MANAGING YOUR BRAND
DO IT NOW!
TIME & ATTITUDE
BUSINESS ANALYSIS
MEMO WRITING
SUCCESS FACTORS
MANAGEMENT "STATURE" 

MANAGEMENT "STATURE"

What's "stature"?  It's the input from face-to-face business dealings with your manager.  There are two ways to judge you:  a) from your written work, and b) from face-to-face contact.  This addresses the second.  The first is addressed in the memo writing and business analysis sections.  Face-to-face contact goes somewhat beyond just "oral communications" because body language plays a role in your manager's evaluation of you.  Some call it "presence."

Now that you know what it is, here's what you should be striving for:

1)     Giving a clear signal in every discussion that you are running the show, that every assignment is yours, and you feel completely responsible for its prompt and proper completion.

2)     Giving a clear signal in every discussion that you have thought through the problem carefully, examined all sides of the issue, and have a conclusion (Note:  "I'll be damned if I know what to do" can be a valid conclusion.).

3)     Giving a clear signal that you know your manager's time is valuable.  (Your manager believes his time is more valuable than yours.  He also suspects strongly that it's more valuable than the time of those in many of the staff groups you deal with.)

In short, you should be striving for a business-like attitude!

Coming at this from another direction, what should you guard against?

1)     Asking questions when the answer is in hand; and

2)     Avoiding letting your manager make decisions you should be making.

Almost every written memo has a conclusion and an indicated action -- so should almost every discussion you have with your manager, and you should provide both.

THINK ISSUES THROUGH BEFORE APPROACHING YOUR MANAGER.  If you do, your manager will be getting a clear signal you are running your portion of the business.  When you prove you are, you will be getting a bigger portion, and bigger, and bigger....