10 rules of team management

1. Bring up problems (regarding tasks or relationships) when they arise. Don’t expect them to go away; instead, name the elephant in the room.
2. Take ownership and follow through on problems.
3. Don’t let things fall through the cracks. Even if the next step is someone else’s responsibility, stay in touch until it’s done.
4. Tell people what you need. Don’t expect them to guess.
5. When responding to someone’s request, always explain why you are doing what you are doing, especially when you have to say no.
6. When asking for something, always explain why you are making the request. This allows the person to come up with an alternative solution if what you are asking for isn’t possible.
7. If you need training or tools in order to be successful, ask for them.
8. Take risks, but inform key people so that they don’t get blindsided. Analyze the risks, identify the unexpected consequences, and plan for them.
9. Think Center-wide. When your actions diverge from usual practice, always ask, “What impact will this have on the team?”
10. Start each meeting with individuals sharing “what I did this week that constituted excellent customer service.”