Let me tell you a story. A good story.
I was at Northwestern Memorial Hospital last week. Not exactly the place I wanted to be, especially since I was visiting my dad who had just had a surgery I hoped he’d never need. (He’s doing fine.)
I’m standing by the elevator. The elevators there put me in a good mood. Maybe it’s the voice. Maybe it’s that they’re fast. Maybe it’s the company.
At this moment, it’s the company. The guy with me—middle aged and badged, so definitely an employee—is interested in my day. Not creepy, just interested. So we have a pleasant conversation for 60 seconds. When he steps off, I asked him what exactly he does.
“I run IT.”
We wave at each other, the doors close, and I ride up to my father’s floor.
Then I ride down to the executive administration office, verify that he’s an exec, and smile because this guy isn’t waiting for customer satisfaction surveys or sending out underlings to find out what’s the what. He’s doing his own homework every time he steps out of his office.
Folks, that’s how it’s done. I don’t know anything about this guy, save this: his style is the future of management.
Which brings me to the point of today’s post: managers who think their crappola smells like roses? Maybe you know one of them?
They’re bullshit… and their days are numbered.
If you’ve got an exec at your company who refuses to get his fingernails dirty, note well: the days when you can pretend “I’m a manager = I’m better than you” are fast coming to an end.
Management is a function, not a privilege. Managers who don’t figure that out quickly will not long survive. Especially in a world of project workers, temporary assignments, and ad hoc work groups, managers who pull that holier-than-thou crap are going be quickly exposed by teams that simply outwait them. Managers who rack up two or three consecutive failed assignments will have some ’splainin’ to do.
And bags to pack.
“But what if I’m a holier-than-thou manager?”
If you read the story above about the IT dude at NMH and scoffed, here are your choices:
- Take the money and run. Good riddance.
- Change your outlook. Getting on the right side of things today will save you grief down the road.
- Do nothing. But don’t come crying to me when your world starts falling apart… which is going to happen sooner than you hope.
Holier-than-thou manager, you’re full of shit… and we’re onto you.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 0 comments… add one now }