Three Management Skills You Need Now More Than Ever

February 03, 2011

Managing in today's economic environment is not for the faint-hearted. Managers everywhere are feeling pressure to produce more work with fewer people and resources.

Perhaps your organization has experienced a reduction in staff or is considering one. Some organizations have eliminated entire programs, while others have merged departments in an attempt to achieve greater efficiency. In many cases however, due to economic pressures managers everywhere are simply being asked to take on more responsiblity or to perform the same functions with fewer people.

Does this result in higher productivity? The answer is yes, it does. Up to a point, at least. In 2009 employers in the U.S. laid off approximately 2.8 million people. The result? Productivity soared 5.1 percent.* In 2010 the numbers were lower but the results were similar: 1.9 million jobs lost with a 2.5 percent increase in productivity through the Third Quarter.

There is no mystery here. People who are still employed are working longer hours to absorb the additional workload after others have been laid off. In a recent survey for example, 79% of employees reported heavier workloads because of layoffs, and three-quarters said they almost always put in more than 40 hours a week.**

These productivity gains come with a heavy price. More workers now say they are being overworked and pushed to the breaking point. There are increased reports of job stress, work-related health problems and depression. The Families and Work Institute published a fascinating study detailing the extent of overwork and its effects on people and the workplace. In fact, you can download their report at: http://familiesandwork.org/site/research/summary/overwork2005summ.pdf.

In that same study, researchers found that when people are overworked they are more likely to make mistakes and experience conflict with their coworkers and boss. Clearly in some organizations, the strain is beginning to show. In talking with several managers, a few have told me they see evidence that increasingly, work-related tasks are falling through the cracks and that customer service in their department is suffering.

It turns out there is a limit to how much we can squeeze out of people.

On a positive note, there are signs that things may be getting better. A number of private-sector companies now acknowledge they have cut as much as they can. Orders are up and some are now saying they plan to begin hiring again this year.*** While that is certainly welcome news, it isn't a cause for celebration, necessarily. Management has taken notice of the recent gains in productivity and they like what they have seen. So much in fact, that the pressure to make further productivity gains is not likely to let up any time soon.

And that is where your management skills come in.

Just exactly how do you keep up with these demands for higher productivity? How can you manage a workload that continues to increase faster than available resources? Certainly, the answer is not to have people work harder and longer hours. Most organizations are already maxed out in that regard.

I believe that current economic conditions are teaching managers some valuable skills. And that for the foreseeable future, these skills will be in high demand. Learn to master these new skills and you will be successful in almost any organization. Fail to master them and you may find yourself staring at the calendar and counting the days to retirement. What are these skills exactly? I believe there are at least three.

1. Establishing Priorities

First is the ability to figure out what really needs doing and to adjust your priorities as conditions change. Let's face it. Not everything your workers do needs doing. Does your boss still read those reports your staff produces? What if you produced an executive summary instead? Does everyone in the company have to be copied on every email? Do people have time to even read them all? And what about all those meetings?

Perhaps you're thinking this is nothing more than good old-fashioned time management. But it goes beyond that. Some phone calls are more important than others, but which ones? Some meetings are crucial, but which ones? And who really needs to be in attendance? Some people and problems require your immediate attention, while others can be postponed. It is all about understanding your business and your customers and what they most need from you.

2. Resourcefulness

This is about being creative and finding ways to get things done more efficiently. Look for ways to streamline your process. See if you can partner with people in other departments. Several managers have told me they are doing more cross-training these days so their staff can help one another when the workload gets out of hand. When your department can't keep up with the work, it is time to reexamine how the work gets done and look for shortcuts. It’s not unlike the jungle where survival favors the critters that are smarter and faster.

3. Mental toughness

This refers to the ability to perform well under pressure. People vary considerably in their tolerance for stress. Those with a high tolerance have learned how to function in a fast-paced work environment with tight deadlines and demanding tasks while remaining calm and in control. For tips on how to develop mental toughness, you can link to my article on this topic: When You Are Feeling the Heat

Learning these three skills will help your organization stay lean and competitive in an ever increasingly competitive world. And they help you survive and thrive in this demanding environment.

*See U.S. Department of Labor report: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/prod2.nr0.htm
**Ronald J. Alsop, Workforce Management Article date: December 1, 2010.
***http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/11/24/college.graduates.jobs/index.html