Changing the Subject: The Real Power of Managers
If you want to really help your organization, one of the more subtle things you need to learn to do is to effectively change the subject. Over the years that I’ve advised technical managers, young and old, some patterns have become apparent. One is that most seem to go through a series of distinct stages in their understanding of the role of manager. There are different stages for different aspects of the role, but the patterns are relatively consistent. When it comes to beliefs about managers’ roles in information flow, the pattern is interesting and instructive. Stage 1: The...
Read MoreFixing problems vs. fixing them in stone
Tech people are steeped in the ways of problems. It’s one of the fundamental organizing principles behind nearly everything we do. We find problems, define them, analyze them and solve them. So it’s not surprising that when we move into managerial roles, we view ourselves as management problem-solvers. We fix people problems. And that’s often where the problems begin. Managerial issues usually first manifest as some sort of crisis: A project deadline is missed, a budget is blown, a client or user is unsatisfied, or a business process is broken. And, as good problem-solvers,...
Read MoreSometimes It Takes a Tyrant to Support Collaboration
Sometimes a manager needs to be a tyrant. On rare occasions, anything less is a disservice to one’s organization and an abdication of responsibility. Even the most open, consensus-oriented manager needs to be prepared to use dictatorial powers now and then. Those of you who are regular readers of this column are already familiar with my biases. My philosophy tends to fall toward the collaborative end of the managerial approach spectrum, where the other end of the scale is authoritarian. Knowledge work requires the free flow of information, ideas and, yes, knowledge. But on some things,...
Read MoreAre You a Scary Boss?
I’ll never forget the first time I learned that one of my subordinates was afraid of me. A talented young man, probably 26, had just left my office after explaining to me how happy he was with his current project. My assistant came in and told me that he had spent the 20 minutes prior to our appointment complaining to her about how terrible his project was and how miserable he felt. I was absolutely incredulous. Why would he lie to me? What was the point? I was the one person who could help him, if only he asked for help. I asked my assistant, “Why he would do...
Read MoreWhat do we owe our bosses?
Workplace Obligations (This article originally appeared in Computerworld USA and Computerworld Australia.) Wouldn’t it be nice if every boss came with a standard API? It would be so easy to look at the interface specifications and know exactly what he expected, in what format he expected it, when you should deliver it, what predictable events would result from your input and how you should handle error conditions. All the politics would go away. Those pesky emotions would become a nonissue. Success would become deterministic. Sadly, it will never be so simple. Every boss-subordinate...
Read MoreManaging Magic
I give a fair number of speeches for conferences and private IT department meetings, and there’s almost always a chance for questions and answers during the formal presentation. Afterward, I hang around and frequently get different questions, the ones that no one wants to ask in front of a big group. Among the most common are those about the mechanics of how I write and prepare for speeches. “Where do you get your column ideas?” “When do you write?” “What time of day?” “Where?” “Do you use paper or a word processor?” “Do...
Read MoreWhat Kind of Manager Are You, Anyway?
It’s often said that there are two types of managers: those who manage things and those who manage people. And a great divide of misunderstanding lies between them, rarely to be crossed or reconciled. The managers of things are those who see the world through the lens of stuff. They focus their attention on production, processes, projects, materials, milestones, methods, deliverables and details. They share an orientation with engineers who tend to focus on the what and how of life more than on the who. On the other hand, the managers of people see things though the lens of...
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