Introduction
Ten years ago, James Noon wrote a paper which was published in the Business Graduate (April, 1987). He titled it “How to Be a Good Boss in Five Minutes.” His target audience was mainly British. I have read this paper over and over and I have tried to use James Noon’s ideas in my own training presentations to Nigerian Managers. I have come to realize that five minutes is a bit too ambitious in our circumstances. Therefore, while drawing on Noon’s thesis, I have extensively varied it to suit our situation.
Two other consultants from the U.S.A., Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, wrote another canned formula titled “The One Minute Manager” (1983), or “How to Be a Good Manager in One Minute”. The high sales recorded by this book prove that many people want to read about management, but they have no time. Would you believe that over 1,000,000 copies of the book were sold in less than two years? Companies like Jericho Inc. and IBM bought thousands of copies for distribution to their managers. Well, I found this damn too ambitious too, and impractical, especially in Nigeria. Blanchard himself wrote a public apology a year later titled “Putting the One Minute Manager to Work” (1984), which he co-authored with his friend Robert Lorber. Johnson stayed out of this revision. We are not told exactly why, but we can hazard a guess that he still believes in his one-minute formula.
Time means money. The need to make maximum use of the manager’s time has never been more pressing than today. To save the manager’s time (that is wasted?) in training, many management experts have tried to find the shortest possible ways of improving management productivity. One minute was suggested in the United States. Five minutes was suggested in the United Kingdom. Here comes ten minutes suggested from Nigeria.
What I have done is that I have borrowed extensively from James Noon’s “five minutes boss” and from Blanchard and Spencer’s “one minute manager” as well as from what I call the public apology of Blanchard co-authored with Lorber. Then I have coupled all this with the knowledge gained from the “school of hard knocks” here in Nigeria.
Much of what managers take weeks to learn at expensive training courses can actually be cut out. Some of these things can be best learned from the manager’s own staff. Any manager who has the courage to call a few of his staff and ask them who they think a good manager is will probably be very surprised that the staff are well informed about the qualities of a good manager. The staff also know what goes into making a good manager. They equally know who a bad manager is.
I will approach the question of who a good manager is from the negative perspective. In other words, who is a bad manager?
James Noon, in his “Five Minutes Good Boss,” found six characteristics of bad managers. From my analysis of the words of Blanchard, Spencer, and Lorber, coupled with my years of interaction with managers as a participant observer and an independent consultant, I have found four other characteristics of bad managers. I shall, therefore, proceed to list and explain the ten characteristics of bad managers. The objective is to show you bad examples so as to discourage you from copying them. And if you practice the opposite of these bad examples, you should be on your way to being a good manager in ten minutes.
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A bad manager is one who has no vision. He does not know where he is going. His department lacks focus and coordination. If he is at the top, the whole company lacks vision and coherence in its plan and daily operations. A vision is a dream, an undistorted focus as to where you want to take the company. You can summarize a vision by a production target or any other quantifiable target relevant to your operations.
Remember Martin Luther King of America? He had a vision. He had a dream. It doesn’t matter that some people thought he was crazy or only daydreaming. That vision is largely what has been responsible for transforming the position of blacks in America to their preeminent status, where a black, Colin Powell, became the chairman Joint Chief of Staff of the USA Armed Forces. If you know where you want to go, you can surely find your way there. But if you don’t know where you are going as a manager, you are in trouble and your business is in jeopardy.
Abraham Lincoln is often quoted to have said: “If we could first know where we are and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do and how to do it.” Yes, good managers do things because they have vision and ideas about where they are going and what they should be doing to get there. They are decisive and they inspire others towards the vision through their actions and exemplary leadership. Indecision and procrastination are never in their character.
- A bad boss is the one who does not communicate. Even if you have a vision and you do not communicate, you are still not out of the woods. Communicating the vision creates a common goal. If you do not communicate, there will be no sense of a common purpose. A goal is highly critical for teamwork, coordinated and coherent operations. Nature abhors a vacuum. Therefore, the absence of a common goal leads staff to develop their own goals within the organization through internal politics or outside of the organization. A good manager communicates even through his conduct. He leads by example, not by precept.
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A bad manager is one that is not committed to his dream. A young man called Musa took the advice of his parents and got married. Just one week after the wedding, Musa was driving along Ahmadu Bello Way and he saw a very pretty girl standing in front of Hamdala Hotel. He pulled up his car and asked the girl what she was doing there. She said she had just missed her bus and had nowhere to go for the night. The manager of the hotel, who was not committed to his goal of developing a solid organization, made the girl a manager on the spot and took her home. After three weeks, Musa discovered that the girl had no interest in the organization, and he had to let her go. Musa is not a committed manager.
Commitment is the opposite of selfishness. Good managers make sacrifices for the good of the organization. They understand that their personal success is tied to the success of the company. They lead by example, working hard and prioritizing the company's needs over their personal comfort when necessary. This inspires the team to also commit to the vision, fostering a culture of dedication and loyalty.
- A bad manager is an autocrat who never delegates. Autocrats are their own worst enemies. They have a misguided belief that they are the only ones who know what to do. They believe they can do everything themselves. They fail to realize that successful management is about getting work done through others. By refusing to delegate, they overload themselves and underutilize their staff, leading to burnout and inefficiency. Delegating not only lightens the manager's load but also empowers employees, giving them a sense of ownership and responsibility. A good manager knows that trusting others with tasks is key to building a strong, capable team.
- A bad manager is someone who does not know how to plan or organize. His department is chaotic, and work is done haphazardly. He is reactive rather than proactive, constantly putting out fires instead of preventing them. He lacks the foresight to anticipate problems and the organization skills to create efficient processes. Planning and organization are fundamental to effective management. A good manager sets clear objectives, devises strategies to achieve them, and ensures that resources are allocated efficiently. By doing so, they create an environment where employees can work effectively and achieve their full potential.
- A bad manager is one who fails to set priorities. He treats all tasks as equally important, leading to wasted time and effort. Without clear priorities, the team is likely to become overwhelmed and lose focus. A good manager, on the other hand, understands the importance of prioritization. They distinguish between what is urgent and what is important, ensuring that the most critical tasks are completed first. This not only enhances productivity but also reduces stress within the team, as employees are clear about what is expected of them and can manage their time effectively.
- A bad manager is one who does not develop his subordinates. He sees training and development as a waste of time and resources. He fails to realize that investing in employee development is investing in the future of the organization. A good manager recognizes the potential in their team and actively works to cultivate it. They provide opportunities for learning and growth, whether through formal training programs or on-the-job experiences. By developing their employees, they not only enhance the skills and capabilities of their team but also increase job satisfaction and retention, creating a more motivated and effective workforce.
- A bad manager does not reward his staff. He believes that salaries are enough motivation and overlooks the importance of recognition and rewards in boosting morale. A good manager understands that acknowledging and rewarding employees for their hard work and achievements is crucial for maintaining high levels of motivation and engagement. Whether through formal recognition programs or simple gestures of appreciation, they ensure that their team feels valued and respected. This not only fosters a positive work environment but also encourages continued high performance.
- A bad manager does not care about his staff's welfare. He is indifferent to their personal and professional needs, leading to low morale and high turnover. A good manager, however, takes an active interest in the well-being of their employees. They create a supportive work environment where employees feel cared for and valued. This might involve offering flexible working arrangements, providing support during difficult times, or simply being approachable and empathetic. By prioritizing their staff's welfare, good managers build a loyal and committed team that is willing to go the extra mile for the organization.
- A bad manager does not innovate. He sticks to the status quo and resists change, even when it is necessary for the organization's growth and success. A good manager, in contrast, is always looking for ways to improve processes, products, and services. They encourage creativity and innovation within their team, fostering an environment where new ideas are welcomed and explored. By being open to change and willing to take calculated risks, they ensure that the organization remains competitive and adaptable in a constantly evolving market.
In conclusion, being a good manager is not about mastering complex theories or attending expensive training courses. It is about understanding and embodying the fundamental qualities of good leadership. By avoiding the pitfalls of bad management and practicing the opposite behaviors, you can become a good manager in ten minutes. Remember, good management is not just about achieving short-term goals; it is about building a strong, motivated, and capable team that will drive the long-term success of the organization.
- Noon, James. "How to Be a Good Boss in Five Minutes." Business Graduate, April 1987.
- Blanchard, Kenneth, and Spencer Johnson. "The One Minute Manager." 1983.
- Blanchard, Kenneth, and Robert Lorber. "Putting the One Minute Manager to Work." 1984.
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