1) what new information were you exposed to during the assigned readings
Some of the new information I was exposed to while reading Being the Boss include; Being the boss does not only imply having good management, but it is also about oneself, about how one can evaluate their current skills as a manager, which will therefore lead to one becoming a great boss that one needs to be. Becoming a manager is not as easy as people assume it is. Positive outcomes and progress come quickly and easily only to those who understand and are ready to face the challenges. Otherwise, management can be surprising and frustrating because it happens to be different from what one has done before. One of the things that make management difficult is the significant gap that separates management work from that of an individual performer. This is where most people make mistakes since they become managers thinking that it will simply be an extension of managing themselves.
To become an effective manager, it requires a lot of new skills and knowledge, and at the same time, a person has to undergo through difficult personal change, whereby one has to start viewing themselves and their work in a whole different way. For instance, one must acquire and develop new values, more self-awareness, have the ability to pass wise judgment on others, and increase emotional maturity. With all these personal changes required, becoming a manager is an entire transformation, and it can be compared to completing school and starting a career, marriage, or even having a kid. Understanding management and why it is not easy is crucial if one has to make progress. The reason is that if you have no idea what to expect, then one is most likely to give up after feeling lonely and like their problems are unique.
Another information I was able to acquire while reading Being the Boss is the approach known as the manager’s three imperatives which can be used to improve one’s managerial skills. To apply this approach, it is important to clear the underlying sense of the critical issues, make plans about where you want to be in the future, and then how to achieve the goals. The effective manager’s three imperatives consist of managing yourself, managing your network, and managing the team that you work with. Most managers, whether new or experienced, think that managing their team is all they need to do, which is not the case. Managing oneself is important because it assists with the managerial role, how one relates with others like a boss, and most importantly, how you influence others. Formal authority cannot assure commitment because a manager requires people to be engaged in their work, whereby he can command how the staff spend their time. Firing an employee is a serious matter which should never be taken lightly. When an employee must be fired, it is essential to make sure that they leave with dignity, and demonizing a person should not be an option. A manager should also be good at managing through their work by being good at asking questions that will help the employees improve their performance. A good manager’s questions should not be directed at catching people at their mistakes, but they should be for guiding them to the right actions and to assist them to view challenges in a new and a more productive way.
2) If you knew this information when you began your career, how may it have been enhanced?
With this information from Being the Boss, my career would have been highly enhanced because practical management skills are essential for many reasons. They would have positioned me to act as a productive leader who has the ability to solve issues in a lot of situations. I would have been able to identify arising issues and problems early enough before they are evident to all employees in the company. My career would also have been improved in the following ways; Increase in productivity because I would have been able to motivate my employees, which happen to be the actual assets of any company. Motivation is important because it does not only increase employee satisfaction, but it also sets a good example.
I would also have been more professional so that my employees could have a clear picture of what they are supposed to strive for. This is important because it would have improved work ethics and demeanor. I would also have been able to have good communication skills, which happens to be one of the most essential responsibilities that managers have. This would have created strong connections that link the gap that exists between low-level employees, the top employees, and this would have in turn increased productivity. When it comes to innovation, I would have been able to bring the best products to the market by coming up with innovative solutions that can meet the customers’ needs, creating new ideas for the marketing campaigns, and so on.
This information would have been of help for the easy flow of activities and would have also assisted in achieving the set goals and objectives of the organization. This would have been achieved by forming good working relations with all employees by managing them as individuals and also as a team member. Managerial skills are critical, and if one works following these skills, they will definitely have an impact on their future opportunities and job performances.
