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Factoids |
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The five traits of World Class Managers
Consistent
Proactive
Communication
Integrity
Adaptability |
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A successful manager is forward-thinking, planning for contingencies and
preparing for the unexpected |
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He also knows that communication is a two-way street, that listening
communicates a far stronger message than constant verbalizing |
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He must recognize that it does matter how he behaves outside of work,
especially in an industry as prone to public scrutiny as rent-to-own. |
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Instead of viewing change with trepidation, he welcomes it and incorporates it
into his overall vision |
By: Samantha Whitten (bio)
Furniture and Appliances Now
Printable Version
"...A good manager understands
that six months of steady growth is a greater accomplishment
than two months of stellar performance and four months of
mediocrity..."
Samantha Whitten
In the time I have worked in
rent-to-own I have known a lot of managers. I’ve seen a lot of
different management styles and techniques, a lot of successes
and failures. Lately I have taken a hard look at those stories,
and filtered through them to find their morals. I have found
that while the personalities, styles and approaches are as
diverse as the players themselves, there are a few constants
present in every success story.
Consistent A great manager is
generally pretty predictable. You know what he’s going to be
doing at 5:00 on Tuesday, because it’s what he does at 5:00
every Tuesday. A good manager understands that six months of
steady growth is a greater accomplishment than two months of
stellar performance and four months of mediocrity. The people
who form his work-group; his bosses, his peers, his employees
and his customers, know that he will treat them with
equanimity and fairness in all situations. The rules are
always the same, regardless of his numbers or his mood, and so
are the rewards and the consequences.
Proactive A successful manager
is forward-thinking, planning for contingencies and preparing
for the unexpected. He is ahead of the game. He will stock
up on refrigerators going into summer, because he knows they
will be in demand. He can read the trends of the business and
the attitudes of the people he deals with, and will move in
anticipation of the needs that he knows will arise. Being
proactive means not only knowing what needs to, or is going to
happen, but taking action to solve problems or take advantage
of opportunities in their earliest and most pliable stages.
Communication A great manager
communicates clearly and effectively with all his contacts. He
understands that communication is more than just talking, it’s
presenting his message with every aspect of his personality.
He gets others to see his vision and motivates them to help
him achieve it. He also knows that communication is a two-way
street, that listening communicates a far stronger message
than constant verbalizing. He recognizes that his actions and
reactions are truer indicators of his intentions and his
message than are his words.
Integrity A successful manager
realizes that he can’t just talk the talk, that his values
must be clear and strong and his actions must reflect them.
He must be honorable and trustworthy in his contacts with all
people. He must adhere to the rules and the standards to
which he holds all others. He must recognize that it does
matter how he behaves outside of work, especially in an
industry as prone to public scrutiny as rent-to-own.
Adaptability A good manager has
the ability to change with the times, to roll with the punches
this industry hands out in plenty. He knows how to meet the
needs of each of his employees, how to deal with changes in
the structure of his company, how to take a new idea and make
it work. He can overcome obstacles and face challenges because
his thinking is quick and flexible. He can look at a situation
from many directions and decide the best approach to take.
Instead of viewing change with trepidation, he welcomes it and
incorporates it into his overall vision in a positive way.
After considering these traits I realized that there is one
other aspect of successful management, one fundamental state
that is at the core of every great manager: passion. Without
passion the rest is meaningless. It is absolutely impossible to
succeed if one does not believe in the greatness of what we do.
This industry is not the place for half-heartedness; you can’t
just come here to collect a paycheck. You have to feel it. It’s
all or nothing.
Click here for a
printable Version
Samantha is a Store Manager for Arkansas based
Furniture and Appliances Now (FAN).
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