_____ 1. I have a written mission statement
for my company/office.
_____ 2. Members of my team (agents, staff)
are clear about what are the goals and guiding principles for our company/office.
_____ 3. I have a written business plan
for my office/company
_____ 4. I require my agents to write
a business plan and I review each agent's plan at least once annually
_____ 5. I/my company measures success
based upon bottom line profit rather than number of transactions closed
or closed sales volume/revenue.
_____ 6. I schedule time for strategic
planning on a regular basis.
_____ 7. I meet with my agents/staff at
least once monthly to solicit ideas on how to improve our office/company
as well as how we can increase business.
_____ 8. I have plenty of time for rest,
time with family, and recreational activities.
_____ 9. I have taken at least three weeks
of vacation over the last twelve months.
_____ 10. I take at least 30 minutes of
quiet time almost every day to read, rest, think, or plan.
_____ 11. When one of my agents/staff
comes to me with a problem, I ask them to come up with their own solution
first. If the solution will work, I encourage them to implement it. If
I see a challenge, I will make some additional suggestions and then ask
the agent to choose which idea they would like to implement.
_____ 12. When someone criticizes me or
my policies, I ask them for solutions for the problem they posed. I also
look for what I can learn or improve from their criticism.
_____ 13. I do not allow negativity in my
office. People who are consistently negative are asked to change their
attitude or to leave.
_____ 14. My leadership style tends to
be more coaching/mentoring than managerial.
_____ 15. When there is a problem, I'm
open and direct in discussing it with those involved.
_____ 16. I consistently have 80% or more
attendance at all sales meetings.
_____ 17. Our company/office has a reputation
as a great place to work
_____ 18. Recruiting is relatively easy
for me.
_____ 19. My agents/staff would say I
have a good sense of humor.
_____ 20. I encourage my agents/staff
to do complete work, but also am supportive when they make a mistake.
_____ 21. When there is a conflict between
a customer/client and a member of my office/company, I carefully gather
all the facts before deciding the course of action to take in resolving
the conflict.
_____ 22. I am comfortable dealing with
angry people or other difficult situations.
_____ 23. I am good at delegating
_____ 24. I am punctual and well organized.
_____ 25. I have a coach or mentor with
whom I work to improve both my business and personal life.
Give yourself 4 points for each item you
marked "True".
84-100 Congratulations! You have very
effective management skills. Increasing these skills is an on-going process.
Take a look at the items you marked false. Work on changing them to true.
When your score is 92 or above, go back and lower your score by 12-20
points by raising your standards. Now work on checking off those items
a second time. By constantly raising your standards you will attract higher
quality individuals in all aspects of your life as well as attracting
more business.
72-80 You have a solid foundation to which
you can add additional skills to increase your effectiveness. Work on
changing as many items as possible from "false" to "true".
You may want to ask another manager you admire (from within or from outside
the business) to mentor you or you may elect to hire a coach. Notice if
there is a specific area (such as business planning or organization) where
you have marked most of the items false. You may want to start in this
area because improvements here will usually result in a major improvement
in your office environment. No matter where you start, whatever you do
personally to improve your score almost always results in an improved
business environment.
60-68 If you would like to increase your
office performance as well as improving your effectiveness, begin working
on the items you answered "false" to shift them to "true".
If you haven't already done so, a good place to start is with your personal
work area. Clean it up and get rid of what isn't absolutely necessary.
And while you are "house-cleaning", consider "house cleaning"
the entire office, not only of "things that clutter" but anyone
who is negative and interferes with the forward motion of your organization.
If you haven't done a business plan and mission statement, do so immediately.
Also assist your agents in creating their own business plan. (Our Business
Planning to Improve Customer Service 8 hour teleclass assists agents in
creating a solid plan for their business). Hiring a coach to help you
through this process and to keep you on target is highly recommended.
Below 60: You're effectiveness as a manager
is being diminished by a variety of factors. You may be feeling overwhelmed
by at how much is required to create a great office. The key is to take
simple (and small, if need be) steps on a daily basis. Start with yourself.
Are you taking good care of yourself—right foods, enough rest, and recreation
time? You can't be effective when you are not practicing minimum amounts
of self-care. Take the necessary steps to care well for yourself. Next,
clear your work areas of everything that is not essential. While you're
"clearing", decide what items on the inventory you want to tackle
first. Having a plan is critical. Next, take any items on the inventory
you feel you can shift from "false" to "true". Tackle
the easy items initially to build your confidence. If you get bogged down
on one item, "let it go" and move to one where you can experience
success. It is easy for this process to become a struggle, a struggle
you can lose to inertia and habit. It is our strongest recommendation
that you hire a coach. Success is much easier to achieve when you have
a partner to assist you.
