Management: Getting the Best out of Others

Lee Iacocca, former CEO of Chrysler, said: "Management is nothing more than motivating other people."

Although management is clearly far more than motivation, this encapsulates the emotional essence of the skill. We can talk all we like about the management functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling, but these say little about the human aspect of managing, which is dealing with people on a day-to-day basis.

Motivation is crucial in the workplace because our working lives take up such a massive chunk of our lives in general, and truth be told, most of us would give up our regular jobs if we won the lottery jackpot.

In some ways, however, Iacocca’s statement is rather glib, as it simplistically deals with the perfect scenario. Creating the right conditions for motivation to be possible is far more challenging. Effective management involves building a powerful skill set that cannot be learned by rote from a book.

Management is about dealing with people in the most effective manner. Such abilities may come more naturally to some than others, but the dynamics of the average workplace require that managers are able to instinctively respond correctly, whatever the situation.

Contents

Introduction to Management

How to Build Trust and Confidence

A Manager's Pitfalls

How to Build Team Spirit

Dealing with Problem Employees

Using Your Emotional Intelligence

Conclusion