People management is something that is of vital important. This is something that Larry Polhill Cafe Valley knows better than anyone else. Whether it is the president of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or the director of APFC, people management is key to being a good leader. A manager must also understand the technical element of their role, however. They must understand what their business is about, what its objectives are, and what its strategies are. But most of all, they have to get the people to believe in them.
Larry Polhill Cafe Valley on People Management
According to Larry Polhill, managers should start by identifying their objectives. This builds trust in investors as well, who like to see someone in charge who actually knows what they are doing. Key objectives should be:
- That a manager measures their success through the results of their team. If their team members are successful, so are they. No longer is it about their personal performance, it is about being responsible for the performance of others.
- That managers have followers. They earn respect and trust. This isn’t about being like, it is about having deserved respect. When team members trust their captain, the captain is successful, even if nobody likes them.
- That managers must lead by example. If they are unable to manage their own work, they won’t be able to manage that of others either. Their attitude towards things is telling as well. They must embody the company culture, showcasing what is expected of others.
- That managers must be organized and have structured plans. They must understand the existing workload and determine how this should be divided to achieve real results. But this should be achieved through teamwork, rather than having individual experts. Managers build a team that works for them.
- That managers build team processes that are effective. Everyone should have a clearly defined role, but they should also understand how and where they link in to others. This also means that they will perform even if the manager is away, or if one of the team members is sick or otherwise absent.
- That managers have strong relationships with those above them. This is again about leading by example, but it is also about demonstrating to the team that the manager always thinks about putting them first.
- That managers set long term objectives, but have short term goals in place to achieve these objectives. Managers are both forward thinking and capable of acting in the moment. They know exactly what should be done to achieve goals, and how this will impact the future.
- That managers must always celebrate the success of individual team members and of the team as a whole. When a goal is reached, this should be recognized and attributed to those who made it possible. A manager should never take credit for the work of their team or of an individual.
