Comments on: Trust and Empower

By: Alec Clews

Alec Clews — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:17:44 +0000

It’s a bit facile, but one of the phrases I try an apply is “The manager is there to take responsibility for problems and become invisible when success occurs”.
i.e. your are there to help people do their job and help fix problems, not to massage your own ego or polish your CV.
There is a lot of detail behind that of course, but I think it helps engender the right frame of mind.

By: Stormy

Stormy — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:58:08 +0000

Note that I did say *strive* to be.
I think of the times I was “wishy-washy” and it was usually because I couldn’t figure out what my management wanted or they didn’t think my way was best or the company changed directions.
I think the hardest things about large organizations is keeping a common goal in mind. Because they’re large you end up with lots of layers between you and the real goal (like internal customers.) And there’s usually more than one goal.

By: George

George — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:06:50 +0000

You sound amazing, i would love to work with you. If you need any help with GNOME and your role, please call me.
Empower me to help my favourite desktop

By: foo

foo — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:04:45 +0000

Sounds like a good approach to motivating people. I think the word facilitator is what management types should see their job as.

By: SAL-e

SAL-e — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:01:37 +0000

Hi Stormy,
I would love to work for manager like you. At the same time I have the feeling that you are describing what would happen if the management and the leadership are combined. I will quote Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s book The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People
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In the words of both Peter Drucker and Warren Bennis, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”
—-
Personally, I work in organization where the lack of leadership is big problem. But at the same time I have to say that I have learn a lot. Mainly What NOT to do! Do you have an advice how to deal with situation like that? My manager talks about empowerment all the time, but at the same time keeps micromanaging everything. Not only that, but he changes his mind constantly. One of most frustrating moment for me is when we (the team) spends long hours discussing any given problem. We decide on particular plan of actions, but after the meeting very often he have private meeting with one of his buddies and later we are finding out that accepted solution is not valid or has been modified to point that is useless.
Also I would like to ask you about the so called ‘Internal Customer’. It does not make sense for me. The Customer relationship exist only in free market. Inside the corporation there is no market. Inside the organization we can have a team, but not customer-supplier relationship.
Greeting,
SAL-e
p.s. I discovered your blog by luck and I love it. My best wishes.