Every manager and leader in an organization must know how to lead positively, constructively, and productively. The management of projects and organizations using negative and forceful practices of the last century is long gone. Every manager, whether project manager, HR, and CEO, must enter the 21st century.
In this article, we present top tips and trends for managers and modern management in 2022. We use the top tips for managers from this year (2021, https://www.businesspad.org/top-tips-and-trends-for-managers-in- 2021) and we carry them over to the next one. Of course, you will find many additions. The main topics in the publication are based on the BVOP collection to increase the business value in the organization. (https://bvop.org/learn/what-is-business-value/ – “What is Business Value: Examples and definition”, BVOP.org)
Create an environment for common contribution
The manager and his subordinates work in a team. Working as a cohesive team is most effective. There should be a specific day of the week when everyone gets together and every one poses a problem they have encountered, offers a new approach that they have tried and think is successful, or just drink coffee, tea, talk and relax. In my opinion, the best day is Friday afternoon – the end of the week and everyone is more or less tired and is already relaxing.
Build a positive organizational culture
A boss needs to be able to properly organize the work process, he is the person who lays the foundations of a company. Team leaders and employees work together to optimize processes, reduce development time and quickly introduce innovations into the workflow. The organization of the work process is one of the most important things when there is a specific order and way of working. In the dental offices, these are the written “Protocols for work” and everyone must follow them. protocol for conducting telephone conversations, for cleaning and disposing of garbage, there is a protocol for opening and closing the clinic and each member of the team knows exactly what his duties and responsibilities are. If in the process of work something is optimized – it changes the corresponding protocol.
Human relations at work
For a machine to run, it must be well lubricated, ie. atmosphere, positive energy in an office/cabinet is essential. The employees of the organization show respect for each other, help each other and work productively with a smile, a kind word, and a mood. The smiles mustn’t be fake …, everyone should truly be able to thank and praise the work of his colleague from the bottom of his heart, as well as to help him in case of need and request on his part. The main role is played by the manager or the direct supervisor, they should be able to praise people for a job well done. One “Thank you” at the end of the day is small, but frankly, it will give a new impetus to the worker, and the next day he will come with a smile, enthusiasm, and work even better. When one has to criticize oneself, one should not do it in front of others, because then the criticized one will worry more and this may lead to him leaving, for some weaker characters escape is a way of life. On the other hand, people who are irresponsible and without character should not be kept in one team. Criticism should be without insults, without shouts, and in a few words justified and elegant.
Work processes
To avoid misunderstandings, transfer of responsibility, and loss of time and nerves, everyone should know their responsibilities and tasks. The documentation, requirements, and rules of work are created, maintained, and changed in an easy, convenient, and understandable style, so that everyone can easily understand them, follow them and this saves time from unnecessary questions, discussions, misunderstandings, and mistakes. Old documents can be archived.
Human Resources
This is one of the important units in any organization. Every self-respecting manager must invest time and money in raising the qualification of the people working for him. Everyone in the organization must constantly improve their personal and professional qualities by taking qualification courses, enrolling and completing a degree, organizing team building to unite the team, giving bonuses, gifts, awards to the distinguished, and of other mild incentives for motivation. Light competition must be maintained for everyone to try to be fit and motivated to succeed. Organizing visits to cultural events – concerts, productions, exhibitions, etc.
Relationships between business and people
Meetings and discussions with potential clients/patients are not a waste of time and always lead to desired results. People who use the products/services should always be consulted. They can always make a good suggestion for a change or say what they don’t like, what doesn’t work for them, or what is useful to them. Raffles can be made with the feedback from customers who have purchased a product and thus to collect information about the product, and to keep feedback with consumers. When a person feels important, respected, valued and his opinion is sought and valued – then he will be “forever Our” client/patient.
Employee behavior, skills, and maturity – People on the team should be able to monitor, search for and remove obstacles in the work process on their own, without waiting for management to do so. When a manager has trained, responsible, independent, and capable people – then he will be able to hold meetings at the business level calmly, without having to monitor, supervise and possibly deal with problems at work.
Time to reach the market. The development of each product focuses on the most important goals and needs and, accordingly, the time to reach the end customer is minimized.
Reduction of surpluses in the organization and among the teams (time, money, labor)
Fatigue is managed and teams do not spend too much time on trivial tasks. When it is seen that a valuable person on the team has been tired, nervous, irritable for some time, there is a way to give him a break, even if he does not admit his fatigue. He can be sent on a course, have a rest and a cash reward, or something else to distract him and separate him from work. The documentation and rules of operation are created and maintained in an easy and convenient style so that everyone understands them with ease and saves time from unnecessary discussions and misunderstandings.
Innovation – Modernization and innovation. The tools and the environment are constantly improving. The introduction of new technologies, new tools and machines, and new work techniques – this is always a plus for everyone. New methods, programs, machines, and tools reduce the time for making a product, bring variety, as well the confidence of employees that they use the latest technologies that have entered the work process. Reference: “Managing business organizations and adding business value. An Agile Manager’s Guide to the Theory of BVOP.org”, 2019 Vol. 2, Marta Cooper, https://www.policymatters.net/managing-business-organizations-and-adding-business-value-an-agile-managers-guide-to-the-theory-of-bvop-org/
Shortened production processes. Unnecessary documents, processes, and communications that lead to a waste of time are avoided. The main causes of problems, defects, and obstacles are analyzed, tracked, and eliminated.
Usability, usefulness, and value of the products
Product development focuses on the most important goals and needs that are based on consumers. All results, concepts, and versions of the products are validated with real users, ie. the market is studied and the demand determines the supply – consumers are offered what they want, and the risk of an unwanted, unclaimed product is limited as much as possible. The new product is offered at a promotional/lower price, and subsequently, there is a lower price for regular customers.
Customer and customer satisfaction – Customer and customer satisfaction must be constantly increasing. There must be feedback from consumers. Whether through subscription, service support, raffles, games, sending e-mails, calls, or others.
Organizational culture provokes people to be proactive, to contribute, to share, and to be aware of the business goals of the organization.
This would be achieved by organizing meetings of the entire team of the company, if there are up to 20 people or meetings of each department separately and finally, after decisions are made, to gather representatives of each department. At this meeting, the problems, questions, and suggestions for their solution should be raised. Management must be able to speak freely with everyone in the organization. The manager of the company must periodically send the employees to courses and training to improve their qualifications. Also, management must let your co-workers make their own decisions in the process. This vote of confidence will remove the barrier of concern for employees not to make a mistake for which they will receive reproach or scolding. When a person does not bother to make an independent decision, then he acts freely, with self-confidence, and is ready to accept criticism. Reference: “Examples of Business value-added for organizations, projects, and products”, https://mstsnl.net/examples-of-business-value-added-for-organisations-projects-and-products/
Modernization and innovation
Every self-respecting manager and the people who work for him should be ready to invest money, time, and attention to introduce innovations in their business. These innovations can be new machines and equipment, as well as new methods of work. He should know that what he invests as resources in his business, over time will pay off many times over, both financially and as respect and attitude from his team.
People in the organization show respect for each other and work productively
In a company, department, or factory, everyone has to feel like a team, everyone is in one boat and if they want that boat not to sink, they have to row in sync, in understanding, and one direction. I am a team player and all my life I have tried to be able to get along with the people I work with. It is very important to be able to tell the people you work with what you think directly in the eyes, without insults and accusations. You just need to be able to talk smart and with arguments, to say what you think is right, to listen to the other person. You need to be able to accept both criticism and praise calmly. Respect, compromise, responsibility, and professionalism – this is the key to success at work. People who are perfect in their work, but are a type of gossip, ie. the moment they see the back of a person leaving the room and start discussing and mocking him – these people have no place in this department, in this company, in our lives.
The number of people leaving the organization is limited to a minimum
One of the most important tasks of managers, team managers, bosses, is to be able to keep the people he works with for a long time. I’m not talking about people who give up at the first failure or criticism, such people know each other immediately by looking in their employment record book where for how long they worked. Such “migratory birds”, who worked somewhere for a month or two and left or worse fired, should not be hired. Every manager should monitor the people he works with, try to encourage them to upgrade their skills and knowledge, gain their trust and be able to talk to them about work as well as their family and children. He needs to know what problems the team members are facing, what life moments they are going through and he should always try to help them. The team manager must encourage with a kind word, with a financial bonus, with a reward, even just a gesture, the responsible and executive associates. Very often good workers leave because they feel underestimated, mostly financially. This is a waste of time, money, and gained trust for the company, because the same person will not be found who will have to be trained again and he will feel respected and needed, so to take off his “guard” and vote for you. and be ready to work with the mind, heart, and soul for you.
Conflicts and negative environments are minimized
I developed the issue of dealing with conflicts in an organization in item 3 above. People need to be selected very carefully for a team. Even if they are the perfect workers, they should be able to work in a team, not discuss their colleagues behind their backs, not spread gossip all over the company, be able to make compromises, be able to get into the shoes of the colleague and the boss, be ready to stand by their colleague to help, to be responsible, accurate and honest.
The image of the organization increases
Increasing the image of the organization – this is the responsibility of everyone, from the manager to “kaka Penka” cleaner. Everyone must be responsible, be side by side, heart to heart, everyone must realize that when they go forward together, to increase the volume, quality, and value of the service or products they offer / manufacture – it provides them with work for years to come, security of income and respectively increase of salary, benefits, respect, comfort, and security.
Everyone in the organization is constantly improving their personal and professional qualities. Reference: “How to increase the business value of your projects and organization”, Michael Taylor 2020 Vol. 1, https://managerspost.com/how-to-increase-the-business-value-of-your-projects-and-organization/ ISSN 2563-1853
Here again, I will write that everyone working in the organization must have a responsibility to themselves, to the people with whom and for whom they work. Everyone must work on himself as a person, to build his character, to upgrade his skills and knowledge, to be a man above all. It is very easy to work with people who smile, joke, and are ready to understand and help you. The person who is responsible for uniting the team is the manager, the manager, the boss – these are the people who with their attitude, behavior and care are a model for behavior and unconditional trust.
Team members seek and remove obstacles without waiting for management to do so
The main responsibility of a manager, team leader is this – to be able to form, to gather interchangeable people, to be able to make independent decisions, to be responsible for the decisions made. You need to build trust in the team and work like a well-oiled machine without waiting for orders and commands from anyone. Everyone knows their tasks and pursues them, solves, cancels, if possible helps others, and the main goal is to get the job done perfectly, without mistakes.
Management and team members work together to optimize processes and speed up development time.
One for all and all for one – this is the foundation of relations in a team. The manager votes confidence in the team members to make decisions and make changes in the work process. Ongoing refresher courses and teamwork are the keys to success. All together they think about optimizing the work process and shortening the implementation time.
Costs are managed and planned carefully.
The costs in a company must be carefully considered. This is the main task of the accounting department and the manager. A detailed annual plan must be made for the costs in a company, and it is obligatory to envisage unforeseen costs, for example for a situation in a pandemic, natural disasters, fires, floods, etc. It is mandatory to ensure the property of the organization, to make personal insurance for its employees. There should be a set-aside amount in the treasury that is out of touch so that there is financial security for everyone.
The tools and the environment are constantly improving
To have prosperity and progress in the development of a company, it is necessary to provide new quality tools and materials to facilitate the work of people. People should feel comfortable at work, have comfortable desks, chairs, clean spacious rooms. Workers need to feel at home, and they need to take care of, keep and maintain the furniture, machines, and premises in the office.
Unnecessary documents, processes, and communications are avoided.
The documentation must be “cleaned up” at certain times. All old unnecessary documents, forms, letterheads, orders, etc., to be collected and discarded. Every member of the team must keep their documentation in order, all files on the computer must be organized and archived. Any unnecessary, already archaic model of work should be deleted and forgotten, at best archived. The time lost in asking a question, the answer to which can be found written in the work protocol should be minimized. Before asking a question, think about where you can find an answer so you don’t waste other people’s time.
The main causes of problems, defects, and obstacles are analyzed, tracked, and eliminated
People on a team need to be able to talk to each other. To gather at a certain period or urgently to analyze and make the right decisions for a case or problem.
Quality standards are followed and implemented without significant loss of time and resources.
Quality standards are like a law that must be obeyed. They are written and brought to the attention of everyone on the team. Any violation and non-compliance must be punished and reprimanded. This way everyone will follow them and there will be no need to waste time repeating and explaining them.
Fatigue is managed and teams do not spend too much time on trivial tasks.
In everyone and the same type of work comes the moment of suffering, boredom, relaxation, and fatigue. Therefore, several people must be trained to be able to perform several different tasks and to be exchanged from time to time, ie. to rotate. Another option is for employees to be retrained and transferred to another type of work, and in their place to train and hire new people.
The documentation and requirements are created and maintained in an easy and convenient style so that everyone understands them with ease and saves time from unnecessary discussions and misunderstandings.
All documents must be arranged in a specific order and when someone has to use them, then return and arrange them in the same way. The documents should be arranged as in a library and everyone should be familiar and try to maintain the established order and manner of arrangement. Innovations to be implemented and old and unnecessary information documents to be archived or destroyed.
Meetings and discussions do not lead to a waste of time and always lead to desired results
For the meetings and discussions, a day and time should be set in which to propose and comment on the proposals for changes. Changes in the way the work model leads to diversity and avoidance of routine and boredom. The team needs to learn to talk, people don’t have to worry about making suggestions for something new. In this, there is a kind of noble competition between workers, which leads to the optimization of the work process and the introduction of modern technologies in the work.
Product development focuses on the most important goals and needs.
To sell a product, there must be a demand for one, ie. demand determines supply. Market research – this is the main task of the marketing department, to study what is sought, to find the right niche in the market where there is no such product, and people want and are looking for it. If the company has a product that is stagnant and not for sale, look for a way to modify it, update it so that it becomes sought after by consumers.
All results, concepts, and versions of the products are validated with real users, and the risk of an unwanted product is limited.
The answer to this question overlaps with the answer to question 18 – any old, non-functional, inapplicable product or service, something that is not sought by the end-user must be modified or if not possible – to stop production, not to offer on the market.
Customer and consumer satisfaction is constantly growing
It is necessary to organize a survey among consumers over some time. Feedback from buyers of a particular product or service is mandatory to correct deficiencies and satisfy people’s desires. Customers are always right, as soon as they are ready and buy what is offered to them, then we will all be satisfied, there will be work, there will be income. Promotions of new products can be made, surveys can be conducted, an email survey can be conducted. When a client/patient is satisfied, feels alone, his opinion is respected, his wishes are fulfilled, he remains OUR FAITHFUL client/patient for life.
Forming teams around a leader.
Managers in an organization must be able to be leaders
These people must be able to lead the people from the team behind them, to be able to build such relationships with the team so that they are not accepted as dictators, but to be the closest colleagues, but not to allow them to get on their heads. , to be able to keep people at arm’s length, but not with reprimand and punishment, but by inspiring respect and esteem. Some people are born leaders, they do not need “literacy”, but this does not prevent them from taking personal growth courses. In each training, one can learn something new, as long as one is ready and opens one’s senses to it.
Appoint a representative of your organization to the media
Every self-respecting organization should have its spokesperson, but not an outsider, but its resource. This person must be one of the teams who have the gift of speech, radiance, charisma, and knows in detail everything about the business or service. These are the so-called PRs, so belittled by everyone, but also so important and valuable for business. This person must comment with the manager every appearance, every word, every expression, every gesture in front of an audience, because one wrong word or gesture can ruin the image, and from there will reduce the demand for the product/service from consumers.
