A long time ago when I was young and I managed even younger people, teaching them skills and crafts, I tried to also teach them about work and life. And how they were not only responsible to me but I was responsible and accountable to them.
I would give the example that as a manager I could have a great plan, I could sell it to superiors but if I didn’t have the belief and support and hard work of the people that were to execute it, the likelihood of success was greatly reduced. And even if it was a success and I was given credit and didn’t share it then no matter what the next great idea is, it’s doomed.
I presented an environment in which we were both tied together to success and failure. That credit would be shared as a team as well as rewards. Visions like this have had mixed support from above and that is one reason of a few reasons I’ve stayed away from management.
Sometimes the real leader is within the group and not the manager. Or the manager is the leader and their boss is just the figurehead nobody believes in. I’ve worked in a couple of situations where lead technicians/admins are so far technically advanced over the manager or even their bosses that the staff knows who runs things. So if they see management not listening or working strongly with them, the results from the others will suffer when it goes into an us and them situation.
When they work as a team great things happen and I’ve seen that also first hand. That blending and appreciation for each other’s skills and what they bring to the table, the give and take that is needed from time to time, the actual support and standing behind one another when stuff hits the wall as it occasionally does. And of course, no finger-pointing. These are the groups having fun as well as succeeding.
A great morning ahead because my workweek is over and my weekend has begun.
Random Thoughts of the Day
- I’m going to have to enlist the help of my better half in purging some of the things in our basement. She is more ruthless than me in those things. But I’m wise enough to know it needs a heavier hand than mine.
- The pleasure of photographing sunrises and sunsets is being there.
- If someone hits me and blames it on the autopilot, it won’t be the autopilot I’m tempted to hit.
- Making something is important. Doing work here in the online world is making something but I need something to hold onto and exhibit other than a computer or phone screen and that is why I make prints of my photos.
