From the February 2008 issue of Ceridian Connection

A manager faces the extraordinary challenge of accomplishing organizational goals through the efforts of others. Who succeeds at this task? Successful managers are seen as both good people and good business people. We turn to them for answers, energy, strength and direction. Successful managers know when to lead and when to step back and let others take the lead. They know how to motivate and support people whose talents, skills, needs and experiences may make them very different from one another. Successful managers are open to change and are flexible when they need to be because they know that's what it takes to get the job done. They set themselves apart by the ways in which they interact with others. Whether you are a first-time manager or have managed people for many years, you know that the more you learn about managing people, the more you will succeed at your job.

Your answers to the following 10 questions should provide you with a personal inventory and a look at how you rate yourself as a manager. Be honest as you answer each one. This brief quiz is meant to be a self-assessment -- a tool to help you identify areas to think about, work on and explore as you learn and grow as a manager.

The information you glean from these quiz questions is intended to enhance your effectiveness. It is just one simple step you can use to help you think about how to motivate and retain the best people, manage relationships, lead through change and challenging times, coach and communicate, and how to be the best manager you can be.

Rating your skills as a manager
Read the following 10 statements and on a separate piece of paper choose the answer that best applies to you from the following five options: always, often, sometimes, rarely or never.

1. I make an effort to find out what motivates each of the people who report to me.
2. I give employees both frequent feedback and constructive criticism.
3. I take the time to listen carefully to people's ideas, stories, opinions and concerns.
4. I support company goals and objectives and explain them to my staff.
5. The people on my team work well together and are enthusiastic about their jobs.
6. I recognize the signs of stress and overload in myself and others and I take steps to prevent stress and overload for myself and the people I manage.
7. I encourage people to come up with their own ideas and ways to approach a project.
8. I offer everyone on my team opportunities to learn and grow at work.
9. I promote a diversity of values, opinions and work styles and believe these are essential to business and work success.
10. People in my work group are consistently meeting their goals.

Your results
Take a look at your answers to the quiz. After which statements did you answer sometimes, rarely or never? These are the skills and areas you may want to focus on. Use the quiz -- and your answers -- as a tool to gauge your strengths and weaknesses. Where have you been most successful as a manager? Where could you improve? Identify areas to work on.

Finally, as you consider what it takes to be a good manager, remember that even the most successful managers don't have all the answers. They continue to learn all the time.

This quiz is adapted from Ceridian's LifeWorks Online service. Contact your Ceridian representative for more information about Ceridian's Health & Productivity solutions.