How do you become a successful manager?
When you hear a lot about what makes a successful manager, it inevitably leads to some type of list of skills and attributes representing those that manage businesses great.
While these can be secondary aspects, and would change from industry to industry, it's not the underlying foundation to managerial success.
When Buffett was asked how you can become a successful manager, his answer was as good as I've heard: "pick the right environment." He added that you have to know yourself - how you're wired.
How do you pick the right environment? Ask yourself one question: "Would I work here no matter what I got paid?" If the answer is yes, you've identified something you love to do. Not only in the field you like, but in the environment surrounding that field.
Those are two different critical elements in becoming a successful manager. The first is choosing the right field for yourself, but the second is equally important: choosing the right environment.
Both of these demand some introspection on who you are. To be successful managers we need to at minimum know what we have a passion for and how we are wired socially.
Here's how Buffett said it: "I can't imagine being responsible for hundreds of people and going to meetings all day, so I work with 17 other individuals."
Buffett's environment was the 17 people he worked with. He knew what his passion was and the type of environment he could thrive in. The result is that he says he "skips" to work every day.
When the two things mentioned are part of our makeup, it would be difficult not to be successful as a business leader. All the tools needed to be successful will be soaked up like a sponge when you are put into the right type of environment doing what you love to do.
One of the great attributes connected to Buffett's success with Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) was he absolutely knew himself in connection to what he wanted to do and the type of environment he could thrive in. The rest is history. We too can make our own successful business management history by knowing ourselves in the same way.
Other Buffett Resources:
MSU students have special visit with billionaire Warren Buffett
Sticking to what you know Core businesses
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» Business Environment: One of the Secrets to Becoming a Great Manager from ManagersRealm
Last post we talked about Warren Buffett's insight into how to become a great manager. The two critical things he said were identifying what your passion is, and second, finding the right environment.Finding the right environment isn't somethin... [Read More]
Tracked on: July 7, 2007 7:11 PM | Permalink to Trackback