“I keep six honest serving men they taught me all I knew, their names were what and where and when and how and why and who“ Rudyard Kipling On many occasions in this series of articles, I refer… Read More ›
Exercising Responsibility
DON’T ASK SUBORDINATES TO DO YOUR WORK
When a manager cannot let go or trust subordinates to do their job sufficiently, the micromanager steps in and either does it themself, or insists the job be done their way. The subsequent organizational results include lowered unit morale,… Read More ›
THE BOSS WHO PLAYS FAVORITES: MANAGING POOR MANAGERS
Almost all of us have had to deal with a boss whose own management style and set of management skills left something to be desired. Managing up — as it is called — is relatively easy when one’s boss has… Read More ›
IGNORING A PROBLEM IS ENABLING THE PROBLEM
There are certain types of workplace problems that few managers wish to confront. For example: A personal hygiene issue; The frequent use of inappropriate language around co-workers; A suspected alcohol or drug abuse issue; A suspected violation of workplace time… Read More ›
MANAGING UP PART IV: MENTORING THE BOSS
I met my sergeant soon after I arrived in Germany. His name was Thomas Brett. I was a green, newly minted, Second Lieutenant placed in charge of eight Medical Dispensaries. I knew just enough about being an Officer with such… Read More ›
MANAGING UP PART III: DISAGREEING WITH THE BOSS
Unless you are a natural contrarian who loves being on the opposite side of almost any issue, chances are you don’t relish arguing or disagreeing with your boss. Some folks are so emotionally uncomfortable with conflict that they avoid such… Read More ›
MANAGING UP PART II: SHAPING EXPECTATIONS
Working in the absence of a clear understanding of what is expected of you, is a lot like walking around in the dark in a strange hotel room at 3:00 in the morning; sooner or later you are going to… Read More ›
MANAGING UP PART I: KEEPING YOUR BOSS INFORMED
No boss likes being blind-sided by something that one of their subordinates had wind of in advance. As a subordinate, it is always useful to bear in mind the critical difference between three things; (1) those things you can do… Read More ›
PROBLEM SOLVING: WHAT ARE THE REAL ISSUES INVOLVED?
Abraham Maslow, famous for his theory of the “Hierarchy of Human Needs”, also had this to say about problem solving: “If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail”. No manager has only one… Read More ›
DECISIONS: WHAT IF ALL YOUR OPTIONS SEEM WRONG?
Some time ago, I read a “New York Times” article by Wolf Biermann, a German author who has lived on both sides of the Berlin Wall. Its title was The Tragedy of Angela Merkel. In explaining the conundrum he… Read More ›
What Best Mnagers Know & Do 