As a manager, I’ve always found the interview process both fascinating and nerve-wracking. It’s fascinating because I get to meet and speak to dozens of incredible people – some great for the job and others not – but all from different walks of life. It’s nerve-wracking because I have to constantly stay on my toes, thinking of interview questions that will help me to almost force a person to show his or her true colors.

In my experience, I’ve found that interview questions serve three main purposes. They tell you whether or not the individual in question has the skills needed to join the workforce; they tell you whether or not a person is able to function well under pressure; and they give you a general idea of whether or not the person will be a good fit, personality wise, with your team.

So how do you draw this information out?

Start with their skills. Take a look at the resume presented to you at the time of application and make some comparisons. What jobs does the person list as having done in the past? What skills do you know are needed to do that kind of task? Ask your applicant some very specific questions regarding the skills and how they would be used. You might even give the person a real life example and ask how they would handle the situation. If they have trouble answering the questions, they might not really have the skills they claim.

A person’s ability to handle pressure is important. To get an answer to this question you’ll want to put your applicant on the spot. Many people grow uncomfortable when asked to compare themselves to others and outline why they’re better for a position. Simply asking hard questions that require truthful answers will cause others to become stressed. Ask a person about a past stressful situation – or ask him to tell you about someone he didn’t get along with before. The answers you receive will be very telling.

Finally, consider your applicant’s personality. Someone who talks into an interview looking shy-as-a-mouse probably won’t fit will in an active, boisterous environment – even if he does have great skills and work ethic. Someone who is very loud might not fit well into a quieter office, as he’d likely become a distraction. A person who constantly wants to work flex-hours to work around his children might not get along with a group of people who always work 9-5 with no variability.

It’s up to you to ask the right questions. You’re not looking for the nicest person – you’re looking for a person with a great attitude, good work ethic, great skills, and the ability to fit in. If you find that person, you’ll be well on your way to developing a successful team.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Leadership Training

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

It’s Monday. Your weekend seems like it was just a bit too short. You’ve entered your office, settled down behind your desk, and before you know it you’re receiving a barrage of complaints from EmployeeX about his job, what he doesn’t like about a particular task, and what he perceives other employees are saying about him behind his back. It doesn’t really matter what you say to EmployeeX – he’s always combative and argumentative. He doesn’t deal appropriately with other coworkers and, to be honest, he’s a distraction in the workplace.

So how do you deal with someone who is difficult, on all levels, on a regular basis?

You need to start out by doing your homework. What exactly is it that causes EmployeeX to be so difficult. Why does he always complain? Why does he feel like other take credit for his work (or why does he take credit for the work others have done)? Everyone can be difficult on occasion – due to stress or a problem at at home – but EmployeeX seems to always have some sort of problem.

When you’re doing your homework, look for facts. Think about the inappropriate behaviour you have witnessed or think about the situations where you have multiple witnesses who can tell you what happened. Heresay, gossip, and rumors won’t help you solve problems. Are you making the problem worse in the way you respond (combative vs. combative)?

Your next step is to make a plan for confronting the employee in question. Determine the severity of the situation and, if it warrants such action, ask a HR representative to sit in on the meeting. It’s not fun to do, but you absolutely have to tell EmployeeX that his behaviour in the workplace is simply not appropriate. Talk to him and see if you can determine exactly what it is that causes his behavioural issues. Don’t interrupt him, repeat back parts of what he is saying so that he knows you are listening, and try to set some guidlines that dicatate more appropriate behaviour at work.

In the end, you’ll come up with some sort of solution. EmployeeX will either embrace the opportunity you’re giving him for change or he’ll stray further away. If that’s the case, you’ll need to get him help or – unfortunately – sever your working relationship.

It’s OK to do that if you find there are no other options. The trick, as a manager, is knowing how to recognize when you’ve run out of options.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Leadership Development

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

Back in the early 1900′s there was a guy by the name of Vilfredo Pareto. He, upon studying the distribution of wealth in the country that he lived, realized that about 20% of the people living in his country owned 80% of the wealth. The truth is that when we think of Pareto’s Principle today we are not talking about the distribution of wealth. In the 1940′s, another doctor inaccurately named the 80/20 rule of time management to Pareto – and rightfully so – the rule had been applied and misapplied to a number of industries and professions ever since it was discovered.

So what does Pareto’s Principle have to say about time management? The concept is simple. A mere 20% of your efforts are responsible for 80% of your results.

So what does this mean to you?

It means you have to figure out which 20% of your time matters. Usually it’s the first 10% and the last 10%. Only 20% of your day is going to have a direct impact on the end results. If that’s the case, what parts of your day can you cut out – which parts are time wasters – and which should you focus on most? Can you turn the other 80% of your day into something more productive as well?

There’s another theory that interprets Pareto’s Principle as saying that 20% of your people do 80% of your work. If this is true, will you focus on increasing the abilities of that first 20% or will you try to make the other 80% of your team better?

In the end, the results are still the same. Only a small portion of the time you spend leads to direct results. Make sure you’re splitting your time accordingly.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Development

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

On Monday we kicked off the week by talking about a few of the things you could do to develop your own management career. Today I’m going to spend a few minutes outlining a few more things you should consider as you walk down the path of self improvement. Management, after all, is a continuous process and, as such, your path towards continuous development should be as well.

Develop Your Motivation Skills

You, as a manager, will be responsible for making sure your employees feel motivated at all times. Everyone has different reasons for feeling motivated – saving for a vacation, working towards a promotion, or simply feeling accomplished. It’s your job to find out what motivates your employees so that you an make sure they continue to be motivated.

Lead Your Team

Good managers are not just managers – they’re leaders as well. A simple manager will do just that – manage his team – giving them instructions and orders and going about his day. A real manager will lead his team, giving them their tasks and guiding them by pulling his share of the weight. Guide them in the right direction and they’ll surely follow.

Learn about Money

Unless you’re already in accounting, you probably know as much about money as your department budget requires. The truth, though, is that to appreciate your business as a whole you should really gain a better understanding about how money works in your business environment. What is spent, what is earned, and what you can do to avoid being wasteful. Saving doesn’t mean being stingy – it means being creative.

Focus on YOURSELF

You can’t help others if you never help yourself. What areas of your business life do you think need growth and development? Can you take a class? Can you ask your own managers for mentoring or coaching? The better you are at developing your self the better you will be at helping others.

Remain Ethical

No matter what, conduct all business in an ethical manner – both within your organisation and outside of it. Ask your human resources department or upper management for help if you feel as though you are in an ethical dilema.

Your success as a manager is in your hand. Have you identified any areas you should start working on right away?

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management

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

So you’re a manager. Congratulations. I’m sure you’re doign a great job. Now, I don’t mean to bust your bubble, but what are you going to do to make yourself a better manager. Here are a few things to consider:

Build a Great Team

No manager can be successful without a great team at his side. It’s your job to develop a team full of successful, hard working, and motivated individuals. You’ll need to brush up on your interview skills and work at selecting the right people right from the start.

Develop a Great Team

Once you have the right people working with you, you’ll need to make sure they’re all motivated to get the job done – not only on an individual basis but as a team working together as well. Team members should all have times where they’re doing their own things, but they should be able to work together most of the time as well. If you’re having trouble in that area, you may want to implement a few team building activities to break the ice a bit.

Work on Your Own Communication Skills

Odds are, you judge your employees by their abilities to communicate – with each other, with you, and with clients. But are you setting a good example? Your team members, and even managers above you, will grow dependent upon your ability to convey clear, concise thoughts. You’ll need to work on both your verbal and written communication skills in order to become successful.

Time Management

Time management is rough for a lot of people, especially those juggling busy home lives while they’re focusing on their careers. What can you do to enhance your time management abilities? Do you need to get a better organization plan? Do you need to learn to prioritise better? Figure out what your weaknesses are and learn to improve upon them.

Give Yourself a Break

Your employees and team members get breaks during the day and you should, too. You’re not a superhero and you simply can’t work long days without taking a few minutes here and there to breathe. Take a short walk, get a cup of coffee, or simply shut the office door for a few minutes. Oh, and don’t forget to take your annual vacation. If you’re rested, you won’t become aggravated when dealing with your team.

You are a valuable member of your organisation and you want to make sure you stay that way. Take some time to improve upon yourself and you’ll be successful for years to come.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

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