Leadership is more than the soft stuff. Success in managing people is dependent upon setting clear expectations, putting in place accountabilities, communicating effectively, and always taking care of your people.

Too often employees do not know what is expected of them. They wander aimlessly like a rudderless ship, doing what they think they should be doing but never quite getting it right. From the first moment you meet them at the initial job employment interview, managers must begin to define what they want them to do (roles), how they want them to do it, and how they expect them to behave-whether it is with you, other employees, or with your customers. Don't complicate the process-be clear, be direct. If you expect all customers to be greeted with a smile, tell them. If you want your monthly reports on your desk by the 10th of every month, say it. Never assume anyone will know. And don't think that since everyone else knows, they will too. You will be mistaken and disappointed. Unless your new employee is a mind reader, tell them what you expect.

My new book, Uncomplicating Management is due out the end of this month. This book uncomplicates the art of managing people and provides a blueprint for success. In this book, you will get practical, easy to understand ideas, real life examples and ready to use tools to make your job easy.

You can download the book's Introduction today-- FREE--and read why managing people does not have to be a complicated struggle.

Finally, order the book before October 15 and enjoy a nearly 25% discount off the retail price AND I'll sign each book.

Throwing new supervisors into uncharted waters can be disastrous. Without training, most will fail. Many companies promote employees based on their technical expertise-not on their leadership skills- and don't teach them how to adapt to their new supervisory role. A study by Hewitt Associates LLC, "How Companies Grow Great Leaders," bears that out. All the top 20 companies surveyed, whose rankings were based on factors such as net income and company reputation, had formal leadership development programs, compared to 76 percent of companies overall.

Dacri & Associates can help you develop your management team. Read about our new programs.

I'll be speaking before the following groups:

October 8: Northeast Public Power Association. Topic: Recent Employment Law Changes.

October 22: Maine Water Utilities Conference. Topic: Succession Planning.

November 5: Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association Annual Conference. Topic: Uncomplicating Management.

November 19: Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce. Topic: Everything You Need to Know About Managing Your People.

Every employer should be ready to address the swine flu. The government predicts a large number of small employers may be forced to shutdown sometime during the pandemic. A new booklet has been developed outlining how you should prepare and respond to the outbreak. Read it now.