The Rules of Management, 3rd Edition

RULE 45

Be proactive, not reactive

I know, I know, it takes you all your time just to get the job done, the paperwork tidied and the plants watered without having to think about the future or be a whiz innovator. But the smart manager – that’s you again – puts aside 30 minutes a week for forward planning. Try asking yourself simple questions: ‘How can I generate more sales?’ ‘What can I do more expediently?’ ‘How could I cut staff turnover?’ ‘How can I convert more leads to sales?’ ‘How could I streamline the accounting procedure?’ ‘How could I move into another sector?’ ‘How could I get my team to work harder, faster, brighter?’ ‘How could I get them to brainstorm more freely?’ ‘How could I hold meetings that wouldn’t waste so much time?’ ...