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Take It One Person at a Time

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Every employee is different, yet most managers take roughly the same approach to managing every person in their group. Whatever techniques they use to manage---weekly reports, monthly team meetings, or annual reviews---it is rarely calibrated to the individuals being managed. Instead, it is based on prevailing practices in the organization and the manager's own style. This is what I call one-size-fits-all management.

Whatever the one-size may be in any given case, it works fine for some employees but not so well for others. Those who respond well to it appear to be high performers, while those who respond poorly appear to be low performers. Instead of managing every person to success, the boss manages everyone the same regardless of each person's needs---let the chips fall where they may.

Why not calibrate your approach to managing based on what works best for each employee? Every person is different. Deal with it. All of your employees come to work with different levels of ability and skill: different backgrounds, personalities, styles, ways of communicating, work habits, and motivations. Some of them need more guidance than others. One employee needs details spelled out, while another has the details memorized. One responds best if you ask questions, while another prefers you tell him all the answers. Some need lots of reminders, while others need you to check in just once a week.

The only way to learn what really works with each employee is to get in there and start managing. When you start having regular one-on-ones with each person, continually ask and answer (for yourself) six key questions:

1. Who is this person at work?
2. Why do I need to manage this person?
3. What do I need to talk about with this person?
4. How should I talk with this person?
5. Where should I talk with this person?
6. When should I talk with this person?

The differences among employees will jump right out at you. Over time, try to tune in to each person and adjust your approach this way and that, just as you adjust the dial on a radio. Remember, you'll have to keep making adjustments constantly because people change and grow over time.

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