There are certain people in this world who are born leaders – who know how to rally a group towards the completion of a goal, who understand the complexities of group interaction, and who see the solution to a problem seemingly without any hassle, and who can make sure the team is completely behind the ideas that have been set forth.
Unfortunately, those people come along only once in a blue moon, and for most of us, leadership and management training is required. Even the best among us need some guidance now and again, and it’s good to know that when hard times come, we have training to fall back on. Ever wonder what true progress feels like? Here are the top three functions of leadership and management your managers should know about.
Planning
An organization needs to run smoothly – and this means that its actions must not only be geared towards a specific purpose, but also that its actions must be planned to minimize risk and maximize results. Planning is not easy; we live in an uncertain world and we don’t always get the outcomes we expect. Planning includes calculating probabilities and formulating contingency measures. Planning is not about “We’ll do it this way”. Planning is about “We’ll try this and if it doesn’t work, we’ll do that”. Planning involves plan A, plan B, plan C, and so on. A manager needs to understand the world around them as well as the strength of their team, and have a feasible timeline.
Organizing
A company needs to have a structure – it’s the structure that will ensure a clear chain of command, and that all day-to-day actions are properly monitored and managed. The structure does not only depend on the specific purpose of the enterprise, but also on the skills and experience of the staff that is employed.
Controlling
Employees don’t like to hear the word ‘control’ because it’s often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean that there’s constant overseeing – it does mean that there are measuring sticks against which success is tested. There needs to be control in order to ensure constant improvement.
It may sound simple, but it’s not: when the stress is high and the morale is low, it’s not always easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But that’s exactly when true leadership and management becomes so important; that’s exactly why leadership and management training and NEW MANAGER TRAINING become a great buffer for leaders and managers to fall back on. It’s about vision. It’s about knowing the resources and understanding the goal. It’s about seeing what is happening, and being able to mobilize people when the need calls for it. It’s about priorities, and about direction. In the end, it’s all about success.
