method. Working with his or her communication style will most likely save you and your boss some frustration and resentment.

Almost as important as communication is learning about your new boss’s expectations. Your boss may not expect you to take out the trash or walk the dog, but just like at home, on-the-job expectations need to be managed. This is impossible unless you actually know what those expectations are. During your meeting, find out things like how and when reports should be produced. Where does he or she see the department going? What are the roles for people in your department?

Be honest and direct, but don’t pile on flattery to ingratiate yourself. You’ll be spotted a mile away, and it usually backfires.

Listen carefully to the answers. Entire books have been written on how to read facial expressions. You probably don’t need to go to those lengths, but watch your manager’s mannerisms -- tone of voice and how things are phrased -- in addition to what’s actually being said. All of this will help you gauge this person’s attitude, priorities and even potential pitfalls. Think about what opportunities your new boss presents for you in the organization.

Your main goal in the first formal meeting is to start building your work relationship. Don’t try to accomplish everything all at once. There’ll be plenty of time for that later. Once you learn the basics, it’s time to think about any changes you might need to make.

Adapting to a New Boss

Part of adapting to a new boss is making a good impression. Coming in a little early and working the extra mile will get you noticed and could go a long way toward helping you and your new boss hit it off.

Even with that, odds are you’re going to have to be willing to try things a new way. Your new manager came into this position with ideas of how the department should be run. At least at first, expect to follow your new leader. Remember that your co-workers are likely to be doing the same thing as you are, and a smart manager will let everything sink in before taking your advice completely to heart.

Adaptation is one of humanity’s greatest traits. Switching from e-mails to phone calls for communication ranks low on the difficulty scale. But if your previous boss was a hands-off type who let you get your job done your way, and your new one is a micromanager who insists everything must be done his or her way, that gets a little more difficult. Micromanaging is a serious issue, resulting from either a lack of trust or a need for control. If you think it’s a lack of trust, try to earn that trust by showing how good your work is. If it’s a control situation, it’s likely that person is insecure and not capable of any fundamental change. In that case, you should either seek a transfer within your organization or find a different employer.

In most cases, dealing with new bosses presents more promise than anguish. If they’re reasonable and you’re willing to adapt to the new situation, there’s no reason the new department culture can’t do as well as, or better than, the previous one.

It’s rare for anyone who’s worked for more than a few years to not have their share of bosses, and I’m no exception. Personal experience gave me a pretty good idea of the types of bosses out there, from laid back but inspirational to micro-managers who probably have no business being in charge of anybody.

The research gave me a better idea about how to deal with these people, who are usually just trying to do their best in a new situation.

6. Encourage Job Rotation

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

- Aristotle

Job Rotation is a career development strategy where an individual temporarily moves laterally into an established or shadow position.

Job rotation can be fun, but more importantly, you get exposure in other operational areas and form a much clearer picture of your company as a living, breathing entity; understanding what job rotation can do for your career is equally exciting.

Benefits to You

It’s impressive if you’re one of the most knowledgeable employees in your department, but you will become much more valuable when you prove that you can succeed in more than one area. Understand that you will need to approach this opportunity with confidence and optimism, because you’ll typically be challenged to excel in unfamiliar territory.

You will, however, receive wonderful benefits, both personal and professional. You’ll expand your knowledge, experience and expertise. If your organization is large, you’ll get to meet new people, some of which may become professional or personal friends. In most cases, employees increase their value to themselves and their employer.

Benefits to Management

Forward-thinking management benefits from job rotation just as you do. Unfortunately—and surprisingly—formal job rotation programs are still rare. By encouraging the best employees to spend six to eighteen months in an area outside their specialty delivers management and company-wide benefits for all participants.

Illness, turnover, and family moves can leave an employer with a huge gap in talent in one or more areas; job rotation can eliminate or help during the crises that might otherwise arise. And instead of needing to sift through piles of resumés, telephone and in-person interviews, background checks and compensation negotiation, they can identify current employees that have already exhibited extra special abilities, and the potential risks associated with new hires decline dramatically.

Encourage Job Rotation

If your company has no formal job rotation program, you might face some hurdles if you want to participate. There is no one size fits all roadmap to help management see the value of job rotation. Industry and corporate culture differences require your creativity and innovation to get a program started. If you believe that you’re facing major road blocks, think small at first.

For example, if you work in the IT department as a software designer, you might convince your manager that the department will be stronger if you spend some time in the hardware or network architecture area. Argue that working with these teams will improve your design performance. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?

If your plan works, you’ve created a new promoter of job rotation. And in many cases, your manager will spread the word to peers and senior management that job rotation should be considered on a company-wide basis. The benefits are many; the risks few or non-existent.

Overall, job rotation will help increase your value to your company and yourself. This will make you a more attractive internal candidate, expand your resumé and improve your marketability to new employers.

7. Improve People Management Skills

Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them.

- John C. Maxwell

The role of a manager may vary across industries, but anyone who is involved in managing people is responsible for planning, coordinating, supervising, developing and motivating people. In order to manage people well, you need to be aware of their talents, resources and goals. Poor management of people can lead to low productivity and morale. Outside of the work environment, knowing how to manage people will help you in all of your personal relationships. Improve people management by getting to know those you manage and how they work, leading by example, investing time in their advancement, and holding everyone accountable for accomplishing what they say they are going to do.

Develop relationships.

It was found by Gallup organization that people are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs when they have a best friend at work. Fundamentally human beings are social creatures; we crave for friendship and pleasant interactions with others. Good working relationships increase employee productivity and let people have fun at work. When we develop good working relationships we enjoy many other benefits such trust, freedom, ease of implementing changes at work, and an expansion of a network of people that can enrich our lives.

Talk to people.

Understanding their own personal strengths, challenges and goals will help you relate to them better and manage their work and contributions.

Lead by example.

People management requires leadership, and the best way to lead is by example. You cannot create a separate set of rules for yourself. Hold yourself to the same standards as you hold other people to.

Be Timely.

Arrive to work, meetings and events on time or a little early. This shows the people you manage that you take your obligations seriously and you respect their time. Work hard. Others will notice if you take 2 hour lunch breaks or leave early on a regular basis.

Demonstrate integrity.

Show people that you are honest and trustworthy. Say what you mean and if you do not know the answer to someone’s question, admit to it.

Evaluate policies and procedures.

If something is taking a lot of time for one of your employees and she has a better idea of how to get the end result, be willing to listen. The people you manage will find you responsive.

Ask for input before you make any major systematic or procedural changes. This will allow the people you manage to feel heard, even if the end result is something they are not happy about.

Communicate your expectations.

Everyone you manage should understand their roles and what they need to do.

Share performance standards and let everyone know what success will look like. In his book "First, Break All the Rules," Marcus Buckingham says that people must know what is expected of them before they can succeed. Communicating better is a great way to improve people management.

Explain all goals and objectives.

People are often willing to work harder when they understand why they are doing what is asked of them.

Be specific in your explanations. For example, instead of saying I need the sales report by the end of the month, you could say I need the sales report by the end of the month so I can forecast our sales goals for next month.

Adjust your management style.

Note what types of your own behavior bring the best performance results. Some people prefer an authoritative manager and others work better with a manager who thinks of himself as a team member.

Create a positive work environment.

Your culture will help inspire and motivate others. Celebrate victories, show your appreciation and publicly reward people who surpass expectations.

Don’t Be Overly Critical.

As a manager, it’s part of your job to keep your people on the right track. And that involves pointing out errors and telling them where they’ve gone wrong.

But some managers are overly critical. They’re not happy unless they are criticizing. They rarely accomplish much or take on anything new themselves, but they are only too happy to tell others where they went wrong, why they’re doing it incorrectly, and why they could do the job better.

Don’t be this type of person. Chances are, you have more knowledge and experience in your field than a good many of the people you supervise. But that’s why the company made you the boss! Your job is to guide and teach these people; not to yell or nit-pick or show them how dumb they are compared to you.

Let them fail.

Of course,