Management 101, Part 2

Last week, we shared the first half of the Management 101 list that we compiled from librarians all over the world on the ALATT Facebook Group. Today, we're going to talk about the harder parts of management.

A Manager Should Not...

• Don't micromanage.
• Don’t take any of their BS personally.
• Don't assign your staff to do anything you wouldn't do yourself.
• Don't be passive aggressive. 
• Don't call people out in front of others. Always take the time to pull the person aside to talk about any problems. 
• Don't feel you need to answer requests or communication immediately; take the time to think about it before you answer.
• Don’t befriend anyone on your staff, ever. You are never, ever off duty. 
• Don’t bring your ego to work. The folks you manage are the experts at their roles; don't micromanage their work. Facilitate it.
• Don’t put anything surprising on a person's annual review.

A Manager Should Know Sometimes...

• Sometimes, you will just be the bad guy and you have to suck it up.
• Sometimes, you just need to listen and not necessarily take action.
• Sometimes, you don't know the answer. It is okay to not know everything!
• Sometimes, your staff is talking and whispering about you. It comes with the position. Sometimes it is good, though.

A Manager Should Remember...

• Remember you have an obligation to the people you work with and to the mission of your institution. Look at both when making decisions and do your best to balance them.
• Remember that it is not your job to make them like you but to respect you as a professional and as their supervisor; however, that respect works both ways.
• Remember people will be people. Managing people will likely be the hardest part of your job.
• Remember the focus of your work is no longer direct service provision but the *people* who provide the direct service. Support them, guide them, include them and good service will follow.
• Remember almost no one shows up to work each day intending to screw up. If they do, there was usually a reason. Assume good intent and follow up from there.
• Remember when you become a manager, it's no longer about you. Take your place at the end of the line - it's the mission and your people first.
• Remember you can change behavior but you can't change personalities. 
• Remember clear communication is the key to happy living.
• Remember constructive criticism is a gift, done out of love for their institution and a desire for it to be the best it can be. Don't just dismiss those concerns, even if you can't actually do anything about their suggestions.
• Remember you can admit to being human.
• Remember to listen, really listen, when people talk to you and make sure you hear all of what they are saying.
• Remember, always remember, you don't manage people, you manage things. You work with people.

Don't forget to check out our Management 101, part one post, for the "What to Be" and "What to Do" list.