Page 25 - Becoming a Successful Manager

16 KNOWING THE TERRITORY

• To meld a diverse group of skilled individuals into a cohesive
team of people who work well together to accomplish the
goals you’ve been charged to achieve

Your likelihood of fulfi lling those two responsibilities will increase
if you embody this precept: As a manager, I am only as good as
the people under my influence; therefore, helping them become as

effective as they can be is my number one priority.
In your managerial position, you are like a master gardener.
Of course, the garden of which you’re in charge consists of
people, who are considerably more complex than varied fl ow-
ers and vegetation, but they both require fertile soil as well as
proper care and feeding for them to fulfi ll their potential. Some
people, just like exotic fl owers, may even require special treat-
ment. Regardless of their differences, what’s obvious about both
gardens is that neither can ever be taken for granted if it is to
fl ourish.

Making Sure Your Garden Flourishes

Because you head the department, all actions and standards of
performance must refl ect your mission, your values, and your
philo sophies concerning the way people treat others both within
and outside the group. Being your garden’s chief architect, you
must establish its culture and make sure the people under your

influence perpetuate the principles that govern it.
As you embark on your fi rst important project, which is to
mold your department’s culture, keep in mind a quality common
to excellent managers we have known. We call that quality quiet
strength.