In the Beginning
ONE OF the reasons it is hard to find a good manager is because there are so few of them.
Finding one is usually a serendipitous fortune - much like finding a ten rupee note on the street or boarding a crowded bus or local train and getting a seat five minutes into the journey.
It is a cause for wild celebration - especially for dazed HR executives who cannot believe their own luck.
But then, when does the company know that it has struck gold by making Mr X or Mrs Y their new senior manager? Often, not until a few months have passed by.
Meanwhile, the manager is constantly scrutinised - his every move watched, every mistake listed for permanent record, every defect locked up in the porous vault of human memory. It is an inevitable consequence.
Put it down to curiosity if you will. People who have just bought a brand new car and spent a lot of money on it would know what it feels like. They want to see how fast it can go and what shocks it can take. So they drive it on the roughest of terrains and tear through empty streets in a frightening blur.
It is much the same with new entrants. Their debut is just as eagerly watched and analysed by company bigwigs. Small successes are often magnified in glory just as small errors are used to garland the hapless debutant with mean epitaphs. The first couple of months, perhaps even weeks, are therefore crucial.
What should a new manager do to ensure smooth sailing? This:
(a). Research: You should have done this before getting the job. Find out who the company's clients are, what they do, what the work environment is like et al. It is vital that you know what you are getting into before you get into it.
(b). Next, once you are part of the organisation you must find out a very important thing - who is authorised to give you work and who is not. It will help immensely when you are bogged down with work and someone new shows up asking you if you could please take care of this file. If he/she is not authorised to give you work, you can simply smile and say no thank you.
(c). Get to know your people: You will have a core group of subordinates and a handful of bosses. Get to know all of them as well as you can and as soon as you can. This is why so many companies insist on managers having good interpersonal skills - it is important that they get along with everybody. It will also help you identify troublemakers and weed them out later on.
(d). Smile, be polite and take your time before you judge people or make decisions. You must try and develop a good rapport with your colleagues. Be nice to everybody - say good morning to the receptionist and how do you do to the doorman - it is just the sort of thing that creates an impression. Also remember to keep your opinions about people to yourself - initially at least. Do not let people into your confidence early on - be slow to trust people.
(e). Ask questions: You can do this any number of times when you are starting out. If you feel you have not understood something, feel free to ask for clarifications. Do not hesitate because people might think you incompetent. You will look more of a fool if you got into something without clearly understanding what is required of you.
Follow these simple guidelines and you should come to no great harm.
Apart from this, sport a positive attitude and give it your best shot. Your first month is your litmus test - once you have passed it you will be embraced and accepted into the fold.
The bottomline is: do whatever it takes to make it happen. Remember, the world loves a winner - and ten rupee notes on the street.
PETER THUTHURI
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