Management - Miscellaneous

Employee Input  |   Stay Informed  |   Meetings  |   Company Vision  |   Male/Female Management Styles

Cultural Diversity

   Managers of employees from a variety of
      cultures should invest a few hours of research
      on the behavioral norms of these cultures.
      The result can be much more productive and
      rewarding management.

   With multiple cultural backgrounds, it is likely
      that miscommunication will take place. A lot
      of misreading can occur due to various
      differences in non-verbal messages.

   Example:
      Latin American backgrounds usually
      get close when talking  (little personal
      space).

      North Americans / European
      backgrounds usually want a larger
      personal space.

      Many Asian backgrounds will want
      a even greater personal space than
      North Americans.

   If problems are arising among employees
      themselves, some time spent discussing
      these differences (with no right or wrong)
      are likely to decrease potential tensions
      and increase mutual respect... and in turn,
      productivity.

   ** Also see Non-Verbal Communication and
      Cultural Diversity.

Employee Input

   Do not assume that your employees will
      verbalize concerns.

   Actively encourage their comments,
      observations and suggestions.

   Just saying there is an "open-door" policy
      does not make employees "safe" enough
      to enter.

   Non-verbal communications may give them
      other messages.

   When employees do feel comfortable enough
      to verbalize concerns, make sure that their
      concerns are addressed in a positive
      manner immediately.

Stay Informed

   Keep informed on what other businesses,
      competitors, other departments/divisions or
      subsidiaries are doing --  especially work that
      may impact you and/or your area.

   When your staff knows the activities of other
      areas, incorporate these points into your
      area whenever possible.

   Not only will your area benefit, but a better
      understanding of the whole and how it relates.
      This can strengthened inter-area
      relationships.

   Remember:
      Activities of other areas are also
      important.

Company Vision

   A vision provides your company with the idea/
      view of how things might be and a sense of
      how to arrive at it safely.

   It is vital that the company vision is shared
      with all members of the company.

Meetings

   Consider expense of a meeting before holding
      one.

   Bad meetings can be expensive:

   A person earning $40,000 a year could
      cost $300.

   $400 per hour including salary and
      benefits.

   Consider the expense of 6 or 8 people
      spending 1 1/2 hours in a non-
      productive meeting.

   Eliminate travel time for participants whenever
      possible.

   Use non-traditional meeting techniques
      whenever possible.

   Consider options such as: video-
      conferencing, telephone, e-mail,
      Intranet / Internet....

   Have participant brain storm before attending
      the meeting.

Male/Female Management Styles Differences   (NFWBO 1994 study)

   Both women and men entrepreneurs agree
      that there is more to success than
      monetary gains.

   Women, however, derive satisfaction and
      success from building relationships with
      customers and employees; having control of
      their own destiny; and doing something
      they consider worthwhile.

   Men entrepreneurs, on the other hand,
      describe success in terms of growing,
      self-satisfaction for a job well done and
      achieving desired goals.

   Women business owners are more evenly
      balanced in their thinking between logic and
      intuition. This makes it easier for them to
      switchamong multiple tasks.  They are also
      more likely to seek out opinions of others.

    (NFWBO 1994 study)

   Despite differences, women and men;
      entrepreneurs are, in large part, more like
      each other than they are like the general
      working population.

      (National Foundation of Women Business Owners
      1994 study)

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These "Management Files" are mainly for Middle & Senior Management and Business Owners. The various topics are meant to remind and to stimulate management thought.

Please note: Our firm does not carry-out or furnish research in these areas. This area of the Select, Assess & Train Web site is available only as a public service to foster thought and better management in today's fast-paced environment when the human factor of business is often taken for granted and/or even overlooked.   We are not a source of facts.