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About The Struggling Manager
Are you a struggling manager? Are you struggling to become a manager? Go from mediocre worker to management material by reading the advice in these articles and implementing changes in what you do every day on the job.
Year of the Chicken
Read Rob Redmond's book The Year of the Chicken. A compelling story about a young couple from the American South who go to Japan believing in tales of gold in the streets for English speakers. They seek adventure and mystical karate powers and find reality instead. Told in a humorous and self-effacing style the author details misadventures common to travellers everywhere. At least he hopes they are. Get your copy today!
Jan
12
Your boss probably gave you a few goals at the beginning of the year that you were to work on and attempt to beat for your annual review. If you are smart, you are tracking these goals daily, reporting on progress monthly, and presenting progress quarterly. Your annual review will be little more than a proforma exercise where your boss simply formalizes the results you both have been discussing all year long.
A million shiny things will pass between you and your goals in the meantime and threaten to distract you. Defeat those distractions with delegation. Keep your eye on the prize and work on your goals.
It is a common problem among managers that we “didn’t have time.” We get busy, and the busy feeling seems like a good justification for lack of success on our goals. When we allow ourselves to get busy, we’re working on the wrong things.
Focus on your goals. Keep yourself out of distractions that take you away from them. Do not work your inbox all day, do not micromanage a favorite project, and do not get caught up in the ongoing drama that one of your employees can handle for you. Review your goals daily and work them. Report on them. Present them. Accomplish them.
Succeed.
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About the Author
Rob Redmond studied sociology, psychology, and political science as an undergraduate before entering the workforce. Returning to school, Redmond earned an MBA from Georgia State University in June of 2000. Rob is currently employed as a manager of IT of a large technology company.
Rob is 41 years old and is married to Lorna. Together they have two sons. The family includes a dog named Decibel (Deci the DooDoo Dog), and a black and white cat named Keiko.