Lately I was browsing for good books of management on the internet. Of all pile of management books is sometimes hard to come across on good one. Normally books about management are really boring, full of statistic and not practical enough (or not at all).
Well all good that the use different models and strategies, but during the reading I repeatedly ask myself “how do I implement that in practice”? How do I find that useful?
This book is different. I was written by Klaus Shuster original version is in German (11 Managementsünden, die Sie vermeiden sollten Wie Führungskräfte sich um Karriere, Verstand, Ehepartner und Spaß bringen.).
Unfortunately his book is not in English yet, so I decide to write summary in English. it’s just necessary that more people know how to handle leading.
His book is divided in different chapters with amusing titles like:
- Don’t tell anybody,
- Do it yourself
- Work shouldn’t be pleasure,
- Talk Chinese,
These are just a few of them. The most think that admire the most is that I can actually laugh and learn at the same time. He mentioned when he wanted to publish the book the publisher look at him seriously and said:” You can’t write a manager book based on your cases! That’s not professional!” But I am very grateful that he believed in his book and himself and published the book.
I will summarize just a few his stories that I find interesting and I will publish it more on my blog (of course if you find it interesting too, please let me know).
1. Talk Chinese: Of course he doesn’t actually talk about that you need to learn Chinese, but he talks that some managers just talk Chinese with employees. So do you understand your boss? Is he/she alien? Does he/she talk Chinese?
No? So why can’t we understand them?
Because managers think that you understand them because you speak the same language. With misunderstanding we don’t have it only with our boss; we have it with our spouse, coworkers.
So why do we talk Chinese?
Because, we don’t check our expectations towards our listener.
Managers normally give instructions without checking with employee if he understands it. Although he sees perfectly clear, that’s his vision and expectations, so he needs to translate it to listener.
Who wants to be understood, he/she checks if expectations are on the same level.
But above all it needs to know what you want.
2. Do it yourself: I can relate to this subject too many times and sometimes we just don’t realize how much damage we actually do with it. Writer wrote clear case how “do it yourself” can do harm.
He was solving the problem of one director, than just couldn’t see what is wrong with the company. He was working 60h a week sometimes more, but the company just couldn’t reach the wanted result. They set the meeting and during the meeting they were interrupted several times. First accountant barge in and said that she has some problems with numbers. Than the director was looking the numbers for some minutes and try to solve the problem. Later his assistant came in that his appointment is 15 min too early and he doesn’t know what to do. At the end of the meeting boss was frustrated and tired.
He looked desperately to the writer and said: “ I have no idea, where is the problem!?”, but the writer instantly recognize “do it yourself” behavior. By the time he explain director, that his role is lead his company and not to lose time with small operative tasks. He needs to trust his workers that they will be capable to do the job they were hired for.
Lesson of this is that you need to prioritize your tasks.
Further we need to understand what are our missions and our purpose.
3. Don’t tell anybody: this goes to implementing strategy of the company. The writer was dealing with company that fails to implement their strategy. They thought they had great strategy how to develop the company, but the results were just not there. They ask him why? Is it wrong strategy? What happened? Why workers don’t understand the meaning?
Well I have worked for several years now, I to tell you honestly sometimes I was little lost. I had no clue what is mission our company, what kind of strategy do we have I just knew what was my job.
This happened because lack of (effective) communication (again pointing to “talk in Chinese” point”).
This was also the case of this company. They close themselves in the office and developed new strategy. Sadly they failed to mention or to ask the workers and invite them to participate and be part of strategy. For same reason strategy in that company failed.
Not everybody wants to make the rules and have responsibly, but everybody wants to be heard and meaningful.
4. Work shouldn’t be pleasure: probably you have seen many times that your boss (or yourself) is all serious an in horribly in bad moon. Work shouldn’t be pleasure. Author gives good example how managers are in bad mood and with this also affecting their employees. Seeking his (authors) advice came managers who tought that with higher step and promotion will came joy. Only they have discovered that with every step are working more and more misery.
Author reveals that: “that you need to have courage for your hobbies or the way of work; this is what brings joy in work!”
He gives several stories, how not listening to yourself and can fade your joy away. I like his example one businessman of security system. His business was based on quality system and before September 2001, he was living life with hardly any competition. After 2001 it came to market several companies with lower prices and customers went to them. Businessman didn’t want to lower the prices, because he was firm that he is offering best security and safety. He said: “if we can afford our equipment, than all the thieves will easily break in our system«. The prices and the quality stay the same (although the customers, family and partners beg him to lower the price). After a while the costumers realize that they have system that you can easily brake in, so they slowly came back and pay overpriced price for their mistake.
The businessman kept his strategy.
He was true to himself and didn’t bow.
William Shakespeare resumes it the best: “This above all: to thine own self to be true.”
Today I will conclude with this fine thought and till next time when I will write something new of his book. I certainly hope that he will publish in English that you will have glance of his humor his true talent of storytelling.
P.s. If you have any suggestion on the subjects don’t hesitate to contact me. Of course I am also anticipating your feedback.
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