Develop Some New HabitsAs a manager, you must �do the right things (good leadership), as well as do things right(good management).� To accomplish these goals and to create a workplace environmentthat�s ready for success, develop �the Six Habits of Highly Successful Managers,� andincorporate them into your daily activities. This requires �discipline and commitment.�You may need to change the way you act, including getting rid of some bad habits andreplacing them with new ones.Habit 1: �Set Goals All the Time�Royal Robbins is a famous rock-wall climber. He was the first person to complete a soloascent of El Capitan, Yosemite National Park�s imposing 3,000-foot-high monolith. Atone point during his climb, Robbins had to stop because scaling the rock face had becometoo difficult; the handholds and footholds were too small, the overhangs too daunting.By this point, Robbins had clambered higher up El Capitan than any other solo climber.He could have felt proud of his accomplishment, descended and planned to conquer therock face another day. But Robbins did not want to quit. Instead, he changed his goal. Hisnew plan became not to scale El Capitan � his original objective � but simply to climbanother five feet. That is exactly what he did. And then he did it again, and again andagain. Robbins beat El Capitan by steadily scaling the rock face in five-foot sections.Smart managers use the same incremental planning approach. Segment your managementplanning into three parts: First, create �a long-term vision� for what you want to achieve.Shaping this vision requires careful thought, but the results are worth it. Find an inspiringmodel, such as the US Declaration of Independence, for your company�s vision. Makesure your vision speaks to the needs and interests of all your important stakeholders �your �owners, employees and customers.�Second, good managers institute �near-term goals,� which relate to the company�s visionand keep everyone facing in the right direction. Near-term goals should be taxing � youwill insult your employees if you make these goals too easy � yet realistic, since youwill dismay your staff members if you set them too high.Habit 2: �Focus on the Process, Not a Plan�Approximately 95% of business owners do not develop business plans, and the 5% whocreate such plans seldom use them. Perhaps business plans are so unpopular becausepeople do not understand the true value of planning; they see all the hard work, time andeffort that goes into business plan development as wasted. That is the wrong attitude. Thereal value of a business plan doesn�t reside in having it, but in the thinking, research and

strategizing that goes into creating it. Try this organized, five-step process:1. �Identify the right information� � The conventional method is to generate a planonce a year, but that�s not enough. Business changes too fast. Plan periodicallythrough the year. Gather data pertaining to four specific categories: the company�sstrengths and weaknesses, industry trends, the �competitive environment� and thefirm�s opportunities.2. �Engage everyone in collecting the information� � Your employees can providevaluable assistance in the planning process. Solicit and encourage their input.3. �Create successful strategies� � Target individuals in your organization who havea penchant for strategizing, and put them to work. Ask them to consider any notablechanges that have occurred and to use that understanding to formulate the firm�sstrategies and goals.4. �Modify the strategies in light of new information� � See business planning asa nonstop activity. Follow this progression: Develop a vision, gather information,analyze data, develop a strategy, set goals, outline each �action step� and evaluateyour team�s results. Then repeat the process.5. �Do this frequently� � At first, monthly planning will suffice. Once you are used tothis process, carry it out weekly.Habit 3: �Coach the Right People�Forcing square pegs into round holes never works. This holds true with hiring. Manymanagers are reluctant to give up on ill-suited employees who underperform. Instead,these managers spend an inordinate amount of time trying to motivate and trainmisfits, with little success. The sooner the manager of nonperforming employees spotsa mismatch, the better for everyone concerned. Find the best individuals for specificpositions. Provide the necessary coaching so your staffers maximize their performance.Hire by using these three steps:1. �Define the position� � Write the primary requirements for an open job down according to �purpose, goals, responsibilities, major challenges� and �qualifications.�2. �Find the right person� � This will be your most challenging task. Make sure thatanyone you consider for a position has the talents and abilities to do the job well.3. �Coach them to excellence� � Often, this involves discovering �the empowermentsweet spot� � the point where employees want to accomplish goals their own wayand the manager empowers them to do so, where the manager is neither a controlfreak nor a lackadaisical leader, and where the employees don�t demand constantdirection or call for full autonomy. The working styles of managers and staffers shouldcomplement each other.