Management
Over the years I have developed an intense interest in all the aspects of management and its effect on people. I have seen the adoption of too many ‘multi-letter acronym' processes applied to get bad or poor management out of trouble with little thought given to the people who have to implement and ultimately use them - good plan for failure across several fronts.
My view is that people are the most valuable and volatile resource on the planet and deserve to be managed with respect for them and the time they are contributing from their lives. No manager has the right to waste this, either from a business or human sense.
The conduct of business is not (and should not be) done under a democratic ethos, employees are selling their (usually) major allotment of everybody’s 168 hours a week in return for money and there is a more than reasonable expectation on the part of the employer to expect a profitable return. If employees are dissatisfied there are a range of options available.
However, no manager has the brief or right to “piss people and their time up against the wall”.
To do so shows the manager as uncaring, unconfident and incompetent to be in such a position. Any manager worth the title should strive to and be able to get people to perform the most unpleasant tasks because the people themselves can see the point and results of their actions from the managers directions - they are adding to the desired outcome in a manner that provides satisfaction to them and their employer. The great majority of people have the desire to honestly please and will try to perform to the best of their abilities even though they may not agree with some aspects of the task set.
However, it is incumbent on every person using the title of manager to ensure they and their actions, style, approach, personality, and abilities contribute to the continued interest of the enterprise and the employee; while providing the direction which is the major part of a manager’s role; equally important is the responsibility of enabling people to perform to their highest capacity.
Poor managers at any level are a blight in all forms of endevours and need to be trained or removed.
Personal interests
I have built three boats (two wooden, one concrete), developed and sold a method of using butyl rubber sheets to make collapsible water tanks for boats (same principle as wine bags), written several published articles (rants) on topics of irritation plus management philosophy articles, restored a 1954 MGTF 1250 and a 1968 Daimler Sovereign, currently working on a 1988 Range Rover. I have also vaguely assisted a wonderful wife in the raising of three admirable boys.