Posts filed under 'Business'
Over the holiday weekend, I finished reading The Truth about Middle Managers by Mr. Paul Osterman. I will share some of the ideas presented in the book, in direct quote or paraphrasing. I also included some of my own thoughts.
Overall, I was glad that someone wrote a book on this topic. I had often wondered just how relevant the middle management work is to today’s “flat” organizations. To my surprise, the middle management profession is still very much alive; however, the old advancement rules no longer apply. Companies are also less accommodating when it comes to nurturing and managing one’s career. In any case, feel free to derive your own conclusion on the middle management work. If you happen to pick up the book later, enjoy the reading. I did.
By the Numbers
- The number of managers in the economy is steadily increasing, not decreasing.
- The numbers do not tell how life inside organizations has changed for managers.
The Changing Role
- In today’s team and matrix environment, two major job activities emerge:
- Managing internal processes of the team. Trying to place the best people on the team. Setting priorities, etc.
- Acting as an ambassador to other teams. Managing boundary between teams, both an opportunity and challenge. Opportunity because of the visibility presented in the work. Challenge due to the significant and subtle relationship skills are required to be successful boundary work.
- Stress is up because the environment we manage is much more complex, which leads to increased hours and uncertainty that managers face regarding their own fate.
- Autonomy vs. Breadth: Because firms have reduced organization layers and with diffusion of IT, managers face more monitoring and control, which means less autonomy. For the same reasons, jobs are broader and more complex, which means more breadth.
Personal thoughts: These points match up with my experience pretty well – a lot of coordination and path-paving work we do on the daily basis.
Changing Rules for Success
- Opportunities and rules for advancement have changed. Under the best circumstances, managerial assessment is a difficult business for two reasons.
- Managerial work is relatively invisible and hard to capture in clean measures.
- When performance metrics are used, they are unreliable.
Personal thoughts: I was hoping the book can shed some insights, unfortunately, not much help here. How to advance within the organization via the middle management route also depends a lot on the individual’s values and philosophies. It also depends on how one defines success and planning out the goals for achieving it.
Shifting Commitments
- Managers maybe under increased pressure and may feel greater stress, they have strong commitment to the work itself. Middle managers are committed to their tasks, to their immediate jobs, and to their close colleagues.
- Many managers have lost their commitment to the firm as an enterprise and they are suspicious of the motivations and actions of top management.
Personal thoughts: These points also match up my sentiment pretty well. Everyone’s mileage will differ obviously. At the end of day, it would still appear that the people I work for and with have a sizeable influence on how I feel about my work. I continue to like what I do and will do my best especially for the people I care about. That is my own definition of commitment and loyalty.
July 7th, 2009
The 2008 podcast awards were announced, and several of my favorite shows were showcased on the list. My favorite one, Manager Tools, won both the individual category and the overall awards. Congratulations to Mark, Mike, and the folks at Manager Tools. Just as importantly, the Todd and the folks at Podcast Connect rock for bringing and building awareness for a number of worth-a-while podcasts out there.
Podcast Awards Link
December 8th, 2008
The Manager Tools posted an excellent episode on what to do first for someone who is taking over a team. The situation is just as applicable for someone new to the managerial job as for veteran managers. Speaking from my own personal experience, I have witnessed a number of new leaders who came in with both guns blazing and alienating the members in the team over time. Sure, some of them achieved the short-term results they were asked to deliver, but their contributions were quickly forgotten or dismissed soon after they left the team. Perhaps that is fine for some people, but I prefer the approach presented by Manager Tools and John Lucht. One of the very first topics presented in John Lucht’s book, Insights for the Journey, discusses the exactly same “Fit-in” philosophy.
Manager Tools’ podcast: The First Rule for New Managers
John Lucht’s Insights for the Journey
March 24th, 2008
Peter Jeffrey of Wall Street Journal posted an article on Thursday, March 14, with the title “Lower Yourself.” I thought the article was a valuable reminder of just how fallible we all can be. I am sure we all know a few of those who “exhibit crusading and prosecutorial tendencies while projecting an air of godlike splendor.”
I will remind myself from time to time to avoid those costly mistakes. Why? Because “…the more magnificent and righteous I am, the farther and harder I’ll fall when I inevitably mess up.”
If you are a WSJ subscriber, here is the link to Peter Jeffrey’s article.
March 15th, 2008
I started listening to Harvard Business Review’s IdeaCast since episode #1 in 2006. The podcasts are very informative, and I have always found useful information to act on from each episode. The most recent episode #77 was no exception. This episode featured Marshall Goldsmith, one of the most respected management thinkers in my book. In this episode, Marshall discussed why and how to influence upward. Listen to the podcast and judge for yourself.
So why sell your ideas? Because no one is obligated to buy, not usually anyway.
Link to HBR’s IdeaCast
Link to Dr. Goldsmith’s blog (so glad I found this)
January 21st, 2008
I like this book for several reasons. First, the prints are visually pleasing, for me at least, with large fonts and ample space. Second, Mr. Lucht’s writing style yields content that is easy to absorb. Third, and the most important of them all, John’s advices make sense and work, day after day.
Some people might read the book and go “So what, those are just common sense stuff.” Well, sure but try to do those things in the book consistently day in and day out. I guess practicing management is about doing the right things and being effective on a consistent basis. A great read for anyone who is in the management line of work or aspiring to get into one. I read the book from time to time and continue to get new “insights” every time.
Link to the book on Amazon
January 17th, 2008
I don’t remember when I started following Anne Fisher’s column, but I have always found her articles to be very informative and useful. You may or may not always agree with her expert guests’ assessments, it is always good to learn from a diverse points of view. Subscribe to her newsletter and check it out.
Sign up for the Ask Annie e-mail newsletter
Check out Anne’s blog
January 13th, 2008
When it comes to the project management topic, The Project Management Podcast hosted by Cornelius Fichtner is definitely my favorite. Mr. Fichtner has been consistently pumping out quality weekly podcasts since September 2005. I don’t know how he does it. Great job, Cornelius!
The Project Management Podcast
January 6th, 2008
As an IT person, this book is a must-read and I refreshed my memory over the holiday weekend on what it means to be “The New Middlers” and what it takes to be one of the untouchables.
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman
January 6th, 2008
As my first blog entry (yeah, the resume entries don’t count), I had to dedicate it to Mark and Mike of Manager Tools. Thank you very much for putting together a wonderful program and jumping start a professional community.
Sign up with the free membership for the excellent, free podcasts. No, you don’t need to own an iPod to listen to the podcasts, just iTunes will do nicely.
January 6th, 2008