Читать книгу The Faithful Manager: Using Your God Given Tools for Workplace Success - Anthony E Shaw - Страница 19

Leaders carry their own mantles of responsibility, in failure and in success. Rather than hiding from your mistakes and hiding from possibly making a mistake, your skills and your soul need the experience of mistakes to learn and grow. “Resilient people view mistakes as experiences to learn from.” Managers need to see themselves and their teams honestly, not as Supermen or -women, but as imperfect human beings.

“There is nothing final about a mistake, except its being taken as final.” Phyllis Bottome, English author (1884-1963)

Apple Computer almost went into bankruptcy not so long ago. Harry Truman and U.S. Grant failed at every business venture they each tried in their lives prior to public service. It is not trite to remind ourselves that we all make mistakes because we all do, more frequently than we might wish or admit.

“. . . if at the end of the day all you can say is, ‘So-and-so made a mistake,’ you haven’t solved anything. Telling people to be careful is not effective. Humans are not reliable that way. Some are better than others, but nobody’s perfect. You need a solution that’s not about making people perfect.” James Bagian, former astronaut and current Director of Patient Safety at the Veterans Administration

I am reminded by a colleague that many people in the workplace put inordinate value in being liked by their colleagues. Not loved, liked. For managers this can lead to not dealing with problems for fear that someone may be disciplined or criticized, jeopardizing that person’s positive image of the manager. Similarly, some managers are perceived by some colleagues as being too strong in their management approach because the managers’ motivation is to go all out, without taking into account the more restrained nature of these colleagues. I’ve witnessed workplaces where female managers who are articulate and capable are perceived as being too assertive and challenging. Their self assurance is perceived as cockiness. Finally, I’ve experienced some behaviors by managers trying to be likeable, that defy any description of appropriate. When I asked one female manager why she talked about her love life with her staff, she replied that she was being friendly and attempting to open up conversation with her team!

In these circumstances, it is the manager’s responsibility as the leader to check his or her own behavior and examine the motives. Do you want to be liked for who you are or respected for confronting problems directly? It is an unfortunate reality that some workplaces are not accustomed to women in management (or African-Americans, Jews, Sikhs, etc.). In this regard, the 21st century hasn’t taken hold everywhere. Managers may need to do extra leadership work to discuss with and counsel employees (male and female) about the realities of equal opportunity, respect and the law. The support and assistance of human resources are mandatory in these circumstances. You may need to examine your own reactions to employee pushback to make sure your response is solely professional and not personal. Again, human resources must be used to help you deal with any of your own attendant personal issues, if they arise. Have you considered the work climate, the company’s policies and your own sense of propriety before you include personal issues in any business discussion?

As managers our duty is to accept the human reality in ourselves and those who depend upon our leadership. With our colleagues we build teams and systems, provide support, and monitor performance to isolate and minimize the possibilities for error, catch mistakes at the beginning, and acknowledge and resolve them before they grow and spread. Just as importantly, we must be the leaders and the human examples of a work environment where we cooperate openly, listen and communicate constantly, and assist each other continually so that individual performances are the essential parts of a productive structure based on authenticity, honesty and fairness. The leaders in this structure recognize, reward, support and discipline in a transparent and seamless management style that develops each person’s potential and nourishes his or her spirit.

I met Jeff at a seminar on Accountability. Jeff is a regional manager for one of the biggest retail chains in the world. He is responsible for the managers of several large stores in important markets in the Northeast, accounting for tens of millions of dollars in annual sales. Listen to what he told me about what guides his management thinking,

“My father taught me that it is far better and much more productive to want to work for someone, than to have to work for someone.”