Manage Yourself First!

 By Dr Shahid Amin Trali

The ‘National Management Day’ is celebrated all over India on the 21^st of February each year, to mark the anniversary of establishment of the All India Management Association in New Delhi. The day is celebrated to recognize the importance of management profession in all spheres of human endeavor. Management is applied everywhere be it at individual level, family, friends and relationships, religion and business etc. Managing is necessary whenever one needs to get things done. Good management makes the life easy, better and comfortable.

Business management professionals are involved in formulation of plans, strategies, policies and procedures that guide the organizations both on a daily and a long term basis. They are also responsible for the coordination of financial, human and material resources to achieve the objectives of the organization. The rich skills that management professionals possess include better decision-making abilities, analytical and critical thinking, a creative approach to problem solving, an understanding of organizational behavior and structure, persuasive written and oral communication, the ability to research, interpret and use business and financial data, understand customer behavior, ability to manage time effectively, manage projects and resources, understanding of the dynamism of the business environment and be proactive etc.

There is a need for capable managers to take the nations on the routes of development. Management as a profession has found much advancement over the years. In this highly competitive scenario the demand for managers has not only increased but there are also high expectations from the managers. A manager has to meet the expectations by satisfying the customers as well as the stakeholders. The universities and colleges have to take bigger initiatives to produce quality and effective managers. The management teachers and students should regularly visit the industries in order to interact with the managers and try for some useful and meaningful research projects which are appropriate for students. It will potentially save time and unnecessary efforts of students and spoiling their energy on irrelevant topics and projects. Teachers will also develop better understanding and will improve their knowledge and experiences. The need of the time is that industry and the institutes should work in coordination with each other. It’s through this way we can bring out the best of the hidden talent of our students and enrich their caliber and credentials. The outcome will be rise of the best and the promising mangers for the future.

We need to constantly grow as a manager. It’s also a critical job to manage ourselves. One can never prove a good manager if one is not able to first manage his/her own self. In order to manage any organization better we must first learn to manage ourselves. Management is something we keep learning day by day. We may pick it up as we move ahead and progress. It’s very serious that the management teachings across the globe, mostly teach the skills for managing others–communication and teamwork. But if we are not managing ourselves effectively we can’t handle others.

As a manager we must be prepared to work hard. We can’t expect efficiency from our team if we aren’t willing to put in the effort by ourselves. To be effective we also need to be ruthless with our time. We must find ways to avoid procrastination which is a great hurdle towards the progress in life.  Experts suggest us to know when we can work best, and using that knowledge to our advantage is a key to working effectively and efficiently.  We must structure our day around that time and most important make it a habit.  Managers also need to be healthy and our health should come first if we want to live a long life. Don’t forget that mental health is just as important as our physical one.  We must start to recognize when we can’t control or change something and accept and adapt to the situation.  There is no doubt that honesty is the best policy. It is far better to stay calm than telling a lie. It’s simple that we don’t need to lie. It is always better to be known for being blunt than being a liar.

Today the environment is volatile and companies are increasingly facing a lot of crisis. But then there is a need of employees who are proactive and productive.  We must strongly keep in mind that no one in today’s organizations will like us to be on the fence. We need to be someone in an organization who is known for taking the leap. We must take all the facts and process them and then have the courage to make the decisions.

Passion is an important booster in our life. We must always enjoy our work and not lose our passion. Whatever we do must give us a sense of comfort and passion to do more and more.  We must learn to identify the times when we have to be serious. But for the large part of time though, we should try to find a humor in it. One must understand this truth that life is short so let us enjoy every bit of it. 

In nearly every dimension of business success, it’s the good manager that makes the difference. We must recognize and reward excellence. Good management is founded upon an individual’s ability to develop talent in an organization.  We must understand that even the slightest sign of appreciation can go a long way in strengthening loyalty, trust, and a sense of community in the workplace. We need to care about our employees as real people. There must be a great attempt to create a spirit and sense of ownership with the employees. We must appreciate the ideas and reward our best performers. Innovation will keep our employees engaged, and the business relevant in a time of great change in the workforce. Today it is enough to be a competent leader. We must strive to be a great leader, and we can only become one if we first learn to manage ourselves. I wish everyone a Happy National Management Day…..

(Author is Assistant Professor, School of Management, ITM University Gwalior, Youth Ambassador, International Youth Society and a Regular Columnist for Kashmir Monitor. He can be reached at- dr.shahidamin15@gmail.com)