Overview of Managers Classroom (MC)
In order to cope with the demands of a busy desk and the challenge of managing staff you will need to develop your time management skills, managerial skills and maintain your Client and Candidate relationships. The key to doing this is planning and delegation.
Over the next few weeks, we will cover each of these areas, giving you tips, techniques, tools and resources to excel in your role. You will be familiar with all the requirements of a top billing Consultant however there is a big difference in applying your skills to your new role as mentor and trainer. You will have to adapt yourself to the differing learning patterns of your staff. What works well for you may not work as well for your colleagues. You need to address certain issues from various different angles in order to establish what works best for each individual.
A major area of your responsibilities will be to build your team including, hiring, firing, motivating, developing, budgeting and setting targets as well as goal setting and planning.
Each of these responsibilities requires a level of understanding and implementation that will test your patience and drive you to levels of distraction you never new existed. The modules that follow will give you the knowledge and understanding you need to do your job at the highest level.
In order to manage effectively, you need to posses certain key skills. We will get to those in a moment. However, to be a truly great manager we have observed the following across a vast spectrum of industries and fields.
- Great managers are not conventional. They break the rules of conventional wisdom.
- They do not believe that staff can achieve anything they set their minds to.
- They don't try to help staff overcome weaknesses.
- They spend more time with their top producers.
These key characteristics of great managers are used as an example of what can be achieved when you think outside the box. We don't want you to change your natural style of management, merely to consider that there are alternative ways to achieve your goals. You will develop your own unique style as you become more skilled in managing.
In order to get the most from your colleagues, you need to be a great manager. Your company can have the best remuneration structures, wonderful facilities and treat their staff exceptionally well, but if you, there immediate supervisor or manager, fails to develop a positive relationship with them, then staff turnover increases and production falls.
Recruiting is a Sales Job.
When you assess and hire recruiters, you need to establish whether or not they have the mind-set of a sales person. If they have proved themselves in a sales or marketing role previously, then the chances are great that they will do well as Recruiters. They need to possess the drive and enthusiasm to bill and be responsible for their own earnings. You cannot generate this personality trait in your staff, they either have it or they don't. Hire the ones who have it, either pass on or fire the ones who don't.
Key characteristics of great recruiters are:
- Extremely well organised
- Not easily distracted
- Natural networkers
- Very comfortable on the phone
- Communicate clearly
- Results oriented and target driven
A survey was conducted a few years ago, which has been proven over and over again with some of the most successful companies and organisations in the world. The survey focused on what was required to attract, focus and keep the most talented staff. The resulting questions that where raised and which your staff need to know the answers to, are as follows:
- Do I know what is expected of me in my job?
- Do I have the equipment, materials and training I need to do the job correctly?
- Am I in a position where I am able to do my best work every day?
- Have I been recognised or praised in the past week for good work?
- Does my manager or someone else at work really care about me as a person?
- Does someone at work encourage me in my development?
- Do my opinions and thoughts count for anything at work?
- Does the work I do and my company's mission or purpose make me feel that my job is important?
- Do I work with colleagues who value quality work?
- Do I have a best friend at work?
- Have I discussed my progress with someone at work in the last 6 months?
- Do I have opportunities to learn and grow in my job?
If your Consultants and staff can answer yes to each of these questions then you have discovered the Secret of The Happy Employee. One final observation for today:
"If You Can't Measure It, You Can't Manage It"