Mystery in management

I’ve recently been coaching individuals who are interested in management but don’t know if they’re ready.  One of the areas they struggle with is how to deal with situations where they are not subject matter expects but expected to provide input or direction.  I’ve advised them that they need to expect that these situations will occur and they need to utilize group knowledge, individual knowledge and gut instinct in making such a decision.  But frequently what needs to occur is that the manager has to accept a certain amount of mystery.   Increasingly in our high-tech, fragmented work place we are forced to review work outside our realm of training. 

As a manager I am frequently required to make decisions where I don’t have all the answers.  I act based on what I know and what I can assume.  The level of risk is one of those “assumptions” which I accept.  In the case of my current customer the risk I’m willing to accept is based on the customer’s input.   The more input the customer has provided the more risk I’m willing to assume. 

 There is some magic in this process.

Restore the Draft and Volunteerism? continue

The willingness to sacrifice is noble, but the unintentional consequence has been diastrous.   The volunteer, professional army creates a segment of our society which views military action as fulfilling.  Our government is leveraging this in ominious and perfidious ways.   They are trying to use the commitment and dedication of our volunteer military personnel to divide the country over the war effort. 

The administration recently announced a plan to honor the war dead’s families with medals.   The administration is using the military families of america as a wedge group in American society.  Not only is the Pentagon organizing these families to take action in support of the administration (not just the troops), but the administration is pitting anti-war activitists against the military families and those who support them. 

Restore the Draft and Volunteerism?

This is my initial post.   I’ll be using it to record my thoughts and perhaps draft essays and a potential book.  I recently took time off from work to travel in the Northeast.  The trip stirred a lot of interests and has stimulated a desire to begin reading and writing.  Without further ado…

I recently visited a military cemetery and witnessed a burial of one of our young men who have given their lives in Iraq.   It was a relatively simple tribute but the three gun salute was stirring.  There was a small huddle of family and military personnel.  I watched from a distance preferring not to intrude on their privacy.  So you might ask.  What does this have to do with restoring the draft and volunteerism? 

The honor, professionalism and dignity displayed by  were stunning.  The impression left was that these individuals were far braver and skilled than I have ever wanted to be.   They are patriotic professionals.  I was honored to witness their grief and be in their presence.   

I realized that these individuals had agreed to fight till their death for this country.  Their willingness to sacrifice everything for their country was a new concept for me. 

Being my first post, I seem to be running into a space limitation…  This post will be continued… perhaps tonite…or tomorrow nite.