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Conference 7.286::digital

Title:The Digital way of working
Moderator:QUARK::LIONELON
Created:Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5321
Total number of notes:139771

22.0. "People and Goals" by FRGATE::DTL () Thu Mar 07 1985 00:41

I had my JP&R this morning.

One of the things which was not ok with me is that, after having spent five
years in the army, the goal, the 'mission' is to me more important than people
involved in it, and I gave the example (that I thought it was right) of
a thing to be done, and the guy doesn't succeed to do it because he doesn't
have enough knowledge to realize it. I told my manager "If the guy doesn't
succeed, I ask him to forget it, and if I know how to do that thing, I do it,
then that's all!". The manager said "NO! people are more important that goals
to be reached, in this company. It is more important to teach the guy how to
do the job than to make it alone and forget the guy"

comments?
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22.1OVDVAX::KIERThu Mar 07 1985 00:5621
Didier,

   I have to agree with your manager.  It is the only way to assure long term 
growth and competence.

   Although it is sometimes easier to take the path of least resistance and do 
the job yourself, especially in volatile customer situations, in the long run 
the load will grow to be too much for one person, or that person leaves the 
company or local organization, and that organization no longer has any 
options.

   The only way to ensure growth and long term continuity, is to permit 
fledgling employees (no reference to time with DEC; just in regards to the 
task at hand) to learn through the "school of hard knocks" while giving them 
every bit of assistance possible without doing it for them.

   A mark of a good manager is his ability to delegate (NOT command) 
effectively.  This involves motivational skills and the ability to keep "hands 
off" even when it is somewhat painful to do so.

			 [} Mike {] 
22.2FRSBEE::KLEINBERGERThu Mar 07 1985 02:1916
Didier,

	I also am in complete agreement with Mike. The one thing as a 
manager that was the hardest thing for me to learn, was to not just do it 
myself. My people did not learn and grow whenever I did it. This in turn{
was not only unfair to me, but also unfair to the person that did not know 
how to do something the next time s/he was called upon to do it.

	I also spent 6 years in the Air Force, and I know how hard it is to 
overcome the thinking that the military drills into you to just do it
yourself. But please try hard to give your people the chance even if it 
takes longer than what you think it should, because in the long run, you 
will not have the people in a job that do not belong in a job skill level, 
but you will have the people in the skills and levels that they need to be.

Gale who hopes your review went well for you!!!!!
22.3ARGUS::COOKLet there be MetalMon Jun 16 1986 19:032
    
       The Goal and the customer are the most important.
22.4BPOV10::COLLETONFri Oct 17 1986 22:263
    RE.0
            "Give a fish to a person and they eat for a day BUT, teach
    that person how to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime."