Manager: Know Thy Self

Manager: Know Thy Self

The American Marketing Association - the world's largest trade group of marketing professionals from business, industry, service and academia says: "The first job of a great marketing manager - or any manager - is to first manage himself. The primary function, of course, is to recruit, train, develop, excite and reward his people."

Beyond basic definitions - and regardless of company size, Gulf Coast entrepreneurial or Wall Street publicly held - a great manager's chief responsibility lies in helping employees chosen for the team to unleash their human potential. No seminar system, esoteric objectives, or MBA process - irrespective of how modern, fashionable, or flawless it may be - can take the place of a great manager.

That's because a dedicated, professional, great manager acts as the emotional connection between employees within work groups, between employees and customers, and between employees and their organization. In effect, a great manager acts as a pivotal point or perhaps a quarterback - a kind of emotional engineer who sets the reactions in place, encourages their development, and cheers, as they take effect.

Most vital function

According to Gallup Organization's Global Practice Management leaders Curt Coffman and Gabriel Gonzalez-Mouna, "Reaching all employees, and helping them utilize their distinct talent is the most vital activity there is within an organization - and it can only be executed well, one employee at a time. In great organizations, that's what managers do."

Focus, build, evaluate

If you truly want great employees in your Tampa Bay/Gulf Coast company, do what great managers do everywhere. Engage them! Responding to their emotional needs builds trust and a comfort level. When people feel comfortable, it's logical that they will spend more time focused on work and less on watching their backs. When you are trusted, your people will want to work harder for you. That's when you should:

Focus on employees' strengths and manage around their weaknesses.

Hold people accountable for achieving defined outcomes using whatever style fits their own individual specific talents.

Build on strengths and keep the process building.

Always evaluate the performance and never the person.

Four keys to win

Regardless of your product or service there are four keys that all great managers æ marketing executives specifically and others in senior level management æ introduce to meet their intrinsic goals. Make a note of these keys that will surely unlock the power of your own personal management skill set.

Key No. 1: When selecting a candidate, opt for talent to accomplish the task and not simply formal education, experience, intelligence or determination.

Key No. 2: When setting expectations, it's critical to define the desired outcome; not the anticipated steps to get there.

Key No. 3: When motivating your "troop," always focus on the person's strengths; not on their obvious weaknesses.

Key No. 4: When developing your candidate, find an ideal fit between talent and role; look for the best function to fill.

Transform employees

As you periodically review your own in-depth management style and function you'll become enthused with the dramatic contribution with which you'll be credited. As a superior manager, you'll make the key difference by turning "ordinary" employees into vibrant, engaged performers.

In the final analysis, your most important function is to turn on that "switch" that will electrify the employee to light up the role he is playing on your corporate stage. Do it well. Do it often! You'll have identified, guided, nurtured and perhaps even coddled your "student." The performance your protegee will offer will be awesome and a direct reflection on your own good talent. As the marketing curtain opens, the applause will be deafening.

Lou Lasday, an independent marketing adviser who resides on Longboat Key, creates action-oriented strategic marketing initiatives for Gulf Coast emerging companies. A career direct response executive, he has been a general partner of a major national marketing communications firm and regional president of the American Marketing Association.