Successful Mindset At Work

A Case Study In Management

How do You have an Effective day at WORK? You must be an Effective Manager. What is an effective manger? Let us start off by explaining what a manager is and does.

A Manager is one who can forwardly think while spinning several plates at one cohesive time. They must “Effectively Communicate” their thoughts in a professional and succinct manner.

Why? So the freight can be moved, jobs can be accomplished and associates are in the know with their day. All this so the Customer(s) can have an exceptional shopping experience.

We all want to Do, the best job while we are working. We as associates must act like managers. How? To be a forwardly thinking person. What must be done first, second and so on? We must keep thinking of what needs to be accomplished because the customer comes First.

This is how one effectively manages themselves and dovetails into managing others. Yes, it will take time to adjust to this way of thinking. If we adopt this mindset of thinking

I work for a local Grocery Store chain. On any given day, the store can receive an abundance of pallets. These pallets must be off loaded or in the case of a reefer truck; the pallets can be left on.

The Manager On Duty (MOD) must be notified of all changes to the store operations. It is their responsibility to off load and make sure all pallets are placed in their proper locations. 

Whether the associate is in the dry goods area or fresh areas, they must know what, why, when, where and how much freight has been brought in.

If the boss says “I need you get all this freight moved to the floor and these pallets stacked neatly. This must be done by the end of your shift.”

You ask yourself Questions?

This is the first major task; Ask Question(s) to thyself.

Why ask questions?

It helps you think better and become more focused on your work. Being Focused at work is Imperative these days. Asking questions helps you focused and ask more In-Depth questions.

Asking questions helps you be and look more: relatable, reliable and more relaxed to your co-workers. Your co-workers will want to talk and discuss information with you.

They will want to pick your mind on subjects related to and not related to work. This is an incredibly good situation to be in. The situation is You, want people to come and communicate with you.

You are thinking about preforming your jobs effectively and efficiently so more is accomplished in less time. In that respect, you are looking out for the bottom line as is your boss. The bottom line is the Return on Investment (ROI).

How to accomplish this Idea?

The Answer: Management and Associates must focus on that page of ROI to Work Achieved.   

Thinking this way will help The Return on Investment (ROI) always stay in your mind. It will help you ask questions of how I can perform my job to the best I can.

Asking For Help

How May I Help You? How Can I Assist You?

More Importantly, I can I Help Myself in this matter?

There is nothing wrong with asking for help. On my job I tend, to ask for help when I need it. Nothing is wrong with this statement.

Asking for help also makes you look confident. If you want and need to get pallets moved you need to ask for help.

I am not saying have people do your work for you. I am saying ask for help to assist you when you need it. Never be afraid to ask for help.

Maybe your fellow associates are having a bad day and preoccupied with other things. This preoccupied can be caused by not having the associates thinking clearly and communicating effective.

This is a real problem because people do not know workplace communication. Letting the associate know you are there for them. Reflective Listening by repeating back to them what they stated. This implies you are in the moment while you are nodding also.

This idea of thinking clearly is part of the nucleus. The other have of the nucleus is communication.

This idea I am speaking of can Be achieved by Thinking Clearly, Strategically and Tactfully. Having an: Open, Strategic and Successful Mind Set.

How do you think clearly?

Answer: When you are calm, you are able to reason and not be frustrated. Being frustrated at work is not good. It impedes you to think clearly.

When a business needs you to preform your job diligently and correctly you need to think calmly and clearly. 

Your boss says, “You need to move all this product by end of shift.” You need to say, “I will achieve this goal.”

Basically, you need to Balance between what management wants and what you as an associate can produce. How? By knowing your job and being efficient at it. Take notebooks, draw pictures and achieve success.

When you find the balance between what management wants and what you can produce you have achieved Optimum Output. This is what you want to happen. This is where scientific management come in to play.

Scientific Management

What is scientific management? It is the science behind management. Another way of saying it. Having you preform less with more.

Even writing in general we must say less with more. That is the effective way to manage and write.

Frederick Winslow Taylor (03.20.1856 to 03.21.1915) comes to mind.

Mr. Taylor is the Father of Scientific Management. Putting Engineering Principles to Management Philosophy.

Frederick Winslow Taylor is the father of Scientific Management. Meaning Mr. Taylor found ways to make the flow of work more streamlined and flow more efficiently.

Mr. Taylor started off like most of us, A Laborer. Frederick Acquired skills of Patternmaking and Machinist.

Frederick then moved to another place of employment where He BUILT UPON the skills (of Patternmaking and Machinist) at his first place of employment to be a Forman at his second place of employment. 

Mr. Taylor learned fast because he had an open mind concept.

We can learn so much from Mr. Taylor. Frederick was working, asking questions and making himself available to all his co-workers.

Why was this happening? Mr. Taylor was asking questions. Mr. Taylor was becoming more likeable and the go to person in the process. Frederick was asking questions and solving problems.

This is what happens when we read. We start to ask questions. This is a good thing.

Frederick accepted these positions which were offered to him without remorse. He must have had intuition about what was in his future. How about this, he just believed in himself.

Mr. Taylor after night study received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1883.

Valuable Lessons

All the while F.W. Taylor was working, he was learning valuable lessons of ways and means to work. Mr. Taylor make himself useful at his work by applying what he learned in school to his work.

While at work and doing the jobs assigned; we can be more effective when we have an open mind.

Here is a Secret!!!

Study, Study, Read and Read. Analyze yourself and your Entrepreneurial Friends. Figure out how they attained the Diamond in the Rough.

Make how they attained their “Diamond in the Rough” part of you. Learn from them and you will be Effectively Learning.

How can I be more of an effective associate on the job? This tool; by thinking clearly and focusing on your goals. You will find ways to work more effectively than other associates. You as an associate, should produce the best work you can; DAILY.

Be a “Thinking Thing that Thinks.” Keep your mind moving; no Stagnicity in your mind. The wheels must always be moving and grinding. That is another secret of success.

Why am I communicating this You? My point is NEVER, let people intimidate you. Stand your ground. Be fair, honest and non-confrontational.

People will appreciate you being honest and non-confrontational. You will get and more at work and outside of work.

This is to make the associate be more productive. When you are working, you should always be calm, cool and collected. This is so you can think clearly about your job while achieving maximum output.

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

Thomas A. Edison

I love this quote by Edison. It is an IMPORTANT quote. Even if you fall down and fail; get back up and start again. You never know what you can accomplish until you have battle scars.

Be like Edison you will have battle scars. Keeping your mind moving and open is very essential.

Open Mindedness

Question: How to have an open mind?

Answer: Being a Constant and Effective Thinker. Always be thinking about: How can I effectively do my job better than the day before. Yes, we make mistakes and that is inevitable.

Do not focus on but LEARN from your mistakes. Focus on the work you are producing and manage yourself more efficiently.

Keep Focusing on the Goal(s) of your future and You shall attain them. Concentrate on the job you are doing.

Make sure you are looking at your notes and keeping them up to date. Always have a little notebook with you. I do and it helps me out; immensely.

Here is another answer. Be like a Good and Professional Attorney. Know questions and have answers ready before they are asked.

Self-Improvement

When you read your mind becomes more focused and stronger. You are using different parts of the brain to make this happen. When you are making your mind stronger your body will catch up. 

When you write, you are using different parts of the mind. This in turn makes you mentally stronger. Why do you want this? So you can process information faster and easier.

Never be afraid to say, “I do not know.” The next breath should say “I will find out for you.” That is what you want. As I stated before, you want to be the answer person at work, not the dud.

Learning something new triggers synaptic function in your brain to grow smarter. The synapse is a bridge of neurons that are firing and going from cell to cell to produce excitement.

This firing of synapse causes your mind to become stronger in knowledge and faster at recalling knowledge. 

Another way for self-improvement is to take classes online or in a classroom. The world can be an effective classroom. A different manner of stating this is On The Job Training or OJT

Be Professional

Treat everybody professionally and respectfully no matter what side of the aisle you are on. Do not take what happens at work personally. Sometimes people are in bad moods.

Try counting to ten or laughing at something silly. If managers do not treat associates like human beings, the associates will leave.

Why Do Associates leave a job?

Lack of the associates being developed by the management staff is a big reason. The other is associate not being treated with respect.

If the associate feels that management does not listen and respect them, they will leave to a company that will.

This is a huge issue for HR and Management. The associate must be listened to and developed by themselves, HR and Management to do their very best. The associate should be working at their optimum; daily.

When an associate makes a mistake, they should be told and or shown by management where the mistake has been made. Not simply scolded or be humiliated in front of other associates.

If and when you move up into management, make sure you fully understand your handbook and why the associate is acting the way they are.

Sit down, figure out and understand “WHY” they are preforming the way they are.

When you figure out why, then the rest will fall into place. That is management’s job Part Business Person and Part Detective.

You always want to show and treat others with dignity and respect. Be the person who has the answers to the questions, not a showoff. If you do not know the answers you can acquire them with google.com on your phone.

Rise above the little backroom gossip. Do not stoop to someone else’s level. That is the way to really get on the, hot seat.

In the Final Analysis, it is up to you to make sure to have a positive outlook and know the job. If you do not understand something, ask questions. Read business material that relates to your scope of business. This is how we learn and grow.

Works Cited

https://www.positivelypresent.com/2010/09/7-benefits-of-being-openminded.html#:~:text=Open%2Dmindedness%20helps%20you%20to,to%20it%20than%20you%20realize.

https://www.economicsdiscussion.net/scientific-management/principles-of-scientific-management/31953

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-business/asking-questions-increases-likability.html

https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2010/12/28/the-psychology-of-asking-questions-part-1/#:~:text=contacts%20you%20provided.-,Your%20business%20is%20most%20likely%20based%20on%20asking%20questions%2C%20but,the%20questions%20controls%20the%20situation.&text=Questions%20help%20build%20rapport%20and,what%20they%20have%20to%20say.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/22/why-asking-for-help-is-so-hard-and-how-to-get-better-at-it.html

https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-reading-books#strengthens-the-brain

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/human-biology/neuron-nervous-system/a/the-synapse

https://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/strategic-thinking.html

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-main-reason-an-employee-would-quit-a-job-2019-6#:~:text=Employees%20want%20managers%20to%20help,second%20only%20to%20low%20pay.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frederick-W-Taylor