1. Jon R. Katz, Esq., MBA, JonRKatz@Gmail.com, http://JonRKatz.com, www.linkedin.com/in/JonRKatz
Managing as a Leader
The fundamental task of management is to make people capable of joint performance through common
goals, common values, the right structure, and the training and development they need to perform and
respond to change. This encompasses myriad smaller duties, but it is reckless and haphazard to jump
into a managerial role without proper planning, and even strong plans must be reconfigured or
reassessed on a regular basis.
That said, as part of an ongoing series on management performance, I present a basic outline of
fundamental management techniques:
• A manager’s first job is to think through, set and exemplify clear and unifying objectives, shared
values and common goals.
• Managers must define the right strategy and goals, develop people, measure performance, and market
the organization’s services.
• Managers must encourage all team members to think through what they aim to accomplish themselves,
think through what duties those employees owe to others in the organization, and to think through what
duties those employees need from others. These thoughts must be communicated clearly and effectively
throughout the organization.
• Managers must acknowledge that management and innovation, including changes to management
techniques, is a natural phenomenon, and the two must coexist.
• Managers must enable each of its members to grow and develop as needs and opportunities change.
Thus, training and development must never stop.
• Managers must acknowledge that performance — market standing, innovation, productivity,
development of people, quality, and financial results — must be measured, and these performance
measures must be continually improved.