Best management practices

Luke C. Ng, Frank G. Zarb School of Business, Hofstra University, Hempstead,
New York, USA

Abstract

Purpose – Management means “getting things done effectively through people”. This implies the
importance of leadership and people skills in management practice to achieve optimal results. Great
managers usually succeed for a number of reasons. They usually possess nine common management
practices. This paper aims to identify these common denominators in their character and management
practice that define them.
Design/methodology/approach – Case examples are used to illustrate the application of those
management practices. Successful managers from well-known industry giants such as IBM, Nestle’s,
P&G, Apple, Loews’, GE and PepsiCo are profiled to demonstrate how their success can be traced back
to those practices.
Findings – The paper demonstrates that every manager can easily apply the nine management
practices daily to achieve a successful outcome. While some of these traits appear to be personal
habits, it is these simple management habits that influence subordinates to perform their best.
Originality/value – Most good managers are trained, not born. The nine personal practices
identified in this paper can be easily adopted on a daily basis. With consistent practice, the nine
personal traits help train managers to become more effective leaders in driving optimal performance
and motivating subordinates to “get things done effectively”.
Keywords Management technique, Social skills, Motivation (psychology), Leadership,
Management development, Best practice
Paper type General review