November 27, 2006
Fifteenth Management Blog Entry
One of the upcoming lectures in class will be about recruiting. For general managers, recruiting is simple, but for agents, it is probably the most complicated part of their jobs. The best agents have the uncanny skill of convincing a player that they can provide them services superior to those of other agents. If an agent can’t successfully recruit in this manner, then he or she isn’t cut out for the industry. In this way, recruiting is really the key to being successful as an agent. However, an agent still must provide the superior services that he says he can, which isn’t always possible. Most agents operate at roughly the same level of service. Some aren’t provide less services, and some provide more and better, but all agents do at least an average job of serving their clients. If they didn’t they wouldn’t have any clients to begin with. Being able to improve the services one can provide while perfecting one’s sales pitch is key to success in this industry.
Fourteenth Management Blog Entry
One of the most complicated issues we talked about in class was severance policies. It is very difficult to entirely cut ties with someone in need of help. Although I’ve never experienced this kind of situation myself, I understand how hard it would be to deal with something of that nature. Moral dilemmas such as this one never have a clear solution. Taking away a person’s sole source of income isn’t easy, but when the person isn’t performing to a proper level, it is necessary. Helping a former employee is a classy gesture, and shows that the company cares about something more than just the bottom line.
Thirteenth Management Blog Entry
Going back to a topic that we talked about earlier in the year, I recently had a good experience with feedback. I write for a professional sports scouting service, and put a lot of time into my work. Before I submit an article, I first have to run it by my editor. He often gives me a simple response reinforcing the things he liked. However, he also gives me constructive criticism when he feels that I could have done something better. He always gives feedback positively, and that makes me feel like I’m doing a good job. By being proactive towards his employees he has brought the best out of them and made it easier for them to do their jobs.
Twelfth Management Blog Entry
In much the same way that managers have to fire employees, NBA general managers have the misfortune of having to waive players as well. We recently looked over an article in class detailing the debate over age and employment. In some industries, age is an essential part of job performance. The NBA, for example, isn't comprised of many players over the age of 40. It is a league for young men. While employees in other industries usually don't expect to be fired because of their age, NBA players are informed of this fact as soon as they come into the league. At the NBA rookie seminar, players are lectured on the fact that they will be looking at a 20 year window for their professional careers. Cutting a player, no matter their experience, isn't easy. This is because GMs build close, personal relationships with their players while they are with the team. Some players are especially hard to let go. For example, it would be very difficult to waive a veteran who has been on the same team his whole career and does a lot of good in the local community. However, if he is being vastly overpaid for his level of performance, he has to be let go. Good general managers create teams that win games, they aren’t deemed successful for having a team full of good people.
Eleventh Management Blog Entry
Today in management class we talked about firing people. One of the things that all NBA general managers have to deal with is the fear of being fired. The fans and owners hold them directly responsible for the performance of the team they assembled. If the team underperforms, for whatever reason, the general manager is in jeopardy of losing his job. The only part of the season that holds job security for a general manager is the off-season. With so many different variables playing into a teams’ performance, being a general manager comes with very little job security.
November 08, 2006
Tenth Management Blog Entry
I recently came across the opportunity to be a staff writer for a professional basketball scouting service. I wrote a number of sample articles, and although it took me quite some time to receive feedback, I worked proactively to get the job. In management class a week ago we made a list of our dreams. One of the short term dreams I wrote down was to be a staff writer for this website. When I woke up to see my most recent article already posted on the website this morning, I was extremely pleased. I’ve worked very hard to reach this point, and I feel like I have truly accomplished something. By being resilient and working proactively towards a set goal, almost anything is possible. By taking small steps towards my bigger goal, I managed to achieve it even when it seemed I wouldn’t be able to.
Ninth Management Blog Entry
Today in class we talked about giving and receiving feedback. In my opinion, feedback is a key component of any managerial style. Giving and receiving effective feedback allows managers to acquire information about their performance and enhance the performance of others. Receiving feedback allows managers to understand their weaknesses and change their style to positively impact their organization. Being able to take feedback in stride is a common trait of successful managers. For general managers in the NBA, feedback comes not only from within their organization, but also from the players and fans. Unfortunately, their job doesn’t allow for quick fixes, so understanding the nature of the feedback they are receiving is essential. For a GM, feedback is often more critical than constructive, so they must work proactively to improve their team’s roster.