Today, more than at any time in history, I believe to be a successful manager, executive, business owner or supervisor requires an active imagination, creative vision problem solving, and to quote the popular phrase, "thinking out of the box. I believe too many managers are stuck in philosophies, attitudes, prejudices and procedures that just need to be trashed. Whether it is your:
- Compensation plan
- Attitudes about customers
- Feelings about women or other minority groups
- Your delivery policies
- Warranty
- Hiring practices
- Bonus or quota system
- Management philosophy
- Communication methods
- Attitudes about change
- Feelings about technology
When was the last time you rewarded or recognized any of the following when they were in the best interests of your success, growth, customer satisfaction, competitive position or profitability?
- Outrageous thinking
- Maverick behavior
- Breaking the rules
- Innovative solutions
- Independent thinking
- Ignoring policies, procedures and
routines
- Bad news
- Criticism of corporate decisions,
actions, behavior
- Change
Trust me - if you want to maintain a competitive posture, prosper or even survive the next 10 years, I strongly urge you to create a corporate culture, management style and communication system that encourages some or all of the above before your competitor eats your lunch and turns out the lights in your offices for the last time.
Management quote for the month: "In creating, the only hard thing is to begin." -- James Lowell
