Managers are responsible for guiding, directing, and controlling the performance of their employees when it comes to achieving organizational goals efficiently. The management practices managers use can make or break businesses. Because of this, they need to find the most efficient and effective ways of managing others and meeting organizational goals.
What are management practices?
Management practices are the actions, behaviors, attitudes, methods, and principles managers use to carry out their work responsibilities. They include moral values, honesty, discipline, integrity, delegation, trust, and decision-making.
The best management practice is an action or activity that will likely result in the most effective, efficient, ethical, or productive ways of managing people or processes and achieving desired outcomes.
What is the importance of management practices?
Management practices are of high importance because they impact the working environment. Employees’ performance is directly related to their environment, so managers need to be professional in all ways when managing in the workplace.
On average, managers who employ best management practices have happier employees and more productive workplaces than managers who adhere to poor management practices.
What are the examples of management practices?
There are several management practices examples that are commonly used in the workplace every day. However, not all management practices are good. Below are 11 examples of good management practices that great managers use every day:
1. Make decisions based on facts
Decision-making based on facts, information, and objectives is a key element of good management practices. When making decisions, make sure you have the data to support them and think about what could happen if you make this decision.
If unintended consequences are considered, it is often in the context of how best to mitigate potential risks. This allows for an informed, rational decision-making process, rather than one based on emotion or personal opinion.
Of course, emotions and personal opinions can still be factors in decision-making, but they should not be the sole or primary drivers.
A decision based on emotion or personal opinion may be biased and lead to poor judgment. By basing decisions on facts and information, a manager is more likely to make better actions and choices.
2. Manage by walking around
Get out of their office and meet with people face-to-face regularly. Talking to your employees helps you get to know them better. It reduces barriers between you and them.
It also builds better relationships with your team, gains valuable insights, and stays up-to-date on what’s happening in the workplace. It can also help you get new ideas and solutions to problems.
Trust is fundamental to any good relationship. Even if you struggle to get out of your office because of a heavy workload, there are other things you can do to manage by walking around.
You can, for example, take walks during your break or lunch hour. Or you can walk around while on the phone.
Employees who know their boss is willing to meet and talk with them are more likely to be invested in achieving company goals because they have direct insight into why their manager makes decisions in certain ways.
Read also: 12 Examples of What to Tell Your Manager to Improve On
3. Don’t tolerate unethical behavior
Good management practices dictate that any unethical behavior or poor performance be dealt with immediately. Unethical behavior can harm morale, set bad examples for other employees, and lead to a toxic work environment.
Poor performance in one area often spreads quickly if not dealt with immediately. It is essential to make sure that your work environment is good and protects the company’s interests.
There are warning signs of unethical behavior or poor performance including, employees who are frequently absent, constantly late to work, exhibit disruptive or hostile behavior, seem not interested in their work, or employees who repeatedly make careless mistakes.
If you notice any of these warning signs, take swift and decisive action because this sends a clear message to everyone that such behavior will not be tolerated.
And it can also help to prevent further incidents from happening. By dealing with these issues head-on, you can help create a more positive and productive work environment for all employees.
4. Hold yourself accountable
To produce excellent results every day, requires a lot of conviction from everyone involved, pushing beyond what they thought possible.
As a manager, it’s your job to encourage and support your employees by setting high standards without compromising your values or selling out your integrity.
Your role also requires you to hold yourself accountable for the results produced within your team.
Be willing to take responsibility when things don’t go as expected and when you fail, own up to it and provide a solution so it doesn’t happen again.
You must be willing to say “I made a mistake” when you have made one. This sends a message that you are not afraid to admit mistakes. It also builds trust with your team, as they can see that you are not trying to put up a false image of perfection.
You can’t expect your team members or employees to be ultimately responsible if you are not doing the same.
5. Solve the right problems
Examples of good management practices include understanding the difference between the right problem and the wrong problem. The right problem is the one that will create the best long-term results for both you and your team.
Focusing on the wrong problem is distracting, wastes resources, and energy because it will not yield the results you want.
Therefore, it is a good management practice to focus on and solve problems that will yield results.
When you have a problem, think first about what the problem is. Is it the right one to be solving? “What are we trying to achieve, and are we focusing our efforts in the right places to get the results we want?”
6. Hire the right people
It’s essential to hire great people, but it’s equally important to hire people who fit into your workplace culture and share your company’s values. You need people to work well together as a team.
When all team members are pulling in the same direction, your team will be much more successful. A productive and cohesive team is one of the key ingredients for success.
If you want to be a successful manager, hire great people. You want smarter people, experts in their fields, and those who can disagree with your point of view if necessary.
By surrounding yourself with talented individuals, you will delegate tasks and responsibilities efficiently and create an environment of innovation and creativity.
Good employees will challenge you if they have a different opinion about something. That is how they will get better and how both of you will develop together.
Also read: 24 Examples of a Good Manager
7. Measure what counts.
There are many different metrics to choose from, including sales volume, number of projects completed on time and budget, customer satisfaction surveys, quality improvement scores, and more.
Make sure you have a clear understanding of what each metric means to your department, the business overall, and how it impacts your employees’ day-to-day jobs. In other words, measure what counts.
Whatever measures you choose, make sure they are relevant to your goals. Measuring the wrong things can be counterproductive and lead to wasted time and resources.
So, identify what counts as “success”? What counts as “failure”? How do you define or measure what has been achieved? These are just some of the questions you may need to answer yourself.
Decide what you want and how much progress you want to make. Without both a clear goal and a measurement of progress towards achieving the goal, then there isn’t much anyone can do about not meeting the objective.
8. Set high standards
Setting high standards for yourself and your employees is essential to your success as a manager. But many managers make the mistake of lowering their expectations as time goes on because they are afraid that pushing employees too hard could result in lower morale.
The truth is, when employees have a challenging expectation set for them, they are more likely to perform better. And, when employees know you hold yourself and them to high standards, they stretch their performance to meet those standards.
Not only does this give you a better chance of success as a manager, but it also helps your employees feel more fulfilled in their work.
It’s a good management practice to set high expectations for yourself and your employees — it helps them grow professionally and gives you a better chance at accomplishing what you are there to accomplish.
9. Focus on people first
Putting employees first is the right thing to do because they are the source of a company’s success. That means showing them you are there for them and letting them know you appreciate all the things they do.
It takes money to make money, so don’t skimp on the training of your employees. Training your employees well allows them to perform their jobs more efficiently. It also gives them opportunities to grow and advance their careers.
Treating your employees poorly or not giving them the tools they need to succeed will hurt you in the long run. If you don’t show respect to your employees, they won’t feel like doing good work or working hard.
Employees who are not properly trained to do the job usually struggle to perform their work correctly and often end up costing more money in missed deadlines or poor-quality results.
Managers who put their people first show it through their actions by providing clear direction, feedback, and individualized coaching that helps employees achieve their goals.
For a company to continue to grow and remain profitable, managers must have a good relationship with their team members. When the employees are content, they will do great work for the boss and promote their company.
Read more: 12 Characteristics of an Ideal Work Environment
10. Let employees use their initiative
Encourage employees to use their initiative by allowing them the freedom and support to solve problems and make decisions on the job.
Remove roadblocks. Nothing kills employee initiative more than a bunch of workplace rules and policies handed down from the top management.
While it’s necessary to keep tabs on your employees and make sure they are following the procedure, you also want them to have the freedom and support to solve problems and make decisions on their own.
Too much control from management can bring out the worst in some employees, who might feel micromanaged or resentful toward their bosses.
On the other hand, too much autonomy can lead to frustration among employees who don’t have clear direction or guidance on what they should do.
Find a balance between allowing your employees independence and keeping them in line with your expectations.
Provide guidance when necessary, but don’t micro-manage employees who do their jobs well. Be available to answer questions and provide feedback, but let your employees set their schedules.
Always focus on results instead of hours worked. Of course, you want your employees to get all of their work done — but if they are doing that within a reasonable timeframe, let it go.
11. Lead by example
When you behave in a certain way, your employees will mimic that behavior. When you are organized, they will be organized too. And when they see you working hard and efficiently, they will do the same.
You may believe that being a good boss means being strict or coming down hard on your employees for their mistakes, but that isn’t necessarily true.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t hold employees accountable for their work and show them how they can improve, but that should be done constructively.
Leading by example is a good way to make your employees take ownership of their jobs. You should share the challenges and successes with them, so they know what is expected of them. This will make them feel more confident and enthusiastic about their work.
Show up on time. Nothing says “I’m dedicated to my job” more than showing up for work on time every day. Be organized and stick to a schedule.
Listen carefully and follow through with what’s discussed. When someone talks to you, it’s important that you listen carefully, especially if it’s something important or potentially controversial.
Conclusion
Managers must always apply the best management practices to ensure that their employees are happy and productive.
Good management practices have one thing in common: They leave employees and managers feeling better about themselves and their work.
The examples of good management practices may seem like common sense, but you will be surprised by how many managers don’t follow them — they instead focus on what’s best for themselves, which is often ineffective.