Excerpts from the speech given by Sam Boyer to the Wisconsin
Wholesale Beer Distributors Association, April 20, 1994

by Sam Boyer

I have spent 15 years in sales and management in addition to the last 8 years consulting to beer distributors. Having worked with hundreds of managers, some effective, some ineffective, I have often wondered what is it that makes one manager more effective than another.

It is not just training, nor is it solely experience. It is what I call management style. What is management style? It is how a President/Manager implements his or her views on the organization and the role of each employee. He/she sets the tone, defines the vision, and directs the strategies of the company.

Throughout my years as a manager and consultant I have observed the style of hundreds of individuals. Those having an effective management style use a balance of the following 13 elements:

 

1. They are assertive. Effective managers are not arrogant nor are they aggressive in their dealings with others. They are decisive, focused on the problem and its solution. Effective managers show neither malice nor pity towards their subordinates.
2. They have a positive attitude. The attitude of employees is a reflection of the attitude displayed by the President/Manager. They display nothing less than a self confident, "we are going to move forward, and we are going to do it now" positive attitude.
3. They provide direction. They have annual and long-term goals for their company. Those with an effective style do not wait until the end of the period to assess performance. Rather they assess ongoing performance and address situations that limit their success.
4. They have written policies and procedures. Effective managers have personnel policies, operational procedures, job descriptions, and performance evaluations in writing. Not only are policies and procedures in writing, but they are followed and enforced.
5. They hold themselves and employees accountable. Managers with effective styles are fair managers. They do not show favorites among their employees. They work to equalize the workload between employees and hold each accountable for its completion. Effective managers show respect for their employees and work to obtain the same from the employees through holding themselves accountable.
6. They celebrate small victories. Small victories, such as a new draft line that was tough to get, communicated and celebrated go a long way towards more small victories. Enough small victories and they become a force in the market.
7. They are communicators. They actively communicate with their employees, retailers, competitors, and the public. They make themselves available to those who have to communicate to them. They touch all bases by asking questions, coaching, and observing results. They believe in training and retraining. Individuals with effective management styles never stop learning. They build their organization around individuals that are well trained. They ensure that not only are employees initially well trained, but also they insist upon ongoing training.
8. They have a flat organization structure. They limit the number of supervisors between themselves and the drivers and salespersons. Presidents/Managers that have an effective style rely on their internal systems, written policies and procedures, and training to get things done--not on extra supervisors.
9. They are ethical. They do not compromise personal standards or acceptable ethics to accomplish organizational goals. They dismiss employees who violate ethical standards.
10. They use technology and state-of-the-art systems. They realize the value of using new technology and systems.
11. Presidents/Managers with effective styles do not say "this is how we have done things for 20 years and we're successful; why should we change?" Effective individuals continually make changes to ensure ongoing success.
12. They have fair compensation for their employees. Managers with effective styles have compensation systems that pay for results. They live by the theory that having fewer well-paid employees is a better situation than a larger number of poorly paid individuals.
13. They make a profit and are proud of it. Effective managers let their employees know the business is profitable and thriving. Employees feel better about themselves and their jobs when they know they are working for a profitable company.

These 13 elements came from years of working with Presidents and Managers in numerous situations. Being aware of these 13 elements and identifying the areas of needed development makes your management style more effective and your profits greater.