“Most of what we call Management consists of making it difficult for people to get their work done.” ~ Peter Drucker

What Peter Drucker describes is obviously not good management , but poor management. What then does good

management look like?

Leadership and management are different and both are essential. A leader is a visionary who thinks of things that can move an organization forward. The manager’s job is to put feet on that vision and move the ball down the field. Visionary leaders and managers work together hand and glove to make good things happen.

In order to do their jobs well, managers must have in place the organizational:

  • Purpose – Why the organization exists
  • Values  – What the organization believes is important
  • Vision – Where the organization is headed  
  • Strategic initiatives – How the organization will get there

Once these four components are in place, management goes to work with the right people to create and maintain a plan and process to bring those strategic initiatives into reality and to make sure they continue to happen with excellence and in a timely manner.

HERE ARE FIVE CRITICAL PIECES TO GOOD MANAGEMENT OF PEOPLE:

1.  A Job Description

In light of the Purpose, values, vision and strategic initiatives the group, church or organization has, what is the specific job you are asking a person to fill? This needs to have great specificity so there is no doubt what they are being paid to do, or asked to do if they are a volunteer.

2.  Authority

What authority does this job or position have to go with it?  There needs to be authority to make decisions; authority to spend money; authority to bring others onto the team. If this is not clear, bad decision can happen, or no decisions will happen. Where do the lines of authority lie? Who has authority to do what and what needs to be deferred to someone else?

3.  Expectations

What does success look like for this job/role/responsibility? If the person does what he or she is being asked to do, how is success in getting certain results being determined, and is it clear to the person filling the role?

4.  Accountability

Who is to hold this person accountable for fulfilling this role? What goal(s) is the person being asked to set in light of this role and how will they be held accountable for achieving these agreed-upon goals?

5.  Follow up

How will this person be followed up with to make sure the expectations are being met and the goals being reached?  There needs to be regular sit-downs to go over what has been determined from the outset. When affirmation is earned for work well done, that affirmation needs to be expressed in encouraging ways. When the person in the role is not doing well, that needs to be communicated and dealt with. In my experience far too many people are left alone and not spoken with until a crises occurs. Once a year sit-downs are insufficient. Evaluation needs to be regularly happening so the person knows how they are doing and where they stand.

As Jim Collins says, “Get the right people on the bus and in the right seats.” This is part of the hiring and vetting process. Once these people have been given a role, job, assignment, the five things above need to take place across the board and consistently.