Managers who want to make empowerment of employees, customers, and clients their top priority are called servant managers. New and experienced managers wanting to empower others around them should check out my book The Servant Manager.
I developed this book over several years of teaching a course in servant management at the IRS and later, after retirement, consulting with 12 excellent companies on their best management practices.
My qualifications to write this book:
- 30+ years of management experience at all levels from front-line to executive management of 1,200 employees
- completed more than 2,500 mediations, negotiations, and facilitations
- written 55+ articles and 12 books
- trained in mediation at the Hamline Law School and am a Qualified Mediator with the Minnesota Supreme Court
- co-wrote a two-week course and have taught a servant management course over several years to more than 600 managers where I received outstanding ratings
- after reaching out to the 50 best places to work through Glass Door, I worked with 12 companies in further developing and elaborating the 203 tips
HALF PRICE OFFER:
If you would like to order this book at half price ($60 savings), send me an email at mg@mikegreg.com with the subject line SERVANT MANAGER OFFER and I will make the book available to you at a special price of $60 plus $10 shipping.
OUTLINE OF BOOK:
THE SERVANT MANAGER is a 496-page guide which presents 203 management tips within 16 chapters:
CHAPTER 1 HOW TO START RE-ORIENTING YOURSELF
1 Open Your Mind to New Leadership Thinking
2 Identify Your Enemies of Learning So You Can Address Them
3 Develop Your Idea List – An Initial Self-Assessment
4 Know Your Organization’s DNA
5 Understand and Use Power in the Organization
CHAPTER 2 HOW TO STEP INTO LEADERSHIP
6 Answer Question ‘Why Was a Leadership Position Your Choice?’
7 Write Down the Characteristics of an Ideal Leader
8 Understand Leadership versus Management
9 Apply Different Leadership Theories Depending on the Situation
10 Apply Techniques for Managing Former Peers
11 Write a Memo for Your Team
12 Implement an Effective Transition
13 Think Like a Manager
14 Value Differences by Directing and Supporting Behaviors
15 Adapt Your Leadership Style to the Situation
16 Know Leadership Competencies for Every Level of Management
17 Prepare a Leadership Learning Plan (SMART)
18 Manage Your Employees Remotely
19 Develop Peer Leadership
CHAPTER 3 HOW TO UNDERSTAND YOURSELF AND OTHERS
20 Learn About the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
21 Learn About Myers-Briggs MBTI Functional Differences
22 Understand How MBTI Differences Contribute to Your Team
23 Pick Up MBTI Behavioral Clues During Conversations
24 Communicate Effectively Using MBTI Insights
25 Build on MBTI Strengths, Work Around MBTI Weaknesses
26 Set Goals and Delegate Using MBTI Traits
27 Use MBTI to Manage People Effectively
28 Have Fun With MBTI Statements
29 Learn Self-Disclosure with the Johari Window
30 Reap the Benefits of Self-Disclosure
CHAPTER 4 HOW TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY AS A MANAGER
31 Carry Out Effective Two-Way Communication
32 Listen Intentionally Rather than Pseudo-Listening
33 Overcome the Barriers to Listening
34 Apply Active Listening Techniques
35 Choose Questions to Obtain Specific Types of Responses
36 Practice Active Listening
37 Adopt Interest-Based Problem-solving (RIGS)
38 Mediate Using FIFI
39 Provide Constructive Feedback
40 Receive Feedback with an Open Mind
41 Apply the Six-Step Constructive Feedback Model
42 Feedforward to Produce Results
43 Deal Constructively with Difficult People
44 Approach Hard Conversations with Patience and Understanding
45 Forgive Others
46 Apply Common Sense Oral Communication Techniques
47 Nutshell Your Idea and Teach It
48 Use the Voice Message System (VMS) as a Key to Success
49 Learn to Write Effectively
50 Understand and Apply Writing Fundamentals
51 Write Effective Emails
52 Organize Effective Presentations
53 Make Effective Presentations
54 Monitor and Evaluate Your Keys to Success
CHAPTER 5 HOW TO COACH FOR SUCCESS
55 Control Your Temper by Channeling Anger to Constructive Coaching
56 Understand the Characteristics of Effective Coaches
57 Widen Your Views Toward Coaching
58 Hold Coaching Conversations
59 Have Conversations with Results
60 Build Self-Esteem of Your Subordinates
61 Sort Facts from Perceptions
62 Define What’s Possible
CHAPTER 6 HOW TO BECOME RESPECTED AS AN ETHICAL MANAGER
63 Face Up to Tough Ethical Choices
64 Make Ethical Decisions Based on Golden Principles
65 Develop a Good Working Relationship With Your Supervisor
66 Follow Your Leader by Sharing the Common Purpose
67 Have the Courage to Challenge Groupthink
68 Share Power and Invite Feedback
69 Ask Skillful Questions as an Alternative to Feedback
70 Minimize Defensiveness When Giving Feedback
71 Raise Issues When the Time is Right
72 Ask Yourself Why You are Raising an Issue, for the Right Reasons
73 Apologize Properly
74 Test Gossip with Three Questions
75 Demonstrate Honesty in Seven Ways
76 Understand Personal and Professional Boundaries
CHAPTER 7 HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF MEETINGS
77 Avoid the Top Ten Most Frequently Reported Meeting Problems
78 Assess Yourself as a Meeting Leader
79 Assess Yourself as a Meeting Participant
80 Know the Barriers to Effective Meetings
81 Make Meetings Work
82 Know Your Role in the Meeting and Be Prepared
83 Ensure Meeting Attendees Know their Specific Duties
84 Ask These Questions When Preparing for a Meeting
85 Prepare Your Agenda with the Audience and Outcomes in Mind
86 Start the Meeting with the Right Tone
87 Develop Ground Rules and Ask for Input
88 Take Charge of Meetings
89 Ask Facilitative Questions
90 Brainstorm Ideas
91 Monitor Time, Close the Meeting, and Evaluate the Meeting
92 Consider the Unique Challenges of Remote Meeting Management
93 Learn How to Schedule a Conference Call
94 Apply Best Practices and Use Ice Breakers
CHAPTER 8 HOW TO FIND THE WORK-LIFE BALANCE
95 Look at Web Resources on Stress and Health Risks
96 Take the Work-Life Balance Test
97 Know Your Stress Comfort Zone
98 Know Your Own Stress Inventory
99 Know and Address Physical Environmental Stressors
100 Know and Address Task Stressors
101 Know and Address Interpersonal Stressors
102 Realize that Stress is Perceived Differently by Every Employee
103 Look for Signs of Workplace Stress
104 Manage Your Stressors and Provide Ideas for Your Employees
105 Encourage and Develop Support Systems
106 Find Ways to Support Others in their Stress
107 Provide Tips for Parents
108 Laugh Every Day
109 Share the Tortoise and the Hare (the Whole Story)
110 Try the Breathing Exercise
CHAPTER 9 HOW TO LEAD QUALITY PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
111 Try the Balanced Measurement System
112 Try the Coin Toss Exercise
113 Define the Process
114 Identify and Describe the Process (Phase 1)
115 Prepare a Flowchart
116 Assess and Manage (Phase 2)
117 Improve the Process (Phase 3)
118 Test and Implement (Phase 4)
CHAPTER 10 HOW TO LEAD WORKGROUPS THROUGH CHANGE
119 Understand that Change is Constant
120 Transition with the Change
121 Acknowledge Grieving is Needed and Help Others Move On
122 Own Your Reactions in the Neutral Zone
123 Initiate New Beginnings
124 Let Go of Old Things
125 Take Positive Action During a Difficult Transition
CHAPTER 11 HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TIME AND YOUR LIFE
126 Ask What You Would Do with an Extra Two Hours Per Day
127 Define Personal Goals Using SMART Criteria
128 Set Clear and Achievable Goals
129 Move from Goals to Accomplishments
130 Set Goals for the Next 6 Months Through an Action Plan
131 Use the Time Management Matrix
132 Take Control of Your Life with Time Management Techniques
133 Take Time for Your Priorities
134 Avoid Common Time-Wasters
135 Avoid Procrastination
136 Give Yourself and Team Members a Round Tuit
137 Make Good Decisions Together with Your Team
138 Follow These Decision-Making Steps
139 Expand Awareness of Impacts and Alternatives
140 Delegate, Delegate, Delegate!
141 Master the Keys to Effective Delegating
142 Use These Six Steps of the Delegating Process
143 Enjoy Benefits and Avoid Obstacles to Delegating
144 Share and Use the Delegator’s Checklist
145 Share and Use the Delegatee’s Checklist
146 Prepare a Plan for Delegation
CHAPTER 12 HOW TO MANAGE DIVERSITY
147 Define Diversity
148 Identify Your Diversity
149 Read This Powerful Commentary on Stereotypes
150 Explore the Impact of Stereotypes and Assumptions
151 Focus on Managing Across Generations
152 Understand Changing Demographics
153 Incorporate Different Generations’ Job Characteristics
154 Provide Messages that Motivate
155 Communicate Effectively with a Diverse Workforce
156 Achieve Business Results through Diversity
157 Get the Facts about Our Diverse World
158 Provide an Outlet to Prevent Harassment
CHAPTER 13 HOW TO BUILD ENGAGED WORKGROUPS AND TEAMS
159 Define Teamwork
160 Consider the Ideal Workgroup
161 Create a Positive Work Environment
162 Create and Foster Trust
163 Try this Trust Tool
164 Develop Leaders, Followers and Motivators
165 Develop Leaders from Good Followers
166 Find Out What Employees Want
167 Understand the Four Essentials of Workgroup Development
168 Get to Know Your Group with “What is Your Shape”?
169 Study Ways to Build a Strong Workgroup
170 Understand the Four Stages of Group Development
171 Bring a Team Together (Stage 1 - Form)
172 Facilitate Storms (Stage 2 - Storm)
173 Develop Team Norms (Stage 3 - Norm)
174 Operate at Peak Performance (Stage 4 – Perform)
175 Facilitate Differently for Each Stage
176 Understand What is Happening at Each Stage
177 Build an Effective Team with Trust and Consensus
178 Follow Courageously
CHAPTER 14 HOW TO MANAGE IN A CRISIS ENVIRONMENT
179 Define What is a Crisis
180 Maintain Your Composure at all Times
181 Know Your Anchors
182 Depend on Your Values to Set the Tone
183 Prioritize Resources and Critique Your Actions When Crisis is Over
CHAPTER 15 HOW TO ADDRESS SUCCESSION DEVELOPMENT
184 Plan for Someone to Take the Wheel
185 Develop Capable Subordinates
186 Develop Continuity and Backups for Every Employee
CHAPTER 16 HOW TO MULTIPLY YOUR EFFECTIVENESS
187 Decide What is Important and Spend Your Time There
188 Serve Others Over Self-Interest
189 Bring the Right Attitude and Confidence to Work Every Day
190 Align Everyone in the Same Direction
191 Implement Five Habits of Uncommon Managers
192 Hire Smart
193 Retain Your Best Employees
194 Apply These Rules from Kindergarten
195 Know Who the Decision-Maker Is
196 Make Sure You Define Problems Correctly
197 Remember and Respect the Seven Intelligences
198 Know Who is Responsible for What
199 Dress for Success
200 Lay Out Your Office with Your Employees in Mind
201 Volunteer and Give Back to the Community
202 Remember Where You Came From
203 Find Love, Joy, and Serenity in Every Passing Moment
Check out these links to my publications if you would like to learn more about collaboration,conflict resolution, or enhancing your servant manager skills.