1. How to Assign Work

2. Introduction Meg Whitman, CEO of eBay, is successful because she:
Recognized an opportunity
Made a decision
Gave orders to make it work
Ultimately, she assigned work effectively

3. Assigning Work Effectively
Assigning work effectively is the most important skill of the successful leader
Principles for performing this task:
Consider the availability of the employee’s time and whether this is the ideal person to do the job
Use work assignments as a means of developing people
Know exactly what you want to communicate before giving an order

4. Assigning Work Effectively
If many duties or steps are involved in a an order, follow oral communication with a note (keep a copy)
Ask rather than tell, but leave no doubt that you expect compliance
Use the correct language for the employee’s training level
Make assignments in a logical sequence, using clear and concise language

5. Assigning Work Effectively
Be considerate but never apologetic when asking someone to do a job
Talk deliberately and authoritatively, but avoid shouting across a room or making an unnecessary show of power
Take responsibility for the orders you give
Give people the opportunity to ask questions and express opinions
Follow up to make sure assignments are being carried out properly, and modify them if the situation warrants

6. Management Roles and Skills
Leader effectiveness depends on knowledge and skill in solving organizational problems
The types of problems to be solved depend on the leader’s role or level of responsibility
Top managers:
Establish the organization’s goals, strategy, and operating policy
Represent the organization to the external environment

7. Management Roles and Skills
Middle managers:
Implement policies and plans established by top managers
Supervise and coordinate activities of lower-level managers
Front-line managers:
Supervise and coordinate activities of operating employees
Coordinate, facilitate, and support the work of subordinates

8. Management Roles and Skills
The types of skills needed for effective performance at all levels of management

9. Types of Skills Technical Skill
Having knowledge about and being proficient in a specific-type of work
Detailed job knowledge, hands-on expertise, and ability to use equipment, techniques, and procedures
Requires a high degree of technical skill

10. Types of Skills Relational Skill
Having knowledge about and being able to work with people
Ability to motivate, coordinate, and advise other people, as individuals or as a work group
Requires good human relation skills

11. Types of Skills Conceptual Skill
Having knowledge about and being able to work with concepts and ideas
Long-range planning, strategic decision making, and weighing of ethical considerations
Requires the ability to think abstractly

12. Management Roles and Skills
The amount of time each level of management spends on the four processes of management

13. Management Processes and Functions
Planning: charting a direction, determining strategies to succeed, and making policy decisions
Organizing: aligning structure, people, and resources to achieve goals
Directing: supervising, facilitating, coaching, and developing people
Controlling: tracking progress against plans and making corrections

14. The Vital Shift U.S. workplace:
The reward for being an outstanding producer is promotion
Success is measured by status
Rest of the world:
Mobility is less the norm
Management positions are filled on the basis of education or social standing
The opportunity to become manager is not as common as it is in the U.S.

15. The Vital Shift Promotion can be a culture shock
Progression through career stages isn’t always smooth
Most difficult times are periods of vital shift-moving from one type of work to another

16. The Vital Shift Overpromotion syndrome:
Occurs when transitions are not successful
According to the Peter Principle:
The individual may be dissatisfied because the new work is not interesting, or may feel inadequate because needed skills are missing
The organization is harmed because the individual lacks competence
In effect, the individual has been promoted to his level of incompetence

17. The New-Job Tryout
This is one of the best ways to make a vital shift
Allows one to work at a different type of job for an interim period of time
Considered a two-way tryout
If either the individual or organization decides it is not working, employee pride is preserved
Solves the problem of embarrassment or unwillingness to hurt a person’s feelings