leadership

Think You’re a Good Manager? Ask Your Team.

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Last week I asked a simple question: how good are you as a manager?

Most business owners can quickly tell me what their team needs to improve. But how often do you turn that around and ask your team what you could improve?

Your team sees your management from a completely different perspective, so I’ve put together a simple Manager Feedback Scorecard you can print out and give to them.

It asks your team to rate you across six areas:

People Management
Communication
Technical Skills
Leadership
Problem Solving
Training & Development

The important part is asking them to be honest, and being prepared to listen to what comes back.

If several people rate you poorly in the same area, don’t defend it. Use it. That’s probably an area where becoming a better manager could also help you build a better team.

Download the scorecard here, give it to your team and see how you go.

And I’d genuinely love to hear what comes back.

Hugh Bowman
ActionCOACH Geelong

How Good Are You as a Manager?

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It’s pretty easy to point out the things your team could be doing better.

They’re too slow. They don’t communicate properly. They’re not learning quickly enough. They struggle to work together. They need too much direction.

But here’s a question I think more business owners should ask:

How would your team rate you as their manager?

It can be a confronting question, particularly when you’ve spent years building the business and employing the people around you. But if there are ongoing problems within your team, it’s worth looking at management from both sides.

In this video, I challenge business owners to ask their team for some genuine feedback across six areas:

  1. People management
  2. Communication
  3. Technical skills
  4. Leadership
  5. Problem solving
  6. Training and development

You might score really well in some areas and discover there are others where your team sees things very differently to you.

And that’s the point.

Good management isn’t about assuming you’re doing a good job. It’s about being willing to find out, learn from the feedback and become better at leading the people in your business.

Watch the video below and then consider giving the exercise a go with your own team!

You might be surprised by what you learn.

 

Thanks
Hugh

Back From Goa With New Ideas for Local Business Owners

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Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to step away from the day to day and spend some time overseas.

Before heading to the annual ActionCOACH Global Conference in Goa, I spent a week exploring Sri Lanka. From the stunning views at Lipton’s Seat to seeing wild elephants in Udawalawe National Park, it was an incredible experience and a great chance to recharge.

Then it was on to Goa for one of the biggest events on the ActionCOACH calendar.

Each year, coaches from around the world come together to learn, share ideas and collaborate on what’s working in business today. It’s an opportunity to see how businesses are overcoming challenges, improving performance and helping owners create businesses that are more profitable, more enjoyable and less dependent on them.

One of the proudest moments of the week was being recognised as the Global GrowthCLUB Coach of the Year. Receiving this award was a real honour. GrowthCLUB has always been one of my favourite programs because it gives business owners the time and structure to step away from the daily chaos and focus on planning their next 90 days. To have that recognised on a global stage was incredibly rewarding.

One of the biggest focuses at this year’s conference was the continued rollout of ABOS (ActionCOACH Business Operating System).

Every successful business relies on systems. The businesses that continue to grow aren’t relying on memory or hoping everyone knows what to do. They have documented processes, clear accountability and systems that allow the business to perform consistently, regardless of who’s on the tools or in the office.

ABOS brings those proven frameworks together into one practical operating system that helps businesses improve communication, leadership, management and operational efficiency. It’s exciting to see how successfully it’s already being used by businesses around the world, and I’m looking forward to introducing more of these concepts to the businesses I work with here in Geelong.

Another highlight was seeing the success of ActionCOACH’s management development programs being delivered internationally. It’s a proven ActionCOACH training program that’s used internationally to help business owners, supervisors and managers develop the leadership and management skills needed to build stronger teams. Seeing the consistency of the results across so many different countries gave me even greater confidence in the value it can deliver.

That’s why I’m excited to be facilitating the 12 Week Management MasterCLASS here in Geelong, starting on Tuesday 11 August. Over 12 weeks, I’ll guide participants through the program, sharing practical tools and strategies that can be implemented immediately. If you’re looking to strengthen your own leadership skills or invest in the development of someone in your business, it’s a fantastic opportunity to learn from a system that’s already helping businesses around the world.

Please reach out if you’d like some more information on anything mentioned.

Thanks
Hugh

Struggling to attract good staff?

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Many business owners blame the job market, a lack of applicants or the younger generation. But in this short video, I share a recruiting principle that can be confronting, but incredibly powerful:

You get the people you deserve.

The quality of people you attract is often a reflection of the business you’ve built. Leadership, culture, the type of work you offer and the environment you’ve created all play a role in whether great people want to join your team.

In this video, I explain why attracting better talent starts with looking inward and what business owners can do to become the type of business that great people want to work for.

If you’re finding it difficult to recruit and retain quality staff, this video will give you a different perspective on where to start.

Thanks
Hugh

Are Your Priorities in the Right Order?

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Many business owners find themselves constantly putting out fires, responding to customer demands and working long hours, often at the expense of their own wellbeing and family life.

In this short video, I share a simple framework that can help you make better decisions about where to spend your time and energy.

The framework challenges the way many business owners prioritise the important areas of their life and highlights why getting those priorities out of order can lead to burnout, stress and strained relationships.

I explain why looking after yourself should come first, followed by your family, your business, your team and finally your customers.

It may sound surprising at first, but when you understand the reasoning behind this approach, it becomes much easier to make decisions that support both your personal wellbeing and long term business success.

Watch the video below to learn how this simple framework can help you create better balance and focus on what matters most.

Thanks

Hugh

Reducing Stress as a Business Owner

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As business owners, we all face stressful periods from time to time. The challenge isn’t avoiding stress completely, it’s knowing how to manage it before it starts affecting your health, relationships and business performance.

In this short video, I share some of the strategies I’ve used myself, along with the advice I often give business owners when they’re feeling overwhelmed.

I talk about the importance of seeking support from other business owners and trusted advisers, as well as focusing on the fundamentals that are often neglected during stressful times:

• Setting healthy work boundaries
• Exercising regularly
• Eating well
• Getting enough sleep
• Taking time off to recharge

If you’re feeling the pressure of running a business, take a few minutes to watch the video below. I hope it gives you some practical ideas you can implement straight away.

Is It OK to Poach Employees? I say “Hell Yeah!”

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Is it actually okay to poach employees from other businesses?

It’s a question that comes up all the time, especially when good people are hard to find.

In this video, I share my honest view on it, and why the way most business owners think about hiring might be holding them back.

Because the reality is, the people you want in your business are usually already working somewhere else. And if you’re serious about building a stronger, more profitable business, you need to be thinking differently about how you attract them.

This isn’t about doing the wrong thing. It’s about understanding what it takes to build a great team, and why the best businesses don’t leave hiring to chance.

Watch the video for my full take on this and what it means for your business.

If you want to chat about how to bring the right people into your team, feel free to reach out.

Thanks
Hugh
0409 402 474