Management: My View

I have been employed, as in contributing to social security, for thirty-four years.  Approximately twenty-nine of those years have been spent in management.  I've often said my official position has been that of fire hydrant...as in those above me use it and those I manage use it...as a dog uses it.  But this is the glass half empty view of management.  When looking at the position through the lens of it's all good, it can be so much more.

Out of sheer necessity, the largest portion of my career* has been spent providing air cover for those who report to me.  While the thrill of seeing an associate excel and succeed at something because you've isolated him from upper management danger is exhilerating, it isn't what I enjoy the most about management.  For me, the best part of this position has been the outcome of connecting an associate with resources, channeling their strengths toward the appropriate role and customer and then allowing them to do their work.  That outcome?  An evangelistic customer! 

To be sure, one can provide resources, channel strengths and get out of the way and not create evangelistic customers.  I believe a manager must first get the right people on the bus.  It has been my experience that once the team understands what you are doing, it has a tendency to shed members not going in this direction.  My analogy to this involves pirana, the fish.  Your team is a school of pirana.  New members are an animal carcass.  Dip the carcass into the pirana.  If it comes back devoid of meat, toss the bones and go find another carcass.

Creating an evanglistic customer with engaged associates - that's it for me.  Nothing less complicated.  Nothing more complicated.

* I presently have the good fortune, the most excellent fortune, of working for a company that doesn't require my skill as a pilot.

Comments

[Chris Brown]

When I was stuck in management I remember feeling so many of those feelings. But instead of being the fire hydrant, I was the ping pong ball in a pointless game... the monkey in monkey in the middle... that was on a good day at best.

I also remember feeling like one of the pitbulls prior to a dog fight. So much adreline flowing, tense stomach, alert skin... Corporate beatings-- I mean meetings -- offer no "real" danger, but I was required to fight like crazy, often against your friends, to protect my projects, my people, my products. I'm so glad I left the corporate world in 1997! Probably saved me 3 heart attacks from stress by now.

[dave]

No doubt you found your niche Chris!

[Rich G.]

Tried to trackback and can't figure out if it's working or not, those things work when they want to some days. :)

Great post, love the "providing air cover" imagery, and couldn't agree more about sometimes our jobs as managers is to stand between our people and the crazies runnin' the show. (I say that knowing that further away from me I'm one of the crazies!)

[dave]

Thanks Rich! As for the trackbacks, they (it) absolutely has a mind of its own.

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