The most effective managers understand that they must take a proactive role when managing their employees and projects. Proactive management is the best way to eliminate problems and lower long-term costs.
The manager’s role is taking and accepting responsibility for their departments. Passive management allows the employees to work as best they can with little direction. This approach leaves the door open for lazy employees, multiple mistakes, and missed project deadlines. The most effective managers understand that they must take a proactive role when managing their employees and projects. Proactive management is the best way to eliminate problems and lower long-term costs.
Prepare for problems
In many cases problems arrive because the worse case scenarios have not been considered. A proactive manager is prepared for what could go wrong and has already thought through possible solutions. The manager must work with their employees to think through how possible problems can be resolved swiftly.
The manager, as the overseer of the project, must think through many of the pitfalls that can fail or slow the progress of a project. A good example of poor preparedness is the BP oil spill disaster of 2010. The oil company was not prepared for a situation when an oil leak would occur near the ocean’s floor. The lack of preparation to stop and clean the oil has cost BP $632 million. If BP had thought through the possible mishaps that could take place they may have had a solution ready to stop the leak more quickly. The company is working hard to clean up the gulf, but they are also working hard to clean up their reputation. Since the largest gulf oil disaster occurred BP has issued a report of the lessons they’ve learned on how they can be more proactive with future problems. When you also experience problems take note of the lessons you can learn from the situation.
Offering training to employees
In order to be prepared for almost any situation, a manager must ensure that their employees are trained. Employees must be trained regularly in order to handle every situation. When a problem arises, it’s too late for the manager send the employee for training. Training and preparedness must happen in advance, and must be practiced. If you have a fire at your office, emergency drills should have been rehearsed long before so everyone knows how to exit and where they should go. If not, someone could be seriously hurt. Proper training for job related responsibilities are no different. Training and practice is the only way to avoid a catastrophic event.
Encourage employees to work together
When employees work as a team the proactive manager can gather information more easily. Each member of the team will be responsible for their portion of the project becoming the “expert.” As the manager, you can be given reports from the designated team leader of each aspect of the project. In addition, when people work as a team they seem to build energy from working together, this can help keep the hype going until the project is finished.
Motivate your team
There will be times when you see the attitudes of your employees droop a bit. They may seem to be lethargic or sluggish. They may even appear to drag about your office. This is the time when you as the proactive manager need to call a meeting to re-create enthusiasm within your team. You don’t want your projects to represent your team’s downtrodden attitude. Motivate your team using team building activities, or brain storming sessions. Don’t wait until the project deadline is past before realizing your team needed some extra motivation.
Set aggressive goals
Give your employees aggressive project deadlines. The goals you set for your team should be aggressive, but also achievable. Remember that your employees do have lives so don’t over work them to complete the project, but eliminate procrastination by limiting the completion time.
Look for flaws in current processes
Be active in looking for opportunities to improve your current processes. Find ways to become more efficient, more productive, and more cost effective. Don’t be satisfied with business as usual. Finding ways to cut fat in your department and within your team, will make you and your employees shine. The improvements you discover may affect your entire organization and mean the difference between being in the red or the black at the end of the year.
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