In my last post I discussed the importance of learning new skills (not just management skills) in order to run a successful business. However, since not everyone has the luxury of time to learn everything they need in order to manage every aspect of their own business it makes sense to simply hire someone knowlegable and experienced to handle the management portion (or co-manage the business). As I mentioned before even with a capable manager it is better to learn at least the basics of management so that you can at least understand what’s going on with your business and be able to communicate with your manager and other employees any changes you might want to implement. In the same way it will also be useful to you in terms of evaluating how well your manager(s) is performing.
The actual process of hiring a manager is very important since you want to get the right person for the job the first time. If you are in a huge hurry to fill in a position it might be a good idea to hire a headhunter to help you look for suitable applicants. Emphasise the qualities you want and the need for high standards. This way the applicants will be pre-screened leaving you with less applicants to personally evaluate saving you precious time. When hiring a manager some of the most important factors you should consider include:
1. experience/credentials
2. philosophy/outlook – Hire someone who subscribes to the company philosophy.
3. social skills – You want someone that is not only confident but knows how to get along well with people as well as smooth kinks out.
4. stable/dependable – Being a manager is a stressful job. Find ways to evaluate how the person deals with high stress situations.
5. innovative and flexible – Your manager should be able to think for himself. A good manager should be able to make decisions without having to consult every single time.
Originally posted on February 22, 2008 @ 3:24 pm