The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Managers - Spark Hire

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Managers - Spark HireSelf-help books usually get a bad rap. Lets face it, theyre usually associated with people that are trying to pull themselves out of some dramatic issue like, How to Survive Divorce or YOU On a Diet. While that may be true, these self-help books shouldnt be pushed to the side and excluded because of it. In fact, millions of people all across the globe have probably picked up a couple self-help books and improved their life, business or company. One of the most memorable self-help books is the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It was this title that got us thinking about what the 7 habits of highly effective managers are. So lets take a look at what some of those habits are, shall we?Give Your Employees FeedbackOne of the signs of a great manager is they provide their employees with effective feedback when it is needed. Most companies or managers will instill a quarterly or semiannual review where employees and managers can disc uss their progress, goals, etc. However, great managers give feedback whenever they get the chance. Blogging4Jobs states that giving this kind of feedback keeps employees in the know and on par with what you want. Plus, just having a good communication link with your employees is a plus and will keep their morale in good standing.Be At WorkYou may have had a manager before that was barely ever in the office. They were either too important to have to come in everyday or they just never seemed to be around. Its likely that a manager like this doesnt have very loyal employees. On top of that, its very doubtful that they were all on the same page. In order for your employees to trust and respect you, you have to be in the office with them. This way their gruppe leader is on board and they will likely know what direction you want them to go in.Having a manager in the office daily will also work to diffuse any issues that arise. (And lets face it, all offices have their issues and quarrel s at some point.) Being there you will be able to see what is going on and resolve any issues that come up before they grow into larger ones. Plus, if youre the team leader- which is what a manager should be- then you need to be there for your team. How many coaches do you know that stay home while their team is at a game or event? Probably none.Dont MicromanageNothing tells your team that you distrust them more than micromanaging their work. We get it, you are very passionate about your work and want to be sure its all up-to-par. However, hovering over your employees work and double-checking or reviewing every single piece of work is stifling. Plus, how do you even have the time for that? You hired the team you have to do a job, right? Well then let them do it. If you dont think they are capable then perhaps you need to hire someone else. If you simply dont trust anyone to put out what you want, then perhaps the problem is you. Give your employees a good balance of freedom and feed back and youre on the right track.Be a Good ListenerThere is a difference between hearing and listening. Some managers certainly hear what their employees are saying, but never listen. Its inevitable that as a manager you will be talking and delegating tasks. However, in order to be a good communicator you need to listen as well. Listen to your team and they will respect you for it.Know Your StrategyWhen a teams manager has a lack of vision for their work, things get really tricky. For one, the team doesnt know what is expected of them and theres a lack of communication. As a manager you should have a clear strategy or at least a clear idea of what you expect from your team. Have clear goals and make sure your team knows what they are.Remember You are Part of a TeamYou may be the leader of your team, but remember and always know who it is that is getting this work done. Without your team, your overall goals would not be honigwein and progress would dwindle. Recognizing this and know ing it makes it easier to show it. When you show your team that you appreciate them, they will respect you and want to do a better job for you. They will be highly productive because they know their work is appreciated fully. Remember the importance of employee appreciationAvoid BoredomLast but not least, a good team manager or leader wont let their team get bored or stagnant. A good manager realizes that things need to be changed or altered every now and then to keep their team on their toes. Without changing things up a bit, your team will get bored, and boredom usually leads to laziness. Like Blogging4Jobs states, assign new tasks, switch up the environment or switch up team members or groups. Stagnancy is something most employees want to avoid, so be a good manager and be sure your office isnt stagnant.IMAGE Courtesy of The Reasonable Bachelor

Communicate the Canadian Way Before Starting Your Job in Canada

Communicate the Canadian Way Before Starting Your Job in CanadaCommunicate the Canadian Way Before Starting Your Job in CanadaIts a common belief of both Americans and Canadians that virtually no difference exists between the two cultures. In fact, the countries are very similar on all dimensions outlined by the Geert Hofstede model(below).Looking at personal and workplace interactions with a more critical eye, however, illuminates a number of differences in whats considered acceptable behavior in Canada and the U.S. If you are an American who is seeking an opportunity to work abroad, Canada is a potentially safe choice. As a close neighbor, the weather and time differences as well as the ability to visit friends and family would not require much more adjustment than a move across the country would. But differences in communication styles between Canadians and Americans can lead to cringe-worthy moments.Travis Wingate, an American who has been working as a absatzwirtschaft manager in Canada for the past seven years, said, While Canada may sometimes be referred to as The 51st State, it is a different country.It has its own identity and personality, so (if you move here plan to) explore the culture of Canada.According to the Lewis Model of cultural types, Canadian culture is similar to that of the U.S. in that we both tend to be data-driven planners, drawing from the Linear-Active part of the model, defined asthose who plan, schedule, organize, pursue action chains, do one thing at a time. But Canadians balance this by walking the line between the Linear-Active dimension and the Reactive dimension which includes those cultures that prioritize courtesy and respect, listening quietly and calmly to their interlocutors and reacting carefully to the other sides proposals.Before you leave to search for Canada jobs, you should become familiar with the following communication differences between the two cultures.Sound Bites vs. NicetiesThe concept of communicating in sou nd bitesis a familiar one to anyone who works in public relations. It has also become a pervasive influence in American speech patterns. Tanvi Bhatt, an American who moved to work as a technical project manager in Canada in 2001, said, Americans try to summarize everything in shorter sentences, and they use acronyms in emailles. Canadians communicate more formally, and they put a lot of details in emails.As an example, most Americans wouldnt hesitate to send a one-word email reply stating Thanks to a co-worker to acknowledge a completed task. Many Canadians would find a one-word response to be rude and would instead opt to send an email such as, Thank you for finishing this. I appreciate it.There are other minor differences in spelling and word choice that affect communication in Canada. Wingate said, Mind your spelling Favor is Favour. Center is Centre. While it may be confusing at first, you will get the hang of it. Spelling is a pet peeve for a lot of people, so go ahead and set your spell-check setting to North America Canada. It will save you some embarrassment.Word choice makes a difference too. Wingate said, If you have a four-year degree, you didnt go to college, you went to University.Yes, they distinguish the two in Canada, so be sure not to sell yourself short.Goal Orientation vs. Relationship OrientationIn the view of many other cultures, Americans can be very aggressive. Bhatt said, We push to get our point across. Were driven. Canadians are cautious. Sometimes in work environments Americans can come across as very abrasive in Canada. When I moved to Canada I was young and I came from dot-com community. I had to rethink how I presented ideas at work. In Canada there is more hierarchy than the U.S., but mostly theres just a respect everyone atmosphere.In addition Canadians tend to be more social with coworkers than many Americans. Bhatt said that she still goes out with co-workers or former co-workers at least twice a week after work.High-Level vs . Detailed PresentationsPresentation style is a lot more formal in Canada. According to Bhatt, Youre expected to have well-thought-out detailed recommendations. In general when Americans would present a high-level plan and put the details in a document, Canadians would expect you to have the details memorized and able to speak to them.Despite the learning curve involved in assimilating to the Canadian communication style, Bhatt said, (Canadians are) very nice people. Theres a very competitive work environment, but they have respect for each other and for the diversity of the people there. Canadians also understand that newcomers need time to ramp up to a new workplace culture.Wingate adds one final caveat, We have two national languages in Canada. You may want to brush up on your Frenchespecially if you are planning on moving to Quebec.