| You are the owner and manager of a small business. | | | | Learn to delegate. Most manager/owners have trouble |
| Not only do you need to know about the | | | | giving up tasks to others. They may feel that the work |
| inner-workings of the business and the financial issues | | | | is best completed by them. However, you need to give |
| but you also need to be a good manager. | | | | employees a chance to be productive. If the only tasks |
| Management skills can be just as important in keeping | | | | they ever receive are mundane or tedious they will |
| the business running well as your other areas of | | | | soon tire of the situation. What's more, you need |
| expertise. Here are some quick and easy | | | | people who you can count on to help the business |
| management tips to help you keep the business | | | | thrive. After all, you will need to take time off and get a |
| running smoothly. | | | | vacation and need to know that the business will run |
| Make rules but be fair. In this day and age you need to | | | | properly even when you are away. |
| set some ground rules so that each employee is | | | | Teach employees what their job is. Write complete |
| treated fairly. However, you also need to know when | | | | job descriptions for each position. These descriptions |
| to use common sense to guide you through sticky | | | | should be specific and complete so that current and |
| situations. Write down your expectations, and then | | | | potential employees understand their job functions. |
| translate those into language that your employees will | | | | Update the descriptions as needed. Provide plenty of |
| understand. Present this to each new hire and post the | | | | on the job training and remember that not everyone |
| rules in the office. | | | | catches on quickly. Have patience and understanding. |
| Understand the workings of the data and telephone | | | | Communicate regularly with all employees. Employees |
| systems. Use new technology to help your employees | | | | need to know what is happening. Rumors can run |
| work more efficiently. If your company warrants it look | | | | rampant and can ruin morale in the process. Send a |
| into a good corporate long distance plan. Train | | | | monthly email memo or hand out a newsletter. The |
| employees on the office systems in place so that they | | | | communication will do wonders to keep things running |
| can take advantage of the timesaving features they | | | | smoothly and to keep attitudes up. |
| provide. | | | | Stress good customer service. First and foremost |
| Don't worry about the small things. If you have a | | | | your customers are who keep your business going. |
| tendency to micro-manage your employees they | | | | Make sure that employees put customer service first |
| won't feel free to be creative and to think outside the | | | | and keep it there. Offer courses or webinars that |
| box. Allow others to do things in their own way as long | | | | teach employees good customer service skills. Plan |
| as they can accomplish what's needed. Constantly | | | | some training time each month for each employee. |
| picking on the work of others will only keep employees | | | | Even an hour or two per month will help keep |
| from ownership of their work. | | | | customer service in the forefront. |