Human Resources: Management on the Run

In today’s fast paced world, everything seems to be done on the run. More and more things come in a “drive thru” fashion these days….coffee, food, dry-cleaning, etc. Because many work environments are consumed with hurried meals, discussions and meetings, it makes sense that most managers need to be able to manage on the run. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. With the large number of telecommuters and remote offices, managing via phone, Skype or teleconferencing is becoming more common for all of us and something that we need to embrace.


To be an effective manager “on the run”, you need to focus on your communication style and skills. As we all know, e-mail communication can be one of the most misinterpreted communication tools out there. How many times have we heard about people writing e-mails with angry overtones, cutting remarks, or maybe even career-ending humor? Whether the mode of communication is telephone, email or written, your communication should be clear and concise. Don’t leave it up to the recipient to have to interpret your meaning. If you have to explain the meaning of your email-something is wrong. Ensure that the people you work with know your style and what they can expect from you as it relates to your email communication, i.e., I USE ALL CAPS, BUT NO, I’M NOT YELLING AT YOU.

Another way to effectively lead/manage on the run is to state the purpose of a pending meeting, office visit, etc. For an employee, the worse feeling in the world is knowing that their manager is coming to see them or wants a meeting, and they have no idea what to expect or prepare. A great call or meeting always begins with preparation, right? If you leave someone hanging out there with nothing to go on except that you will be in their office at 9:00 am tomorrow, I doubt that “someone” got any sleep that night!

Workforces are becoming more and more mobile every day. It is critical that management styles and communication styles map to this. The way we communicate with all of the tools provided needs to be consistent and concise to avoid any misinterpretation. While you can’t control all interpretations of your message, at the very least you are consistent and everyone knows what to expect.

Excerpts from “Leadership & Management on the Run” by Carol McDaniel

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Official Blog of the HR Florida State Council, Inc.