Test your management skill

Mark  Twain , American Humorist & writer  says “The rain is famous for falling on the just and unjust alike, but if I had the management of such affairs I would rain softly and sweetly on the just, but if I caught a sample of the unjust outdoors I would drown him”
When was the last time you actually listened single-mindedly to one of your staff members? Can you remember when you last listened to someone without interruptions or distractions from either telephone calls or drop-in visitors, when you just focused intently on the person speaking with you, ignoring everything else?
When CEO Alan Mulally arrived at Ford, he used a technique he had refined at Boeing. He found a way to instantly shift the senior executives on his team from talkers to listeners by changing the way he evaluated his team's performance. “It always comes down to incentives. What's the incentive for someone to behave differently? Is it recognition, time, or more money? No. It's usually visibility,” he said.
To be a great manager, you must have an extensive set of skills – from planning and delegation to communication and motivation. Because the skill set is so wide, it's tempting to build skills in the areas of management that you're already comfortable with. But, for your long-term success, it's wise to analyze your skills in all areas of management – and then to challenge yourself to improve in all of these areas.

This quiz helps you to quickly identify your areas of strength and weakness, so that you can capitalize on the former and manage the latter. I came across a quiz in a magazine (sports turf) in a magazine and picked up some good ideas from it. Perhaps  this quiz will prove helpful to you, too. Ten points for each correct answer.

Take  the  quick  quiz

1. Good managers-
a. Make decisions
b. Spend social time with employees
c. Argue their point of view
2. Good managers spend most of their time-
a. Checking on employees' performance
b. Clarifying expectations from the boss
c. Teaching
3. A manager's primary responsibility is to-
a. Perform above expectations
b. Set and meet yearly goals
c. Accomplish tasks through other people
4. As a manager, it is not acceptable to-
a. Show empathy to employees
b. Lose your temper
c. Write personal notes of appreciation
5. People easily lose commitment when managers-
a. Change their moods
b. Leave work early
c. Keep the office door closed
6. As a new manager, one of the first things you should do is-
a. Get to know each of your direct reports personally
b. Learn to delegate
c. Bring employees into your office for an one-to-one meetings
7. When your department is under fire from upper management-
a. Act as a buffer
b. Find the problem and fix it
c. Stay cool
8. Managers should recognize that people-
a. Thrive on praise and recognition
b. Get bored if there is not enough work to do
c. Will rise to the occasion if there is financial incentive
9. When teaching someone a skill-
a. Accomplish the training off-site
b. Reward their efforts
c. Use a variety of teaching tools

10. I like it when people do things differently than I do-
a. Usually, I learn from them  
b. Never, they can't do it properly if it is not my way
c. It depends on various factors

Answers:

1. a. Making decision takes courage. You won't always have all the data and may make mistakes. Still, no one respects or follows a risk-averse leader.
2. c. Develop your people. While it might be difficult to find the time, people want and need to grow.
3. c. Getting work done through other people could mean getting products shipped or sold, providing quality customer service, or getting purchases in on time at the best price. Your boss expects your team to function effectively and efficiently through your guidance.
4. b. Getting frustrated is human, but it's childish to lose your temper. Controlling your emotions exhibits self-control.
5. a. When managers are irritable one day and charming the next, their unpredictable behavior causes employees to assume the worst. People work best with leaders who show predictable and consistent
behavior.
6. b. Although a job might seem less time-consuming to do yourself, a new manager's most important responsibilities include delegating and training in the new environment.
7. a. When things go wrong, serve as a buffer and take the heat. Keep the pressure off your people so that they can do their jobs. When managers shift blame to employees, they lose trust, respect, and loyalty.
8. a. Everyone enjoys feeling special and appreciated. Otherwise, they will put less energy into their work.
9. c. Stimulate as many senses as you can to help reinforce the lessons you teach People learn through demonstrations, visual aids, actions, and participation.
10. a. Usually, I learn from them. Because you can never be too old  to learn something new.

Scoring
80-100: You are wise and knowledgeable.
60-70   : Examine specific areas of this quiz in which you can improve skills.
Below 60: Ouch! You got work to do
No one said that managing people is easy. We need to care about our employees enough to improve our competence.

The writer is the Head of HR and Admin at Grameen Telecom Trust.