It’s probably the toughest thing we do–hire a manager. And, there’s little information to help us. That’s why I wrote this series of blogs. Here’s the third blog in this series.

Past Experience is a Huge Benefit

 Look for a person who has been trained in another business as a trainer/coach/leader. This is really important. When I was finding and screening leadership for one of the largest franchises in the world, I found that the really ‘magic’ ingredient was that the potential leader had already had some experience in the skills of management.

 The Second Pre-requisite to a Successful Management ‘Hire’

Before you even think about hiring a manager, sit down and make a list of the duties you want that manager to do. This is your customized job description. Now, go back and prioritize those duties–with the most important ones first. Here’s what I hope your list says—in this order:

 Recruit

Select

Train

Coach

Lead: Challenge and inspire seasoned agents to the next career level (retention)

Manage staff

 Time Frames for Important Activities

 Did you add time frames to that job description? If not, go back and do it now. You don’t want a manager that pushes recruiting to the last hour in the day—and then doesn’t get to it!

 To get my manager’s detailed job description with hours expected, plus a time analysis you can use for all your managers, click here.

 Doing all the other ‘Stuff’

 Where’s the rest of the “stuff”? I know. You have on your list ‘broker questions’, crisis management’, floor schedules, write ads………but, guess what? You can get just about anybody to do those jobs. In fact, instead of hiring a real sales manager, if all you need is operations, hire an administrative assistant who can and will do it all (except for the broker questions, which you can field, or hire one of your good agents to field). 

The All-too Common Problem: Hiring an ‘Operations’ Manager

 I find too many owners or general managers—anyone who needs to hire and manage a manager—are settling for an ‘operations manager’—when what they desperately need is a people developing manager. What does a people developing manager do?

 Finds the right people and develops them into productive salespeople who return a profit to you

 You don’t need a babysitter. You don’t need just an ‘answer man (or woman). You don’t need merely an operations person. You shouldn’t settle for just a ‘crisis’ manager. You need someone who will focus on and drive recruiting and productivity—lead that office into greater profitability, not just take up space in the manager’s office! 

 You’re Not Done Describing the Job

 You need to go much further than just a prioritized job description. You need to attach your performance standards for management activities (minimum expectations for that person to retain his/her job) in each of these areas. For example:

 How many hours a week do you expect your manager to recruit? (lead generate)

How many lead generating calls do you expect your manager to make per week?

How many interviews do you expect your manager to hold per week?

How many hours a week do you expect your manager to interview and select?

What are the selection standards you expect from your manager (who should be hired and who should not)?

How many hours a week do you expect your manager to train?

How many hours a week do you expect your manager to coach?

Who do you expect your manager to coach?

What leadership activities do you expect of your manager?

What staff/operation activities to you expect?

 What do you expect your manager to do to increase the bottom line? Decide this in terms of:

            Recruits per month (decide on your ratio of new or experienced)

            Production per month

          Moving your experienced agents from ____ revenue units (sales and listings sold) to ________ revenue units by _____________ (date)

         Profitability increase of __________ in _____________ months

 This specific standards agreement is usually missing in the hiring process. It takes awhile during our coaching sessions to develop a workable standards agreement for each situation. But, without a standards agreement, you haven’t laid out exactly what the job expectations are. You have no method to coach and hold your new manager accountable. And, if you need to terminate, you need to have measureable reasons to terminate.

 Now, armed with your description of the ideal manager, your job description, and your standards agreement, you’re ready to search for that ‘people developing’ manager who will take your company to greater productivity.

 Want many more of these great strategies to be more profitable? Take a look at www.365leadership.net, my innovative leadership strategy by the month subscription series. Our next series starts in September. Join us and get r-energized!

Don’t forget to get my manager’s detailed job description, plus a time analysis you can use for all your managers: click here.

What didn’t I say in these blogs that you believe is important in hiring a great manager? Let me know.