
When managing an office, you should always be willing to learn. And what better way to learn than while you’re laughing. For me, that’s why The Office is essential viewing for any modern entrepreneur.
The characters in the iconic mockumentary might be fictitious, but that doesn’t make the lessons any less important. As an entrepreneur, what better place to start than with the boss. After all, we’ve all got a little Michael Scott inside of us.
And that’s what she said.
Manage People
In his mind, Michael Scott is the ultimate people manager. In reality, that wasn’t quite true. Having said that, his desire to be liked and a great leader is something that you should mimic at every opportunity.
Gaining the respect of your employees is vital, and is best achieved through honest communication and leading by example. Meanwhile, it’s imperative that you encourage positive relationships between colleagues too. Whether it’s through team building sessions, or offering staff perks doesn’t matter. The key is to build a solid atmosphere.
Ultimately, you need to show staff that you are emotionally invested in them. Small gestures like water coolers and improvements to the staff room will go a long way to improving their feelings towards the company. If that doesn’t lead to increased workflow, nothing will.
Manage Time
A motivated team will always perform better than an unmotivated one. However, it’s not solely about the people. You need to have the right facilities in place too. After all, even a great workman will blame his tools if there is a genuine reason.
Michael Scott’s team meetings were often laughable, and that’s one area where you should look to streamline. Keep them short, sweet, and on task. That way, your entire team will be moving in the same direction.
It’s equally important to make good use of modern tech. Organization is a key attribute for any office, and going paperless in the field as well as the office itself key. Get this right, and productivity will soar.
Know When Outside Help Is Needed
Michael Scott lacked self-awareness on more than one occasion. As a business owner yourself, you cannot afford to fall into a similar trap.
There are times when external help is required. When it comes to maintaining the premises or completing new building works, professional hands are needed. Experts like R&M Concrete are always the better option than trying to complete jobs yourself. Not only will it provide a better outcome, but it makes far greater sense from an insurance perspective.
Meanwhile, many offices will find that outsourced IT services are a great way to keep the business safe and firing on all cylinders.
Don’t Waste Money
“No! God. No God, please no! No. No. No!”. It’s one of Michael Scott’s most famous scenes, and it should be exactly what you think when seeing money being wasted.
In business, the route to increased profit is a two-way street. Stricter management of expenses is crucial if you want to maximize your results. Of course, making smart investments is key. But if a quick price comparison can save money on energy rates and insurances, you should capitalize.
After all, profit figures are the only barometer that truly matter. Keep this in mind at all times, and there’s no reason that your office can’t be as successful as the television show.