Top Five Characteristics of Management

Most jobs demand specific managerial skills, other than certain entry level jobs and a few technical research positions. On the job training emphasizes detailed requirements while forgetting the art of management. Some junior executives and military officers enjoy the benefit of extensive management training and experience. Learn from the life experiences, schools, and leadership training of others. Did your boss forget to address management? Do you want to improve your ability to manage the work-center? Take a look at this short list of best advice for managers.

Learn/Know the Job. My Director of Operations (DO) from Italy, (then) Major Joe Hurst, knew his Air Force Intelligence job and the intricate, highly technical operations arena better than anyone I ever met. Having worked his way to Officer's Training from the enlisted ranks of cryptologic linguist, he spent the bulk of his career in operations. He kept current in his personal development training and study and I never saw him unfamiliar with details of the job. As a result, his senior Non Commissioned and junior officers worked hard to improve their own areas of expertise and kept him apprised of new developments. Joe Hurst remains the top standard for expert leader and manager in my mind. In later years, I had the unfortunate experience of working for a DO during Desert Storm who earned his slot through staff jobs, politicking, and the old ring-knock of an Academy Grad. Without the technical expertise of someone like Hurst, the wartime unit failed to report as required, major situations requiring critical reporting were forwarded by other units, and morale plummeted. In one particular incident, he promised an intelligence coup to a British Special Forces Colonel, completely unsuited to our airborne platform. As a result, I had my butt chewed by the Strategic Air Command (SAC) boss for failing to properly coordinate the tasking and the British Colonel wasted a night on the wrong aircraft. The entire enlisted command and not a few young officers breathed a collected sigh of relief when that idiot retired a few years ago. What a contrast between management style!

Communication and Visibility.

1. Formal briefings and written communication: Newsletters, computer interface, and even social networking all help reinforce specifics in company policy. Office meetings, regular employee briefings, staff meetings, and military "Commanders Calls" are tools designed to get the word out to every worker. Keep the meetings short and entertaining. For shift workers, always make the effort to work in extra briefings in line with THEIR schedule. An afternoon conference might work for 75 percent of the staff, but it's the equivalent of a midnight meeting for your night shift.

2. Meet and Greet: The best managers I've known get out and talk with their people. Having an ear to the ground short-circuits problems early, helps reinforce your position, and shows people you care about the job. Visibility goes both up, down and across the company to facilitate networking. US Air Force Lt Gen Ken Minihan and R.D. Musser and his son Dan at Grand Hotel come to mind as the most adept in this field. Minihan was recognized as one of the most popular, effective officers in the modern day military, while the Musser men continue to build their hotel as a world ranked enterprise. Both were challenged with replacing a transitory work force several times over. Although tasked with mounds of paperwork and written correspondence, they shared one key strategy: superlative skill interacting with others to motivate employees at every level of the organization.

3. Get Out from Behind Your Desk! Outstanding managers are seen by the bulk of their workforce on a daily basis. Holiday weekends and "time to decompress" never seemed necessary. Minihan considered his people part of an extended family and you could bet the bank he would be out on the operations floor talking to every last operator on midnight shift Christmas Eve and Christmas Day over in southern Italy, where I first met him. The strongest image of my old commander is standing on a maintenance pod at the bottom of a long aisle of Morse Intercept Operators, arm pointing to the ducts above, while cold wafts of misdirected air conditioning blew in his face. He harangued them about the need to report some malfunction in the cooling system, asking them to follow up with continued written and verbal complaints.

4. Know Your Employees: Mr. Musser certainly intimidated me as a very young security officer in college whenever he breezed by my spot at the security booth or out on "Fudgie Patrol;" however, I knew his whole life revolved around Grand Hotel in the Summer Season on Mackinac Island, Michigan. One of my most valued possessions is a letter he wrote to help me earn my Air Force commission. Managing hundreds of seasonal employees, he remembered one lowly security guard when she needed it!

5. Show the World What You Can Do: Musser's handsome young son Dan is everywhere today, following in his dad's footsteps as President of the organization. You'll see him at Pure Michigan meetings pushing for advertising of our state as a tourist destination. I found him walk through the hotel spaces even during a quiet Sunday afternoon while I worked the US Census last year. This visibility earns him the respect of employees and loyal patronage of many thousands of customers on an annual basis.

Leaders in management ensure every worker knows his job, all jobs are done well, and intermediate supervisors/managers are on the ball, too. More importantly, they establish company and personal loyalty in the youngest men and women workers. In my experience, people at all levels work harder and better for a boss who establishes good communication rapport and is seen on a routine basis.

Formal/Informal Recognition of Achievement, Training, Community Service and Job Accomplishments.

1. Letters of Appreciation and Commendation translate specific achievements into words. Make these certificates attractive and showy, with a signature of someone important. Add your own personal letter to the package and present the material in a public manner. Although workers might be shy, these items are things they can show off at home. Every level of manager should work to see his people lauded for their achievements.

2. Reward extra effort and community service with tangible items. I used to give out three and four day passes to my military work-centers for special effort and specific actions. My personnel rarely griped at late Friday evenings, routine in Italy when our national level tasking rolled in before the week ended in Washington. These people knew the extra hours would be returned and appreciated blocks of time midweek for trips to Greece or tours to Rome. Don't forget to recognize service in the community.

3. Remember retirements and transfers with formal dinners/luncheons and certificates. In these days of people changing jobs more frequently, it's still important to show your thanks for their contribution. Depending on the individual, we held intimate work-center "Hail and Farewells" at small restaurants and bars, or more massive family pot lucks and barbecues on the beach or at our villa during summer rotations. Collect small amounts for the departing individual if your wallet (or office fund) can't support buying the guest of honor (and spouse) their meal. We presented engraved wine-jugs, Sorrento wood wall hangings, engraved metal awards, and even etchings of some symbol of the job. While some managers don't worry once the individual is gone, those remaining "on duty" appreciate these events.

Demonstrate Concern for Your Staff. I'll always remember my first boss, Arla Holder, for helping out when my husband was hospitalized in Italy. She worked my shifts herself and even took on laundry duties during the crisis. Another time she sent me home from work after a major tooth extraction. I showed up with the side of my face puffed up like a rabid chipmunk and nothing more than an extra strength Motrin to cover the pain. Even after working all day, she picked up my afternoon shift and sent me home immediately. Often, military dispensaries and clinics refuse to assign "Sick Quarters" to servicemen and women. As an office chief, when I felt someone was too sick to work, I sent them home whenever possible. With marriage problems, we offered counseling through the Chaplain's Office, Family Support, and Mental Health Services. If one of your people seems short-tempered or depressed, take the time to listen to their problems. The Air Force guidance directed us to avoid assuming the role of professional counselor; rather, direct your employees to the professionals. Many services are free or low-cost, offered through local churches and community centers.

Set the Example. Both Lt Gen Minihan and Dan Musser set the standard for their employees to follow. Both men work long days, arriving before the bulk of their personnel and working well into the evening hours at night. They maintained a high standard of morals, demonstrated superlative written and communicative skills, and knew their respective operations intimately. Both men shared one trait in never expecting anyone to do a job they wouldn't do themselves. They always put their mission first and worked hard to see employees rewarded for outstanding performance. Providing consistent feedback, both oral and written, helped those around them improve. Both gentlemen worked their way from the lowest position to the very top of their chosen field. I feel lucky to have worked for them and found that leading by example is an important tool in effective managers.