Do not surround yourself with a ‘mini me’ team and eight more tips on how to achieve personal success

Today, it is more important than ever to have the mindset of a person who keeps things under control. It is no coincidence that the term “management” has roots in Latin where the word manus means “hand,” and agere means “to be guided by hand.” In everyday business life, determination, courage, and flexibility are often more important than grand visions and 120% certain solutions.

When it comes to management, there are sophisticated strategies and an abundance of long-term visions. However, very often, it is other factors that make the difference between success and failure, or turning theory into practice. In everyday business life, common sense, assertiveness, determination, and courage to acknowledge mistakes are just as important as technical know-how.

“Those who engage in management with the right mindset of ‘having things under control’ certainly have an advantage in today’s fast-paced world,” says Dr. Astrid Kleinhanns-Rollé, Executive Director of the WU Executive Academy business school. Managers should not be afraid to bring their personality, including their ‘weaker sides,’ to work.

Based on rich experience working with international managers and companies operating on a global scale, the Executive Director of the WU Executive Academy business school explained what is necessary for long-term management success:

1. Combine visions with an environment that will turn them into reality.

In most companies, there is an incredible wealth of ideas and visions, indicating that management professionals need to keep one thing in mind; merely having great visions is useless. It is necessary to create an environment in which they can become a reality. Transformation and change cannot happen if there is no space for the realization of visions. In this context, it is important to ask the right questions: What resources do I need to provide? Are such changes even possible considering our internal structures and corporate culture? Where is our focus and what are our priorities? What about communication – is there a clear distribution of roles? Are we able to target clients effectively?

2. Decision-making, decision-making, and again decision-making.

Given the wealth of data available today and the complexity of interdependencies, you may be tempted to delay making a decision. But is it really a good idea to waste several days or even weeks before deciding what to do? There is research evidence that intuition, as a key component of decision-making, has become important again in recent years – precisely because the business world has become more complex.

3. Shift from micro-management to macro-management.

Everyone knows the good feeling when at the end of the day you leave the office knowing you have cleared a multitude of your emails and crossed off most tasks from your ‘to-do’ list. However, in the long run, this will prove to be a bad strategy as you do not leave the level of micro-management. When it comes to achieving success at the executive level, it is much more important to make the right strategic decision for the company, refrain from interfering in others’ business, and discard the tendency to solve details.

4. Reduce ego.

The days of the glamorous corporate boss endowed with double the amount of self-confidence are part of the past. Success is always achieved by people as a team, so professionals in management positions need to start with themselves. Management is not about gaining individual advantages but ensuring that even those who contribute the least to achieving success benefit from it. This is the first step towards meaningful change. So, seriously consider the opinions of others, be grateful, and do not hesitate when delegating.

5. Not everything has to be perfect.

In theory, the strategy is perfectly implemented, but only in theory. Those who get lost in details and just meander until the goal reaches the fourth decimal can make life difficult for themselves and others. When it comes to management success, sometimes it is better to be a little less perfect. “The fact that you show you are not a constant perfectionist can be an advantage in leading people,” says Kleinhanns-Rollé.

6. Mistakes are cool.

Provided you make the right mistakes. In other words, it is cool to make mistakes from which you learn important lessons, but not those that arise from carelessness. It may sound strange, but making mistakes is sine qua non for successful management. Kleinhanns-Rollé: “You will be better if you learn something from your mistakes. Given that the realities of today’s business world are rapidly evolving, you must constantly try new approaches and adapt if necessary – in this context, the name of the game is rapid prototyping. Several successful managers and entrepreneurs are living proof of failure, both small and large scale, but that is an integral part of the job and can make you better.

7. Step out of your comfort zone.

Routines and habits are very tempting. After all, they provide a sense of having control in a hectic business world. However, if you never leave your comfort zone, you risk being thrown out of it very quickly. Digitalization is causing major changes in many businesses, and many fail because management does not change itself or the company. Be proactive and set sail into the unknown.

8. “Mini me” is not the best strategy.

“This phrase always reminds me of a friend,” says Kleinhanns-Rollé. “He is a serial entrepreneur and incredibly successful. His philosophy is: Do not surround yourself with people who are like you (‘mini me’), but with those who can do things better than you or do something you cannot. His strength lies in seeing the ‘bigger picture,’ identifying opportunities, and leveraging them. ‘This is not something you achieve alone; it requires teamwork where each individual invests personal effort and skills for the benefit of all others.