Peter Buckingham

What makes a
good franchise
executive?
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Many managers want to do
everything. They think it is
their job to oversee every
part of the business, micro-
manage all the executives,
undertake the sale of every
product, and handle all of
the day to day operations.
What they don’t do is what
they are actually paid the
big money for – Managing
the Business!
An old boss of mine used to say “If you have a
dog and have to bark yourself…..you may as
Peter Buckingham is the Managing Director of
Spectrum Analysis Australia Pty Ltd, a Melbourne
based Geodemographic and statistical consultancy.
Peter is both a Certified Management Consultant
(CMC) and a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) – the
only person in Australia with both!
well shoot the dog!” Whilst he was considered
a real autocrat, as I now look back, I think I
agree with what he would say to us.
In my view a good manager is strategic
and focuses more on managing their direct
reports; letting them do their designated jobs.
I become very frustrated when I see either
young managers trying to do too much, or
older managers who have probably been over
promoted; trying to do the day to day business,
not the strategic work that is required of their
role.
Five points I recognise in a
good manager:
1 Contactable. Can be located by phone
or email and will normally give some
response. May not always be what you
want to hear, but will give a decision, and
not over complicate the simple things.
More complex issues are handled in a
realistic timeframe – but handled.
2 Firm but fair. Will call a spade a spade (old
saying). Will address an issue and give a
reasonable response and not just avoid it
and leave issues unresolved.
3 Delegates. Happy to hear the issue is
recognised and has been passed onto the
person whose job is to handle the issue.
Good managers know where the issue lies
and manage the person who has to resolve
it.
4 Understands their role is about long term
strategic issues (as well as the day to
day stuff). Whether they assign a specific
time, or just make it their business to
handle, a good manager is thinking in
terms of the longer term of the business,
not the immediate crisis.
5 Plans. Has a vision for the company, or the
part of the business they are responsible
for and are always trying to envisage the
big picture.
Five points I recognise in a
poor manager:
1
Always saying they are overworked, too
busy and how could the business run
without them!
2 Rarely answers the phone (always too
busy), and even though you leave a
message on their voicemail (which tells
you that they will call back) – they never
do.
3 Indecisive. Cannot make a decision
and always telling you how this needs
to be referred to other people in their
department, other managers or a
committee of no-bodies. They leave issues
unanswered and seem to go around in
circles.
4
No forward thinking. They are too busy
moving from one problem to the next,
rather than fixing the cause of the
problems (often themselves).
5
Always trying to impress their boss rather
than worrying about their staff or the
people whose lives they affect with their
decisions. Usually thinking more about
their next promotion than their current
position.
Summary
As I am getting older, I am becoming more
concerned by these trends which I see are
partly due to technology improvements, and
possibly staff reductions in many organisations.
I feel organisations do not invest in training of
managers, partly due to people changing jobs
on a regular basis. I feel we see this in the
quality of many managers who are probably
over promoted due to their technical ability, and
not because of their management skills.
There are good managers and poor managers,
and naturally they all think they are doing a
great job, irrespective of how others see them.
Maybe more 360 degree feedback analysis
and other similar tools may give them a dose of
reality.
peterb@spectrumanalysis.com.au
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