Personal and professional development is one of the most valuable uses of your time in your career as a manager. It’s only by growing and developing your skills within your current role that you convince others you are worthy of investing in for the future.

So, how much time do you devote to the development of your skills, knowledge and talents? And how regular and consistent are you in carrying it out?

Top managers recognise the need to expand their knowledge about their industry and products regularly. Zig Ziglar says that “Just 15 minutes a day reading books would enable the average reader to complete 15 books each year.”

But there’s so much development material out there, you have to be selective.

First, set aside quality time for this. It’s your career we’re talking about, so it’s worthwhile spending time solely devoted to this important task. A regularly-planned short period is better than leaving it for a large chunk of time once in a while.

Then, be selective in what you choose to read. Determine the areas where you must keep up-to-date, and select only those magazines, journals, books and websites that currently serve your particular areas of need.

When you find an article of interest, especially if it’s in a journal or magazine, take a copy of it or rip it out and put it in your reading file. A fabulous piece buried in a thick magazine will stay buried unless you make a conscious effort to make it more visible.

Consider joining your local Institute of Management library, and taking advantage of the wealth of material available there.

When you’ve spent some time reading, reflect on how you can use this new knowledge in your job and company. Is there something you can immediately apply? Can you share this knowledge with someone else? Is there someone in the organisation who would value this information as much as you?

Spend your commuting time reading or listening to new material that will improve your value to the company. Just 30 minutes listening to a development CD in the car or on your mp3 player on the train each day will give you over 100 hours of learning each year. That’s the equivalent of attending over 14 days’ training each year! Try asking your boss for that much time off to develop your skills! Yet you can easily do it in dead-time on the daily commute.

JJ McCarthy said that an organisation’s continued progress will partly be based on managers’ ability to increase their knowledge and skills and to keep pace with progress and change – through professional literature.

So, lead by example in this. Set the pace for change in your organisation by keeping up to date with reading material that will set you apart from others. Then you will improve your value as a manager, now and in the future.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

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

Have you been struggling with the concept of leadership lately? Are you unsure of how you should best blend your management responsibilities with your desire to be a leader to your team? Today I’d like to share 7 tips you can use to help enhance your leadership skills while maintaining your status as a strong manager.

1. Always accept responsibility for your actions. Be responsible for the things you say and do on a personal level, during your interactions in social groups or professional organisations, and – of course – in the worlkplace. Accepting responsibility, even for your mistakes, will endear you to your team.
2. Show your enthusiasm and loyalty towards your employer, even when times are tough. Show your team members that you take pride in your job and that you are proud to be an employee of XYZ Organisation. Even in the midst of tough times – like when layoffs are prevalent – you need to keep a positive attitude that your employees can identify with.
3. Make sure you constantly set high, but achievable, standards for your team. The higher your standards, the better your output will be. Both you and your team members will be recognized for constantly completing superior work and you’ll be viewed as the leader who makes it happen.
4. Take some time out to listen to your team members. If an employee comes into your office to talk to you about his day to day activities, listen for a minute and then turn things back to work. If an employee comes to you to talk about a pivotal change in his life – like a divorce or death in the family – take the time to listen and let him know you care. Find balance.
5. Continue to improve your own skills by participating in continuing education classes. Not only will you have better communication and leadership skills, but you’ll be setting a great example for your team members as well.
6. Remain free of stress in the workplace. If you do encounter stress, try to remain calm and composed. Do your best to identify and remove the cause of the stress in your workplace before it affects others.
7. Delegate your authority clearly and in a fair manner. Trust your team members to get the job done right. If you don’t trust them, you should consider taking steps to redevelop your team.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management 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”

What’s currently holding you back in the workplace? Is it fear of failure? Fear of the lack of knowledge you imagine you have? Or is it a lack of technical ability you aren’t sure you can make up for?

Believe it or not, there are plenty of things you can do to improve your technical skills in the workplace. We’ve talked about a few of these things before – like reading technical books, taking online tutorial classes, and even befriending the IT guys. But what else can you do?

Take a Class

College classes aren’t just for those aiming to earn a degree. Are you having problem learning the ins and outs of a particular program. Check the schedule at your local college and find out if there is a class available. Some colleges offer classes for their degree students while others offer workshops and tutorial programs for people with specific interests.

Experiment with Different Software

Let’s assume you need a software program that will perform xyz function. Chances are there are about a dozen or more programs on the market that claim to do just that. The problem is that some are easier to use than others. Don’t feel bad about using more than one program to get the job done. Eventually you’ll find the one that works best for you, automatically eliminating some of your technical disability.

Build a Website

This sounds a bit silly, doesn’t it? The truth, though, is that the best way to gain technical experience is by doing things that require technical skill. I’m not asking you to build the next great money-making website. Start small by creating something your team can use to stay in touch. As you learn about web design and programming you’ll slowly but surely lose your fear of technology.

Practice makes perfect. The better you are with technology the more valuable you’ll be to your organisation.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Development

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

Working as a manager and forming relationships with the members of your team is one thing. It’s easy to communicate with them because you do so on a regular basis. But what happens if you’re called to do a presentation in front of upper management, for a group of investors or – worse yet – for the entire organization?

Don’t panic.

There are several things you can do before your prentation that will allow you to prepare so that you can give your speach or talk without feeling overwhelmed. Your nerves may never go away but you can learn to control them.

Practice Out Loud

Practicing your presentation by giving it out loud is one of the best things you can do to ensure it runs smoothly. I have no idea why people think they can give huge presentations without practicing and unless you’re a seasoned speaker (speaking for a living) there is really no excuse for thinking such. The more you practice the less you’ll think about your presentation as you’re giving it, decreasing your odds of a mistake.

Find a Similar Venue

Do you know where you’ll be giving your presentation? Can you get into that venue in advance, after hours or early in the morning, to practice? If so, give it a shot. If you’re able to do so you’ll find you are more comfortable with your surroundings when the day of the actual presentation arrives.

Practice without Stopping with an Audience

This part is two-fold. If you practice with an audience of family or friends you’ll be more comfortable with a crowd watching you. The next important phase is to practice without stopping, even if you make a mistake. Stopping to correct yourself, and then starting over again, is really a very bad habit to get into. It’s better to acknowledge your mistakes and move on, making a note to correct them the next time your practice. If you stop and start over too many times you’ll a) get used to stopping and b) get really good at only one part of your presentation.

Follow these tips – essentially practicing as much as possible (oh, and use your props when you do practice) – and you’ll find your presentation goes much smoother than you anticipated. You don’t need to be a natural speaker to give a great talk – you just need to be dedicated!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Development

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