EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT: THE 10 GOLDEN RULES

So your job title doesn’t include “manager”? Don’t lose heart as you’re most definitely managing something and you will most likely handle some management duty at some point in your career. But as an entrepreneur you’re already a manager because every one of your responsibilities has some management element to it.

Being an efficient manager isn’t about driving those you supervise or employees to work harder. Forcing people to work a certain way can breed resentment as well as disloyalty whereas being too soft can lead to habits of laziness or boredom.  There is no right management style this is because each employee and company is going to have an individual perspective and its own organization culture.

Universally there are obviously some wrong management styles that must be avoided. This can be done by following the 10 “golden” rules of effective management:

1.   Consisitency

Can be considered the first rule because it applies to most of the others. Before you’re effective as a manager you have to be consistent in your management style. Such as rewarding the same behaviors every time they appear, discouraging the same behaviors when they appear and treating every member of your team with an equal, level-head.

2.   SET THE GOAL OF WORKING AS A TEAM

If you want your team to work together, have them work for something together. Setting goals just for the department or one individual breeds a limited mentality and forces team members to remain isolated. Instead, give your people a unified focus and purpose, to inspire them together.

 3.   Clarity, accuracy and thoroughness in communication

The way you’ll communicate to your team will most likely dictate your eventual success. When relaying instructions, recapping meetings or just doling out company updates, strive for the clarity, accuracy and thoroughness of your communication. This goes for any other medium, whether that means in-person communication, email or a phone call. Clarity, accuracy and thoroughness are the best way to avoid miscommunication and keep your team on the same page.

4.   Reward and recognize hard work publicly

Whenever a team amber does something exceptional reward them with a bonus, a small trophy, or just vocal recognition. This done in from of the group will make the intended recipient feel good and show the other team members that hard work is rewarded. Just remember consistency as stated above will save you from being seen as playing favorites.

5.   PRactice What you preach

You as the visionary, leader, and manager should set an example in terms of your behavior. If you show up late, your team will be less punctual, if you lose your temper easily others will be amiss when it comes to checking their emotions in check, if you cut corners and are not honest, your team is likely going to be the same, if you’re corrupt or collect bribes so will your people. So by all means strive to be your own ideal perfect worker, especially in front of your team.

PS: You can schedule some time to have a chat with me if you need any help with different aspects of your business, I have grown to know a number of resources to help your business succeed as a business owner.

6.   Be AS Transparent as possible

I have learnt over time that as a business transparency should be at the core of your business matters. This is because it shows your integrity as a leader, and builds trust with the individual members of your team. If you lie about something, or withhold information, you could jeopardize your relationships and the respect you command as a leader. Remember a good name is better than riches.

7.   don’t “one-size-fits-all” everything

Your team is comprised of individuals with unique preferences, strengths, weaknesses and ideas. Never use the exact same approach to motivate, encourage or mold all of them. Focus on individuals, and customize your approach to fit each one. Just always remember to be transparent and consistent in the process.

8.   Encourage opinions and ideas

It can never over emphasized that you will be dealing with different individuals from different backgrounds and with different personalities. Therefore the more people you have actively participating in the decision making process the better, especially in the attempt to making improvements to the organization and its processes. By all means try not to chastise a team member for voicing an opinion respectfully, even if it goes against your original vision or isn’t well thought out. Cutting someone down for voicing an opinion builds resentment, and discourages people from sharing their own new thoughts. Employees need to voice free to voice their opinions as this builds a sense of ownership for the business.

9.   Make work fun

You don’t need a pool table or dress code abolition to make work fun. You can make the workday more enjoyable with such new elements as surprise lunch outings, a dedicated break room or even just casual conversations with your workers. Help your people enjoy coming to work, and they’ll do their best work for you.

10.            Listen atentively and ask questions

Ever heard of the grape vine? Usually rumors coming from there shouldn’t be left unattended to, try to find out the root of that rumor and you can work on problems before the pop up. Also if someone doesn’t agree with your management style or doesn’t like the direction of the company, don’t silence that person. You will discover that in divergent views a new innovation might stem forth. So listen. And ask questions of your entire team: What do you think of this? How do you feel about that? This open dialogue makes it easier to proactively identify problems and work together to create a mutually beneficial environment. It will also make your employees feel appreciated and acknowledged

Whatever I have written above isn’t cast in stone, there’s plenty of wiggle room to apply your own personal “brand” of leadership and management. They stand as fundamental truths that govern effective management rather than a strict instruction manual to success. Stay true to these principles in addition to your own and you will unify your team in a rewarding and enriching environment.

What other rules can you add to this list, please feel free to share your ideas below… feel free to leave a comment and share. 

 

MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN STARTING OR RUNNING A BUSINESS?

The first time I set up a business was when I got to University, of course before formally setting up a business I would look for ways I could make an income which I tried odd jobs. So the first business I ever registered was an enterprise and we would order computers from South Africa to Zambia and sale them to students. We got a steady market and it was slowly getting ground around the university community until we hit a roadblock and lost money and that’s how the company stopped operating. Going forward I have gone ahead to set up well performing companies, some changing lives and some offering a much needed service and along the way I have made a mistakes, some big some small.

By the way mistakes in starting and running a business are normal. Ask any business person you know, and they will be able to list countless blunders that they have committed in their career, actually hindsight is always 20/20.

Below are some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

1.   DON'T TRY AND DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF

Of course it’s your business and it’s your baby but at some point you got to let go because that’s just a great strategy. Here is why you need to keep this in mind. If you’re in it for the long haul and you’re making the right moves and you have an awesome working system your business will grow and will most definitely become too much for you as one person, you will then have two choices: either hire someone else or do everything yourself and risk burning out before the company grows into something big enough to allow for other people in management positions.

Asking others to help will most definitely work for you. It has worked really well for me because they're able to take on more responsibility as my company grows. This way, you don't have to manage all aspects by yourself while also doing what is required of an owner and manager role. 

2.   FIND A MENTOR AND MAKE DELIBERATE MEETINGS REGULARLY

Going back to point number one above about trying to do everything yourself. .. You can't. Why a mentor? You ask? Well one of the most important things is that Mentors are a great way to avoid costly mistakes and it also help you grow in business (that rubbing shoulders with great people kind of thing). It's worth your time when they provide access not only to their networks of contacts, but also to insight that might save you from making some common mistakes as well. If they have thrived and made it in your community with all the social, economic, psychological underlying factors am sure you can learn a thing or two on how to maneuver your business for success in your community or area of focus.

Think about all the times when this could come in handy: say you have an idea for how you can move forward with something in your business or maybe even need advice on what salary increase would be fair given your recent success. A mentor wouldn't just offer you suggestions — he or she would already know first-hand which answer is best.

3.   FIND LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE, NOT LIKE-SKILLED PEOPLE

Like minded in this case is people who are differently skilled but like minded for example people motivated to try building something bigger than themselves. Some areas might still be lacking professionals but work with what you have and build your business till you come across equally enthusiastic individuals who have different skill sets.

4.   PLAN, PLAN, PLAN (WITH THE FUTURE IN MIND)

One thing I have always kept in my mind from the informal businesses I started is that I would like to set up something that will be bigger than me in more ways than one. Over the years I’ve come to discover that this is actually a company infrastructure mindset. So you ask yourself: If my business tripled in size overnight, would I have the right employees to take care of it? Would they know what their roles are and how they're expected to act when things go wrong? Will there be enough computers, desks or equipment for them all if we grew too fast? (Because trust me, rare as it might be, it might happen). Think about your team's workload now — can you handle the added strain that comes with growth at scale without investing more time upfront, so each employee has less work on his or her plate as operations expand exponentially over time?

When those potential scenarios become a reality (and they will), you don't want to squander them because you didn't plan ahead. 

5.   PAY NO MIND TO THE PESSIMISTS (NAYSAYERS)

When you start to tell people about your business, they will question it. Peers and strangers alike are going to be hostile or give you their passive-aggressive opinions about your business, and that's okay. Just remember it's your business, not theirs so all those opinions you take them under advisement. You decide to start on your own, take a risk and do something you're passionate about. It’s normal at first to question what you’re doing all the time. Such as do I have enough capital? Do we have enough money for the payroll? Can we afford another employee? Are we growing at a sustainable rate? You should also remember that it's important not to become a naysayer yourself. If you believe in something, to hell with what everyone else says about your dream. Go after it and get it.

6.   END THAT BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT – ITS OK

This is a hard one I know. When you begin doing business with someone, they may have been the best client in town when it comes to monthly revenue. But then you discover that their product might not be what your company needs especially for its long-term viability.

For example a client is causing 80 percent of your headaches and is contributing less than 5 percent of your revenue. Honestly does this math add up? So when you “ditch” this client it means you have freed up more time and have cut down on unnecessary annoyances. The significant thing that will happen you can now take all of that free time and put it toward marketing strategy and doubling our best clients. This will most definitely play an essential part in your business growth over time. It may be counterintuitive, but sometimes letting go of business can create more revenue opportunities.

 

7.   SPEND SOME MONEY FOR THE RIGHT TOOLS NEEDED FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Spending money is always a tough pill to swallow when you're just starting your business, but it's something that could ultimately pay off in the long run. Software/equipment is expensive upfront without any guarantees of how well it'll perform or whether the company will stick with it over time. But one technique you can try is always evaluate every new piece of software/equipment you buy based on lifetime value instead of immediate cost-benefit analysis. As soon as you or your team starts using a service/equipment, more often than not, you’ll start seeing significant benefits from said service/equipment, which usually pays for itself relatively quickly.

For example hire a photographer  pay for professionally edited high quality photos that will help your business to stand out. Might not be cheap, but the time you save by using your images instead of searching online and risking using same images as everyone is just about priceless. The legal safety that comes with these quality pictures will save you from getting sued or having our work taken down. The upfront cost is a drop in the bucket relative to the payoff in the grand scheme of things.

It's not uncommon for startups to make mistakes while building their business. You will want mentors that you can lean on and learn from in order to stay successful. Still, some things should be avoided, so as long as occasional mistakes happen, they won't hurt your company too much. Test new ideas and get feedback so you know what features need work or if the whole idea needs changing altogether.

One thing you can take from this is that failure is just a lesson waiting to be learned from. Sure, it's tough when you pivot your business model and test new ideas for feedback only to find that they don't work out the way you'd hoped, but every mistake or setback always comes with something valuable in return if you don't let your pride get in the way of admitting what needs changing.

 What other business startup mistakes can you share below… feel free to leave a comment and share.  

  

ELECTED MAYORS ARE KEY TO SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

On 5^th of January 2016 the constitutional amendments were signed into effect. And among the amendments was the mode of electing mayors into office. One might ask, what is the importance of such an amendment? But for one to know that they need to understand how important the office of the mayor is. Allow me to be a bit academical   

Its emphatic that the credibility of any democratic nation depends on the strength of the institutions it builds, notably its capacity to meet citizens’ demands for service delivery and accountability. In the process, enhancing the performance capacity of government decentralizing power from the national level to the municipal level is cardinal. Decentralization is considered a tool to deliver results shaped by local needs and market realities, engage citizens in decision making, and bridge ethnic divisions. And directly-elected mayors assume a primary role in helping ensure accountability, transparency and responsibility.

The word Mayor pronounced /ˈmɛər/ or /ˈmeɪər/ is from the Latin maior [majˈjɔr], which means "bigger". In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor, as well as the means by which a mayor is elected or otherwise mandated. Depending on the system chosen, a mayor may be the chief executive officer of the municipal government, may simply chair a multi-member governing body with little or no independent power, or may play a solely ceremonial role. Options for selection of a mayor include direct election by the public, or selection by an elected governing council or board.

MAYORS are meant to be guarantors of services, the public good and citizens’ participation in local life.[1] Clearly, good governance needs to combine economic policies that support city prosperity with good social policies. Mayors play an important role in governance, in fact in “good governance”. This is an office that, in a fully decentralized unitary state, is a pinnacle point in bringing about balanced and sustainable development that stems from the grass roots.

So what creates and sustains “good governance,” a few things can be attributed to what creates and sustains ‘good governance’ and these include:

·         elected leaders in local governments;

·         local governments with the capacity to act, including the resources and powers to allow them to do so (often linked to decentralization);

·         formal and  informal avenues to allow civil society to influence what governments do and hold them to account;

·         organized urban groups that can work at the level of the city, that are able and willing to interact with local government and to whom local government is prepared to listen (otherwise middle- and upper-income groups are likely to be the key civil society influences on city policies); and

·         a rule of law not too biased against the less privileged groups and their informal housing and enterprises. Of course, this rule of law must also protect community leaders and other citizens from arbitrary arrest (or worse).

It is however quite difficult to generalize when the scope for what can be done and what needs to be changed is so rooted in local contexts and local political forms – as well as the extent of supportive laws and institutions at higher levels of government. Local governments have important roles in addressing poverty and inequality. In cities where low incomes are a reality for a significant proportion of the population, their access to safe, secure housing, infrastructure, services and other resources is critical for avoiding poverty.

So WHAT MAYORS DO and think is obviously an important influence in many cities. Mayors generally head the political and administrative parts of urban governments that are so important to low income groups with regard to the potential for getting or building housing (or land for housing), being able to pursue livelihoods, having access to water, sanitation, health care and education, and often for the rule of law. Local governments are particularly relevant to people’s daily lives as they manage the infrastructure and services that directly influence quality of life.[2]  Mayors generally have some influence on the form of the city’s current and future development, including its success in attracting new investment. They are also likely to influence the form and extent of the urban center's physical expansion (and whose needs are accommodated in this expansion) by the extent of their commitment to managing land use in ways that allow low-income groups to get land for housing.

In some contexts, mayors have considerable importance for the nature of the government’s relations with urban poor groups – for instance, in opening and maintaining dialogue with these groups or other groups whose needs have been given inadequate attention (including women, youth or children), and in piloting institutionalized change that can transform the ability of an government to address the needs and interests of the poor – for instance, through introducing or supporting participatory budgeting[3] or choosing to support representative organizations of the urban poor.

Local democracy has been an important feature of most pro-poor city and municipal governments. In addition, most of the more innovative mayors have been directly elected by city voters (rather than chosen by elected city Councillors). Perhaps mayors who depend on voters in their city or municipality are more likely to be responsive to the needs and priorities of these voters – although it might also be that such mayors are more visible and that their work and influence is noticed more than that of mayors or heads of city councils who are chosen by elected city Councillors. In addition, elected mayors may focus their attention on the people and urban districts that helped get them elected or, once elected, become less responsive to civil society demands and pressures as they claim that their election gave them the right to make decisions. It should be emphasized that with directly-elected mayors the chain of responsibilities are clear for executive decisions, and mayors have full accountability.

In many nations, mayors’ capacity to act is severely constrained by higher levels of government and by long-established traditions of clientelism or corrupt practices within local government. In many low-income nations, it is constrained by very inadequate funds available for investment in relation to deficits in infrastructure and service provision.

Mayors generally head the political and administrative parts of local governments so what they do and think influences government policies and practices. Many mayors have been important for poverty reduction, as their attitudes towards or relations with low-income groups and their settlements influence the possibilities of these groups getting or building housing, being able to pursue livelihoods and having access to water, sanitation, health care and schools. Successful mayors have balanced the need to attract new investment and support business expansion with good social and environmental policies; many have made government agencies more responsive and accountable to citizens, with particular attention to allowing more voice and influence to low-income groups or other groups that generally have little influence. The nations where mayors have had positive roles in development are mostly nations where local government reforms have strengthened the capacities of city and municipal governments while also increasing their transparency and accountability to their citizens. With the new reform in Zambia we hope to see a positive change that will spur development and improve people’s lives from the grass roots all the way to the top.

What Do You Think about Elected Mayors, Feel free to share your comments??

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[1] See Diop, Mamadou (2007), “The role and place of mayors in the process of decentralization and municipal management in Senegal”, in Dickson Eyoh and Richard Stren (editors), Decentralization and the Politics of Urban Development in West Africa, Comparative Urban Studies Project, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington DC, pages 197–208

[2] Julio Davila’s interviews with four Colombian mayors

[3] Marcondes, Claudia and Richard Stren (2001), “A conversation with Raul Pont, mayor of Porto Alegre”, in Mila Freire and Richard E Stren (editors), The Challenge of Urban Government: Policies and Practices, World Bank, Washington DC, pages 145–150.

SUBSIDIES

The previous weeks have been quite something with issue of subsidies in the air, fuel increment cascading to the increment of everything including the basic needs for survival as well as upkeep. We saw UNZA students taking to the streets… having a go at it with the Zambia Police, teargas, stones flying, rooms burning it was crazy, people calling in and giving the government a piece of their minds... some even mispronouncing the word as ''subsidiaries.''  It was quite eventful. For some it was the 1^st time they were hearing of such a term hence the unrest… we heard of some people explaining to their friends that subsidies were some chemical that they put in mealie meal so that the germs die… and one Miss NIPA Participant was asked what subsidies were and unashamedly she answered that subsidy is “self-confidence…” and obviously before we know it the famous easterners will be naming their kids Subsidy or Sabu for short… lol 

But really what are subsidies and how do they affect the economy? I’ll go for the most common definition: "a subsidy refers to a payment made by the government to a producer. Subsidies can be direct – cash grants, interest-free loans – or indirect – tax breaks, insurance, low-interest loans, depreciation write-offs, rent rebates. This form of support can be legal, illegal, ethical or unethical. Subsidies are used for a variety of purposes, including employment, production and exports." Often subsidies are regarded as a form of protectionism or trade barrier by making domestic goods and services artificially competitive against imports. Subsidies may distort markets, and can impose large economic costs. Financial assistance in the form of a subsidy may come from one's government, but the term subsidy may also refer to assistance granted by others, such as individuals or non-governmental institutions.

That said, the government of Zambia removed subsidies on fuel and agriculture these have been some of the biggest expenditures of the government. It is safe to say that fuel subsidies add to the fiscal deficit, which in turn causes inflation. Reducing fuel subsidies would improve Zambia’s fiscal balance and create fiscal space for increased investment in infrastructure and other development activities. Environmental damage caused by the steady rise in the sale of fuel vehicles due to price differential between diesel and petrol can also be reversed over time.

With benefits of removing fuel subsidies known to everyone, it eventually boils down to the political economy of reform. Looking at it from way back it can be said that governments actually give subsidies as part of a political bargain — they are “a visible way to deliver benefits in exchange for political support.” Because they are a symbol of populist action by successive political leaders, these subsidies, once started, get permanently locked-in.

Something to critically look at though, is that, even if subsidies may free up resources for development, people have little confidence that this will happen given high levels of corruption in the country. The government would dread the scenes witnessed on the Nigerian streets where people came out with banners saying “Remove corruption, not subsidy”.

It is a very delicate issue, as in,. if you raise fuel prices, it has a cascading effect on the economy. The government should work out a solution so that this impacts the economy in the least manner but also brings down the fiscal deficit.

If fuel subsidies were meant to help the poor, then they were very poorly targeted. I might not have the statistics but I believe that billions of dollars/kwacha have been spent by the government in the past. Yet we haven’t seen a reduction but an increment in the poverty levels and reports that the MDG’s will not be met by 2015.

Allow me to highlight the fact that even if poor households previously got only a small portion of direct subsidies, the effects of subsidy removal on their incomes is far higher than for richer households. This is partly because raising fuel prices has a significant impact on inflation and cascading effects throughout the economy, via sectors such as transport and agriculture.

But the problem of removing fuel subsidies is not limited to chaotic democracies. Even China was unable to fully pass on fuel price increases at all times during 2010 and 2011. Elsewhere, attempts at fuel subsidy reduction were reversed within a few days in Ghana in 2008 and in Nigeria in January, and postponed in Indonesia earlier this year.

Overcoming political and public opposition to fuel subsidy removal would have been the order of the day in Zambia and for the current regime, in my thinking, hence the decision to go ahead and just announce the removal.

Just my thoughts really, subject to discussion… sometimes if we resist change we will end up being crushed. Let us be knowledgeable be well read so that when we want to argue we are well informed and not following the masses blindly. Let us work at developing and improving our country. Individual efforts always ripple out to the development of a country as a whole. God Bless Zambia.

What About 'DILIGENCE'

So I came across a disclaimer in one of those motivational books about success and making it in your endeavors and it said: "The information you'll find in this report is to educate you. We make no promise or guarantee of income or earnings. You have to do some work, use your best judgment, and perform due diligence before using the information in this book and even then we can't guarantee you will be successful - that's up to you.

So that got me asking myself what is this Diligence they talk about, i have heard it said in a sentence but 'What is Diligence'?? In my own definition I’d cut to the chase and just say ‘showing care and much effort in what one does,’ putting in SMART-work and steady effort. Also, these are some dictionary definitions I came across: Conscientiousness in paying proper attention to a task; giving the degree of care required in a given situation, Persevering determination to perform a task! This is quite an interesting word, others are called by it i.e. Dili as short for Diligence Phiri (easterners rock). But you find the person who owns the name possess no characteristics of what that name carries. If only we knew what weight our names carry I think some of us will be more serious about doing what we have been intended to do on this earth in this lifetime… but I digress. One who doesn't possess diligence ends up being poor, sleeping during the harvest, ends up being an annoyance, becomes a slave always choosing fantasies (Dreaming is good but dreams need to be SMART to be achieved, then they cease being fantasies). Without diligence no matter how many good resources there are, they'll go to waste, wanting much more but getting little, experiencing poverty and having trouble all through life…

Back to being diligent: the steady application in any kind of undertaking, a constant effort to accomplish what is undertaken, exertion of body/mind without unnecessary delay or sloth, due attention, industrious, assiduity I’d go on…

So here is somethings you can do to be diligent or enhance diligence as a part of your characteristic or trait in your life you can start by Removing Distractions. this means spending less time on the internet, phone, or watching television. *only if your are using the same in a very very productive way... but if its just a pastime activity then you really have to reconsider*. Wasting time only holds you back from accomplishing your goals. Make a 'To Accomplish' List or a.k.a 'To Do' List, know what you want to accomplish, put the time and be specific about it. Prioritize, weigh what is important in your life, differentiate between wants and needs. Effective Use of Time, make a schedule and have a plan for the day, that way you stay on track no matter what comes up, this helps you not to procrastinate and to meet deadlines. it might not be easy but when you stick to the task you will accomplish the task, it is the path to becoming diligent. Reward Yourself, you got to be careful on this one though, its only after you have followed through the plan and tasks set that you can reward yourself this helps to spur motivation... try it (remember how Mr. Been would always put presents for himself and surprise himself). 'Be Realistic', allow for the unexpected then return to your day re-prioritize as needed and keep moving! last but no least Realize the Value of Hard Work, (Am a strong believer of SMART work coupled with a bit of hard work)only when you accomplish one goal then you can move to the next, each step usually builds upon the previous ones, go the extra mile when needed.

If you possess this characteristic/trait of diligence you’ll get rewards, you’ll rule, you’ll prize your possessions, you’ll be fully satisfied, you’ll make profit, you’ll have an easy path, stay awake and have food to spare, you’ll make careful plans, you are going to give without sparing, you’ll serve before kings, you’ll reap in abundance through hard work.

~Diligence is the philosopher stone

That turns everything to GOLD~