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Explain what you do
When people look at my business card, they are impressed because the title "General Manager" sounds important, but they often follow with the question "so what do you do?"
I have learned to explain to everyone - customers, friends, my team - what exactly my role is. I have realised that above all, my role is to make sure the entire team is firing on all cylinders.
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Remind everyone why we're doing what we're doing
It is easy to get lost in the execution when you're hacking away at it day-to-day. I get my team to pull back and zoom out now and then to remind ourselves of the higher goals we're heading towards.
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Manage by influence, not by authority
You can never and should never try to control the people who work for you. You'll never have enough time, and you can't earn their respect. Everyone has a different style, so exerting your authority backfires.
Instead, I try to set clear expectations so my team wouldn't have to second-guess what success looks like or what's in my mind. They then also feel empowered to make informed decisions without having to consult me.
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Don't be the bottleneck
I have learned to always share not just what to do but also how to do it and even more importantly - why. The point really is to let everyone do their jobs and remove obstacles, including myself.
And in small ways: if they need a document signed, do it immediately because you're likely to forget otherwise, and become a bottleneck.
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Be approachable to a fault
Regardless of how many times you say an organisation is flat and hierarchy-free, there is still an inbuilt sense of boundaries, especially in Singapore.
I have learned how important it is to encourage my team to share their minds openly with me, including telling me how to be better. Even then, I think they hesitate.
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Roll up your sleeves
The buck stops at you. Being a General Manager is about making sure that even the most unsexy operations keep moving on.
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Meet the standards you set
It is easy to set high standards, like punctuality. It is harder to ensure you don't break your own rules.
Even in the other directions, like working flexible hours and locations, you have to take the lead because otherwise no one would dare to do it.
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Gain visibility, but be yourself
I'm an introvert, and prefer not to be in a room of strangers. Yet it is important to gain visibility for your product via your own profile. But just remember to do it your own way, and be yourself while doing it.
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Be proud, but be humble about your product
Share the strengths of your product proudly, but be like a piñata when people bash your offering - hand them a smile and some candy, and learn how to make things better.
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People first, always
I'm only as good as my team. I try to make sure they're happy with their jobs, are able to see personal growth ahead of them and are motivated. Celebrate even the small successes, and give them credit instead of fighting with them for it.
And of course, easier said than done.
This blog post was written in 20 minutes. Again I'm trying to convince myself to write more, and it seems like the best way is to tell myself it doesn't take much time.
The piñata analogy is from Get Satisfaction.
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