Q: Recently, I received news that I would be promoted to be the new general manager. Although I am very happy with the recognition given for my hard work and loyalty, I am not carried away with the joy of this as I know it will come with very high expectations. I am now torn between the excitement of raring to go to prove myself and the anxiety of whether I can perform well. What can I do to be a successful general manager?
A: You are indeed a pragmatic person that every successful leader should be. You are not carried away with the promotion but you chose to think about how you can make a difference as a general manager. With such an outlook, you have both the ambition to succeed and the cautiousness to ensure you do the right things. Indeed, this is a great start!
A very important area to focus on as a general manager is to view your role broadly as one where you lead from both the “inside” and “outside” of the organisation. Firstly, leading from the inside means you devote your energy to building a united team of people who can work well in all conditions. At the same time, make good efforts to acquire a multifunctional set of skills to manage well in times of challenges and opportunities as well as work on your emotional competencies to inspire your people with a compelling vision to attain the shared goals shared by everyone. Secondly, leading from the outside means being in the front line to build strong relationships with your customers for continuing business, as well as in understanding their sentiments and buying behaviours to always deliver value and increase their satisfaction.
POWERFUL QUESTIONS
- What do you want your organisation to be?
- What will tell you it is getting there?
- What are the areas of your strengths that can help you here?
- What areas do you want to pay attention to that will minimize failures?
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