While having (or being) a mentor may seem like a great idea at the start, you’ll probably be surprised to learn that not everyone is suited to having a mentor guide their tasks. I’ve found over the course of my career that there are four different types of people who are really not suited to the mentoring process.

The first type of person is a “fixer.” Fixers are people who believe they can sort everything out on their own without the help of others. They’re usually self-centered people who just can’t see the big picture.

The second type of mentoring-resistant person is a “bureaucrat”. These people are very controlling and can’t think out of the box. They won’t break the rules and are completely unflexible.

Third on the list are the “pleasers.” These people aren’t great to work with on a mentorship basis because they won’t challenge anyone or confront difficult situations. There is no use trying to teach them anything because they’ll always agree with what you say.

Finally we have the “talkers.” These individuals won’t shut their mouths long enough to build a rapport with anyone - clients or fellow employees. They’re incapable of practicing active listening and, therefore, will never absorb any of the information or wisdom you try to share.

Are you one of the above people? Are you trying to mentor with a personality like one of these? If so, you may need to consider whether or not the mentorship relationship you have is worth your time and effort.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Manager Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

Today I’d like to take a look at an issue that isn’t as pressing as it once was but definitely still exists within the workplace. That issue is prejudice in the employee selection process.

We, as human beings, tend to be judgemental. As managers, however, we do not have that right. Sadly, many employers choose the individuals they are going to hire based on their genders, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds and, in many cases, ages.

Age is a critical question. In many places employees aren’t even allowed to ask an application about his or her age. They are only allowed to verify that the individual in question is of legal working age. Sadly, many employees look at individuals who appear or admit to being over the age of 55 and hesitate over hiring them.

Today I ask you to sit back and think about the pros and cons associated with hiring someone over the age of 55. For example - those under the age of 55 may not have the same demanding health insurance needs whereas someone over the age of 55 is more likely to be a long-term employee brining vasts amount of knowledge and experience.

Can you make a list of additional pros and cons? Is it ethical to judge a person based on his or her age? If you had two candidates of similar education and experience would you use age as a deciding factor? What is the average age of your workforce right now?

I’m interested in your views and would love to know more about your thought process. Do you descriminate against individuals based on their ages (young or old) and, if so, do you even realize you’re doing it?

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

Some managers think they can lead by telling their employees what to do. Others know that real leaders lead by example. The greatest leaders, however, have special qualities that make them stand out from the crowd. Over the course of my experience as a manager I’ve identified some of these special qualities in others and I thought I’d share them with you today.

• Great team leaders are sensitive. They understand that everyone has didfferent concerns, needs, and interests and they do their best to address these differences.
• Great team leaders have awesome communication and listening skills. They know that everyone has their own set of ideas, plans, and dreams. They listen to everyone and try to find ways to incorporate those interests.
• Great team leaders share their own dreams, plans, and visions with their team members. They aren’t secretive and they refrain from merely working off of other people’s ideas.
• Great team leaders are awesome delegators. They are able to trust their team members and will give those who deserve it a significant amount of responsibility.
• Great team leaders allow their team members to participate in the goal-setting and problem solving processes. They allow everyone to become a part of the process instead of just telling their team members what is going to happen next.
• Great team leaders aren’t perfect and don’t pretend to be. They let their team members know about their own mistakes and use them as learning experiences.

What type of team leader are you? Do you treat your team members fairly and include them in the decision making processes that dictate what they do on a daily basis? Do certain aspects of team leadership work better for you than others? Please share!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Courses

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

As a manager you’re going to find yourself in a position where you are required to regularly make decision. While you may, at times, feel as though you are guided by your own morals and beliefs it is very important for you to remember to put your personal beliefs aside so that you can look at each situation objectively and make the most ethical decisions possible.

In order to do this there are four main principles of ethical management you need to keep in mind at all times. They are as follows:

• Respect for each employee - While it’s difficult at times, it is important to make sure you treat each of your employees or team members respectfully. Everyone you work with will have different religious and cultural beliefs and should be treated fairly.
• Mutual respect - Your role as a manager involves making sure that your employees all treat each other respectfully as well. While they don’t all have to agree with each other, they should show proper respect for each others ideas and opinions. A team that doesn’t get along on a personal level will not work will together and will be less productive.
• Procedural fairness - You may not have control of the procedures your company expects you to follow but you do have control over the procedures you can implement within your team. It is important to make sure the procedures you implement are fair to all of your employees - neither favoring nor neglecting one employee or another.
• Decision making transparency - It’s incredibly important for you to make sure your employees understand why you make the decisions you do. If they realize you aren’t making arbitrary choices based on personal beliefs they’ll be more likely to accept your decisions and work together as a team.

Are you acting as ethically as possible in the workplace? Are there things you could change so that you and your team get along on a better, professional level? Think about it.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

Here’s a brief time management exercise to get your juices flowing as you prepare to wrap up your week and enjoy the weekend.

Imagine you are preparing to open your own business (selling whatever you wish) in a local shopping mall. Despite having no business experience or contacts in the field, you do have a very strong business plan. Before you can get started you’re going to have to meet with several people. These include:

• The manager of the mall for lease negotiation
• A lawyer to help you form your business
• An accountant to help you learn to handle your finances
• A banker to help you get a small business loan
• An advertising agency to learn how to promote your business
• An interior designer for the inside layout of the store
• A staffing company to help you find employees
• Suppliers, to arrange for credit and inventory

Your job today is to determine in what order you need to meet these people. Remember, if you meet with one person without having met with another one first you may have to have a second meeting. Set your schedule in a way that will minimize duplicating your efforts.

Let me know what you come up with!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Courses

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”