How Do You Rate as a Manager?
This story appears in the April 2003 issue of Startups. Subscribe »
(YoungBiz) - When it comes to managing people, do you know as much as you think you do? Test your management savvy with this quiz by answering true or false for each statement. Then, check your answers and see how you rate!
1. When it comes to hiring people, you should look for people who don't exhibit the typical traits of an entrepreneur. Those are the people who make the best employees. True False
2. As a business owner, you will always need to keep tabs on every aspect of your business. No one will ever care about your business as much as you do, so it's important not to give the responsibility to others.
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3. Creating job descriptions for yourself and your employees will only end up "boxing everyone in." It's better to create titles and let the job descriptions remain flexible.
4. It's important for business owners to recognize when they need help managing their business and then hire people who can help them.
5. If an entrepreneur doesn't learn how to delegate, he or she will squelch the business's growth potential.
6. Every time you delegate a task to your employees, you should tell them step-by-step how to do it.
7. The best solution is always the one that provides the best return in dollars.
8. In order to stay in control of your business, it's important for your employees to know that you are always right.
9. If you frequently find yourself running late or missing appointments, you should take a close look at how you manage your time.
10. One of the most important qualities an entrepreneur can have is the ability to overcome obstacles.
Answers:
1. False. You want to be on the lookout for people who are
as passionate and as motivated as you are.
2. False. While it may be true that no one will ever care about the business in the same way that you do--you are the owner, after all--finding trustworthy employees to whom you can delegate responsibilities will be key to your business's growth.
3. False. Creating specific job descriptions will allow your employees to know exactly what is expected of them.
4. True. No matter how many hats you think you can wear at one time, there are times when you're going to need to look to others, like an attorney or an accountant, for their areas of specialty.
5. True. As your business grows, you cannot physically be everywhere at once. You will need to hire trusted people and learn how to delegate.
6. False. Explain to them the tasks to be accomplished, but allow them the freedom to choose how they will get them done. Who knows? They may surprise you.
7. False. While most entrepreneurs are trained to look only at the bottom line, there can be other, less obvious benefits, too--such as a more streamlined process.
8. False. By listening to what your employees have to say, you will be opening the doors to some very important input. Plus, they will feel like they're part of a team--not just worker bees.
9. True. But sometimes, no matter how well you manage your time, there just aren't enough hours to get it all done. You will need to learn to recognize when you're wasting time and when you just plain need more help.
10. True. Every entrepreneur faces obstacles along the way. Learning how to overcome them is one of the biggest keys to success.
How Did You
Score?
- 8 to 10 Correct: Congratulations! You know what it takes to manage your employees and your business well.
- 5 to 7 Correct: You're on the right track, but you need to tweak a few of your ideas about good management.
- 0 to 4 Correct: Find a mentor who can help you become more familiar with the basics of good business management.
