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Manager teach thyself

Manager teach thyself LET'S say it again — the only person It is for these reasons that the desire in the world who can really develop a to manage people is having more Roderick Wilkinson — a manager manager or supervisor is the person detraction than inspiration today in himself. in manufacturing industry — most developed countries. Firstly, he has to have the desire to gives his views as to why so There used to be a little printed sign manage. Without that he is wasting his hung up in offices and workplaces. It much 'management training' is own and his company's time. said: "If you are a self-starter, your misconceived. Second, the whole business of boss won't be a crank". Somehow we management is one of self-stimulation, seem to have come a long way from self-organisation and self-discipline, If the desire for this kind of life is the real philosophy behind that little so that the manager can stimulate, not there, therefore, a young man motto. organise and discipline others in their today who pretends to be a manager is Self-stimulation and self-discipline tasks. sowing the seeds of his own and in a person is something which should others' destruction. He will reap a bad Third, any learning or development be recognised in a person himself and harvest. function demands a "lid open", willing nurtured by himself all of his working attitude by the pupil to absorb It might be argued that the desire to life. Usually it starts young. Some­ experiences and profit by them. If he do anything goes hand in hand with times it develops later although this is cannot do this then any teaching he the incentive or the reward for doing rare. gets is absolutely wasted. it. And I would subscribe to a certain Whatever we think of it, however The desire to be a manager or a extent with this. much we may try to rationalise or supervisor in business has never before, When we come to look at the negate it in the face of these com­ to my knowledge, been so difficult to comparison of compensation paid to puterised decision-making, technolo­ stimulate. Other forces are at work managers and supervisors country by gical days, the factor is as essential today which make it more and more country — even industry by industry today in a manager as it ever was. difficult for a young man to willingly — there is no doubt at all that the Someone has to plan; someone has to choose the job of professional super­ salary-setters have a lot to learn yet decide to plan; someone has to accept vision as a career in life. about the value and incentive of the full responsibility and risk for leadership. More and more people at work are what has been devised and implemen­ challenging established authority. The purpose of pay is to attract, ted. That person is a self-stimulated manager who knows that he has to get The power and influence of large retain and motivate people, yet in the his job done through people. unions have managers and supervisors UK at any rate we have £7,000 a year in a defensive position. managers worried and concerned about Anything else will not do. Manage­ why their £3,500 a year foremen are Consequently, one political party ment-by-committees, split-responsi- not exercising leadership influence! after another in one country after bilites, joint-decision-making — these another are having to support legis­ But if we are to believe anything at are but conveniences and expediencies lation which meets the real and all the behavioural scientists are that too often conceal where the real supposed demands of this sector of saying, monetary compensation is responsibility lies for a decision. society we call the working classes. only part of the problem. It has A tendency I have observed with frequently been theorised that once This legislation in turn places factors dismay recently has been the obsession of concern and responsibility on his physical security is assured a some businessmen are having about managers which were never there human being has four basic psycho­ training supervisors — and the attitude logical needs: Love, the wish to before. And the young man who sees of some supervisors to "be trained". create, recognition for what he has as his choice the pleasure of being left Managing people — and let us no created and identification in a group. alone to employ his brains and talents longer bandy words about what super­ in research and creative work as If we relate these needs to the vision really is — is a job that opposed to the motivation of people person's desire to be a manager, we demands more learning by the super­ at work makes too often the choice can see at once what a lot we have yet visor than teaching to him. that denies society what it most needs to learn about the treatment of our Unless he is a person with a "lid for its economic survival — leadership. supervisors and managers in industry. open" attitude to experiences and life Somebody said recently that the We say they are the most important then all the blackboard instruction in world consists of three kinds of people assets we have, yet we too rarely the world will not make him a thank them for a job well done. — those who make things happen, developing learner. those who watch things happen and We acknowledge their wish to The management of people at work those who simply have no idea at all create profitable situations, yet we is like a Kaleidescope — every turn of what is happening. legislate the daylights out of them. the instrument reveals a new, interesting And, if this is generally true, there We say we recognise what they do, pattern and a challenge in interpreting can be no doubt at all what kind of but we just don't. And although we it. people are managers and supervisors talk about 'professional' management Once more — the only person in and supervision, as a group of people — or what is their role in a free the world who can really develop a they are still the Wandering Tribe in enterprise system. They act; they do manager or a supervisor is the person our midst. not react. himself. 1 2 INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Industrial Management Emerald Publishing

Manager teach thyself

Industrial Management , Volume 78 (1): 1 – Jan 1, 1978
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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0007-6929
DOI
10.1108/eb056827
Publisher site
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Abstract

LET'S say it again — the only person It is for these reasons that the desire in the world who can really develop a to manage people is having more Roderick Wilkinson — a manager manager or supervisor is the person detraction than inspiration today in himself. in manufacturing industry — most developed countries. Firstly, he has to have the desire to gives his views as to why so There used to be a little printed sign manage. Without that he is wasting his hung up in offices and workplaces. It much 'management training' is own and his company's time. said: "If you are a self-starter, your misconceived. Second, the whole business of boss won't be a crank". Somehow we management is one of self-stimulation, seem to have come a long way from self-organisation and self-discipline, If the desire for this kind of life is the real philosophy behind that little so that the manager can stimulate, not there, therefore, a young man motto. organise and discipline others in their today who pretends to be a manager is Self-stimulation and self-discipline tasks. sowing the seeds of his own and in a person is something which should others' destruction. He will reap a bad Third, any learning or development be recognised in a person himself and harvest. function demands a "lid open", willing nurtured by himself all of his working attitude by the pupil to absorb It might be argued that the desire to life. Usually it starts young. Some­ experiences and profit by them. If he do anything goes hand in hand with times it develops later although this is cannot do this then any teaching he the incentive or the reward for doing rare. gets is absolutely wasted. it. And I would subscribe to a certain Whatever we think of it, however The desire to be a manager or a extent with this. much we may try to rationalise or supervisor in business has never before, When we come to look at the negate it in the face of these com­ to my knowledge, been so difficult to comparison of compensation paid to puterised decision-making, technolo­ stimulate. Other forces are at work managers and supervisors country by gical days, the factor is as essential today which make it more and more country — even industry by industry today in a manager as it ever was. difficult for a young man to willingly — there is no doubt at all that the Someone has to plan; someone has to choose the job of professional super­ salary-setters have a lot to learn yet decide to plan; someone has to accept vision as a career in life. about the value and incentive of the full responsibility and risk for leadership. More and more people at work are what has been devised and implemen­ challenging established authority. The purpose of pay is to attract, ted. That person is a self-stimulated manager who knows that he has to get The power and influence of large retain and motivate people, yet in the his job done through people. unions have managers and supervisors UK at any rate we have £7,000 a year in a defensive position. managers worried and concerned about Anything else will not do. Manage­ why their £3,500 a year foremen are Consequently, one political party ment-by-committees, split-responsi- not exercising leadership influence! after another in one country after bilites, joint-decision-making — these another are having to support legis­ But if we are to believe anything at are but conveniences and expediencies lation which meets the real and all the behavioural scientists are that too often conceal where the real supposed demands of this sector of saying, monetary compensation is responsibility lies for a decision. society we call the working classes. only part of the problem. It has A tendency I have observed with frequently been theorised that once This legislation in turn places factors dismay recently has been the obsession of concern and responsibility on his physical security is assured a some businessmen are having about managers which were never there human being has four basic psycho­ training supervisors — and the attitude logical needs: Love, the wish to before. And the young man who sees of some supervisors to "be trained". create, recognition for what he has as his choice the pleasure of being left Managing people — and let us no created and identification in a group. alone to employ his brains and talents longer bandy words about what super­ in research and creative work as If we relate these needs to the vision really is — is a job that opposed to the motivation of people person's desire to be a manager, we demands more learning by the super­ at work makes too often the choice can see at once what a lot we have yet visor than teaching to him. that denies society what it most needs to learn about the treatment of our Unless he is a person with a "lid for its economic survival — leadership. supervisors and managers in industry. open" attitude to experiences and life Somebody said recently that the We say they are the most important then all the blackboard instruction in world consists of three kinds of people assets we have, yet we too rarely the world will not make him a thank them for a job well done. — those who make things happen, developing learner. those who watch things happen and We acknowledge their wish to The management of people at work those who simply have no idea at all create profitable situations, yet we is like a Kaleidescope — every turn of what is happening. legislate the daylights out of them. the instrument reveals a new, interesting And, if this is generally true, there We say we recognise what they do, pattern and a challenge in interpreting can be no doubt at all what kind of but we just don't. And although we it. people are managers and supervisors talk about 'professional' management Once more — the only person in and supervision, as a group of people — or what is their role in a free the world who can really develop a they are still the Wandering Tribe in enterprise system. They act; they do manager or a supervisor is the person our midst. not react. himself. 1 2 INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT

Journal

Industrial Management – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jan 1, 1978

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