Management Advice from the First Grade

It’s not really hard to imagine that a first grade teacher would know a little about management. Running a roomful of six-year olds is way more of a challenge than running a board meeting! Think managing adults is hard? Try kids with an attention span the range of a teaspoon. Here are some wisdoms that anyone starting a business would do well to remember:

Give advance warning before changes, and give plenty of reminders.
In business speak, that means remind people of deadlines and let them know ahead of time if there are changes coming up.

If a lesson isn’t going well, let it go.
The same holds true in business. If you’re making 50 cold calls a day and not getting one bite, something is wrong. The Law of Averages says that at least one person should be biting. So, reevaluate the situation and try a different approach.

Praise your students for a job well done.
Easy enough to translate: praise your employees for a job well done (stickers not required.)

Give rewards to increase positive behavior.
In the business world we like to call it a bribe. Kidding! But, nothing boosts morale and productivity like handing out raises or incentive checks. When all else fails, try cookies and milk. Hey, it works for the kids!

What other situations or professions can we learn management lessons from? Do you think these lessons would be beneficial for managers to learn or incorporate? [Monster]