62 East Pond Meadow Road
Westbrook, Connecticut 06498 USA
Phone: (860) 399-8545
Fax: (860) 399-4150
John@Kennish.com
© 2000 John W. Kennish, CPP
__________
· Why do some individuals make it to the top, while others do not despite their best efforts ?
· Why are some managers respected, while others are very literally held in disdain by their employees ?
· Is there a method, or approach that can better assure one's professional, and in a related way -- personal objectives ?
· Over the years we all have, or you will, work for some very good managers, and then those who are absolutely terrible -- and who in fact can bring disgrace to both their method, and the workplace. Can we turn these experiences around, and learn from the examples they set ?
Over the years I have seen some very successful employees and managers, and some not so successful ones. Many
of the reasons for either success, or failure, were identifiable, and to a high degree -- predictable. If so, we
should be able to learn, and adapt from those lessons.
An Example
A favorite example of mine is George Washington Carver, Jr., who was born into a Civil War era, Southern Missouri
slave family. In fact, his birth was during the Civil War with the actual date being unknown, even to him. Rather,
he preferred that his birth be noted as having occurred "just as freedom was declared." So, the year
of 1865 is commonly used.
Dr. Carver began his life in surroundings that included not only slavery, but the savage Western Missouri and Kansas
guerilla warfare setting where the general population was frequent prey to attacks of looting, rape, and murder
at the hands of Confederate bushwhackers, Union raiders, and the common outlaws who were taking advantage of the
very unsettled conditions of the time. In fact, during one incident, the infant George and his Mother were kidnapped
and taken into Confederate Arkansas. Although George was recovered, his Mother died during the incident. His Father
was also then killed in a logging accident during his childhood.
None-the-less, he developed himself from the status of a slave, into the noted roles of educator, scientist, business
person, agriculturist, patent holder, medical worker, artist, author, lecturer, and reformer. He is best noted
for his accomplishments in the area of working to develop new applications from agricultural products. He held
a doctorate degree, and was a member of the Royal Society of Arts in London.
His research developed 325 products from the peanut, 108 from the sweet potato, and 75 from the pecan -- among
these included a valuable pre-World War II substitute for rubber, and new dyes, paints, stains and pigments --
and these from 28 different plants.
Among his synthetic products are many that we take for granted every day ----------
|
Adhesives |
Axle Grease |
Bleach |
|
Creosote |
Dyes |
Fuel Briquettes |
|
Ink |
Instant Coffee |
Insulating Board |
|
Linoleum |
Mayonnaise |
Meat Tenderizer |
|
Soil Conditioner |
Shampoo |
Shoe Polish |
|
Shaving Cream |
Synthetic Marble |
Synthetic Rubber |
|
Wood Stains |
Wood Filler |
Worcestershire Sauce |
If you are ever in Southwest Missouri -- his childhood home property is now a beautiful park, and well worthy
of a recommended, and relaxing early morning walk, and lesson. The park is located between Springfield and Joplin,
in Diamond, Missouri, South of I-44.
Relevant to this essay is one of Dr. Washington's philosophies to the effect that we as individuals, all have a
fairly common start -- some better, some worse -- however, we are all given an opportunity, and choice.
But despite similar beginnings, some people will make it, and some will not. And he asked, why ? Look at what he
did with his life, and there is an obvious answer.
Now, what are the variables that are relevant to our time, and effort, and you ?
Your Appearance and Attitude
Begin by being aware that physical appearance, how you dress, and the verbal and nonverbal body language that you
express; all communicate a significant amount of information about you, to others. First impressions are often
lasting and these points are very important. Be critical of yourself, study the subject area, and strive to correct
your weaknesses in comparison to the role you seek to attain.
Note your personal bearing -- do you carry and present yourself well ? Does your body language communicate confidence
? Socially, and in terms of language skills, do you need polish ? Be very aware of body language -- and read up
on it.
Also note your attitude -- first and foremost, you must believe in yourself, and what you do, as if you don't:
no one else will. Confidence, insight, quiet manners, vision, reservation, diplomacy, and a conservative approach
may be more productive, than is anger, arrogance, hostility, and aggression, which will result in a doomed career.
Your General Skills and Tools
Plan for the future. Define your reasonable goals, fill in the necessary objectives, set a time schedule, and then
go for it. If you want to have control over your future, you must take proactive advantage of the time that is
available to you -- plan, and then strive to make it happen, as very simply -- no one will bring success to you.
Rather, you must seek it out in an intelligent, and organized way.
Attain formal education that is specific to your goal, but do not waste time, effort, or motion in this area. Given
the investment, be very accurate in your educational planning. Approach your objectives from a business perspective,
and take technical, computer, business, law, personnel management, etcetera courses. While knowledge can only work
to your advantage, also remain aware that formal education, while relevant, is not the total answer and is but
one piece of the puzzle. However, advanced education is now the rule, and not the exception it once was.
Also attain relevant, and specific technical training, and knowledge through any of a variety of employment, educational,
and professional mediums.
You must gain practical and relevant work experience. Although as a society we are a very impatient
people -- you must also be willing to begin at the bottom, and work your way up. In the long run,
your career will be more fulfilling and "successful" if you have earned it. Second, you simply cannot
become a leader, until you have learned to follow.
Publish and teach -- but how ? Be prepared to seize opportunities as they come along, or simply, make your own.
For example, be willing to speak to any group that extends an invitation, and then turn that experience into an
article manuscript -- such exposure results in creditably, and it will also build your confidence, and network.
Be truthful with yourself, instead of being defensive. If you cannot read, write, or speak effectively, enhance
these critical communication skills. Why ? Because if you don't, the next person in line behind you, may already
have. Effective communication skills are vital to a successful career -- and, always strive to write for your reader.
Your Actions
Winston Churchill
Your People Skills
Working with people can be pleasant, or distasteful. This often depends upon your approach. Successful people often
have one common quality -- their ability to like and work with people. They have warm, friendly, and interesting
personalities. Likewise, if you do not have, or cannot develop these traits, you will not succeed at the difficult
task of motivating, and managing others.
Develop a service oriented attitude, seek out tasks to do, and then accomplish them in a positive way. Earn your
reputation through demonstrated ability -- respect and trust cannot be demanded; rather, they can only be earned
through hard work.
Never presume, assume, or discriminate; always maintain objectivity and a professional posture. One error of this
kind can undo years of positive work. And think before you open your mouth.
Know how to talk with, and listen to, people at all levels, from the messenger, to the Chairman.
Never talk down to people from your position of authority. Always treat people the same way you would like to be
treated.
Learn From the Management Styles of Others
True worker motivation comes from the employees themselves. Workers simply respond better to management methods
that are fulfilling, which enhance their own level of satisfaction, and in turn, create positive motivational attitudes,
and performance.
Alternatively, management can also convince the workers that failure to meet these responsibilities will result
in a negative impact. While both strategies may at times be appropriate, the majority of workers will respond better,
the majority of the time, to positive reinforcement - to the carrot, rather than the stick, or to honey rather
than vinegar.
Worker attitudes, motivation, and performance are tied directly to the management style of the organization. Every
organization has a personality and that style of management comes from the top, down without exception.
Managerial styles can generally be classified into two general types. If the approach is reward oriented, economic
or otherwise, the approach is positive. However, if it emphasizes penalties, the leadership approach is negative.
A variation of a positive management style is found in the participatory approach. Only self-confident, strong,
and progressive organizations, and managers practice this approach as the use of worker peer group processes may,
or may not conform with the directives of senior management. Power is found in the control, and increasingly in
the centralized control, over information, money, and people. However, the participatory approach delegates this
power by decentralizing authority, and fostering trust, and reward to the individual workers. Instead of being
told what to do, employees are asked what they think. Employees, and not just managers are involved in a cooperative
fashion to plan, and solve problems. Their ideas, suggestions, and participation are not only encouraged, but are
then actually put into practice. This is not a top down management style, rather, is a grass routes approach to
problem solving.
Managers who are turf oriented, self-centered, or defensive in nature, cannot perform in this way as one does not
build empires by sharing organizational process, and power. However, those kinds of managers also do not earn respect,
nor can they motivate workers, and their performance, in a positive way.
This manager is autocratic and uses a style in which the supervisor is domineering. He or she, controls all information
and quickly applies authority via a short, and strictly accountable chain of command. The use of verbal counseling,
written warnings, probation, and termination are frequent. This manager will go to extremes, and reprimand employees
in the presence of others. Termination of employees with "problems" is preferred to corrective measures.
While everyone else will be at fault, this manager will seldom be. The autocratic manager displays authority in
the belief that the process holds workers accountable, and motivates them into improved performance. He or she
is not a leader, but rather, a boss who forces the results. Workers do as they are told. They do not ask. Although
common, this is not an effective management style because the employees generally dislike and resent, the style,
manager, and the person.
On the contrary, the participatory manager control the group by using forces that reside within the group, such
as peer pressures, as opposed to authority that is vested in him, or her by the organization itself. Positive leaders
motivate workers to excel through respect for the organization, and the desire to succeed. Where the negative manager
keeps all the credit for a job well done, the positive manager will openly give credit to his employees. While
the weak manager will surround himself with "yes people," the positive manager will surround himself
with strongest employees he can find as he knows that their abilities and accomplishments will enhance his standing.
Because the negative manager takes the workers out of the process, this type of manager can also distort the truth
to senior management. And this manager will do this without hesitation to protect his, or her, own interests --
he will misrepresent the truth to senior management without any degree of conscience. He is often a confirmed falsifier
-- and most senior managers only know what they are told, and seldom authenticate information that is provided
to them: and this especially if the information best supports what they want to hear.
While the positive manager is normally a strong personality, the negative manager may have a weak personality,
and therefore hides behind the authority vested by the organization. If these managers had to stand on their own,
without the power of the organization behind them: they would quickly fail.
A serious consequence of the negative leader is found in spinoff management problems caused by the employee's fear
of retribution. This can include having the workers spend excessive amounts of time justifying, and documenting
their every move, to "cover" themselves. Effective time management may be a stated objective of this
manager, but in reality, much valuable time is lost in the playing of political games. Useless documentation is
developed for even trivial decisions, needless memoranda are written, and administrative resources are misapplied,
and lost. This is due to an absence of trust and confidence within the work group, toward their manager.
Another negative impact of this autocratic manager is found not only in the lack of teamwork and trust, but in
the form of good employees leaving the organization. Supervisors and employees who this manager fears, and who
are therefore suppressed, and who may also hold higher work values and standards: go elsewhere to work because
they have positive options. While it is unlikely that employees can affect change regarding such a manager, quite
often, the better employees who are able to leave, do so, and the less than best remain because they simply do
not have the option of leaving. As a result, the overall quality of the organization erodes as a direct result
of his negative management techniques.
Conclusion
None-the-less, and with a eye to the future; to best assure success, strive to learn from others, develop your
qualifications, expand your base of knowledge and experience, hone your skills, and to become a leader who accomplishes
through setting a positive example -- learn to get the job done, for the good of others. A good manager is one
who leads with innovative approaches, and applies people skills to gain the same level of positive attitude, behavior,
and result from his, or her, fellow employees.
The opportunities, and challenges are out there -- as Dr. Carver stressed: we all begin in essentially the same
position. Some will succeed, and some will fail -- and it is your choice.
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win
glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy
much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
62 East Pond Meadow Road, Westbrook, Connecticut 06498
Phone: (860) 399-8545
Fax: (860) 399-4150
Kennish.com
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© 2000 John W. Kennish, CPP