(Calm down and read this)
If you are at that point where you want to hire a manager, or you’ve hired a manager before and it didn’t work out well or you have a manager but the person isn’t delivering, then this is for YOU.
At some point in your business, you will begin to feel so overwhelmed that you will need someone who can do some of the things you do.
Someone who can help with coordinating your other staff, and some other activities in your business. Someone who can handle things even in your absence.
In many cases, we call this person a MANAGER.
How then do you find and hire a great manager OR how do you make your current manager effective?
Let me share a few tips:
1. THE TITLE IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
I’m saying this, particularly to business owners in Nigeria.
The title “Manager” is not important.
In fact, it can be a distraction.
We love titles in Nigeria, which is why a lot of people want to me CHIEF DR ENGR PASTOR SIR etc all for one person.
My recommendation is that you make the title something like General Supervisor, or Head of Operations, or something else at least for the first 6 months to one year.
The manager title should be earned and would come with additional benefits and rewards to the person.
What’s important is the next tip.
2. BE CLEAR ABOUT THE JOB FUNCTIONS AND JOB REQUIREMENTS.
What do you want the person to be responsible for?
Those are the functions.
Write them out. EG:
– Coordinating all staff
– Coordinating operations
– Recruitment
– Administration etc
What are the job requirements?
– What experience does the person need to have?
– What skills does the person need to have?
– What will be the person’s job description?
(What work will the person actually do).
You aren’t looking for your clone.
You are looking for someone who can get specific work done.
Be clear about what you want that person to be responsible for and what you want the person to be doing.
3. BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
When you buy are phone, there are things you expect it to have.
When you hire this manager, what will you expect as results from him/her?
What will you expect this person to achieve in 30 days, 60 days, and in 90 days?
Write them out.
Don’t keep them in your head.
Writing them out will even help you select the right person.
And if you already have a manager, if you write these things out, you will see if the person you have can deliver what you need or not.
4. WHEN it comes to CHOOSING SOMEBODY, consider people in your business.
There are people in your business who may be able to handle these things you’ve written down in no 1-3.
Maybe a supervisor, or a head of department, or just a regular staff with potential.
Have a conversation with this person as an option.
5. If you are hiring from outside, interview as many candidates.
With few candidates, your options are very limited.
6. When interviewing, look for people who:
– Have excellent communication skills. That is they can demonstrate effective communication.
– Can set clear goals and meet them. They would have experience in settings targets and hitting them.
– Can demonstrate that they can delegate. You are looking for people who have led teams or who have collaborated while still leading.
7. Get help: In case you realize that you can’t do all these things by yourself I strongly suggest that you get help either from a recruitment agency or you invite any friend of yours who already knows what to do.
You want the best for your business right?
PS: Wale is our Business Manager at Grace Kapital, our Micro-lending business in Port Harcourt.
We give loans to business owners, in fact let me say it this way.
We give loans to traders. (People who make sales daily, and have physical locations where they trade from).
Our loans range from N50,000 to N5,000,000.
Currently, Grace Kapital only operates in Port Harcourt.
If you want a loan, contact Wale on 0806 941 8257
PPS: There is a strict process you will have to follow (The company is well structured), and I’m not involved in the process.