Cult of Personality

A belief I've been slowly forming for several years goes something like this...

There are two kinds of people in the world:
•people who love Neil Diamond, and
•people who don't.

Wait, that's not it. It's Managers and Employees. I can't make any determination on the quantities of each type in the world, but, just like pornography, I know one when I see one. I'm not talking about what actual role a particular person fills at the present time, but what his or her personality is suited for.

Employees like security. They like knowing that, when it comes down to it, someone else will make the global decisions about What We Are Doing and Where We Are Going. This is not a bad thing at all. To know you are more comfortable following directions than giving them is a gift to yourself, because you can find opportunities where your dedication, follow-through and commitment will always be considered an asset. People will be glad to have you on the team, reliably doing whatever needs to be done to meet a goal.

Managers like independence.  They like to know their ideas are heard, valued and integrated into the final product or action.  They like jobs where meeting goals is more important than punching the clock.  They are creative problem solvers and risk takers who are more interested in getting to the goal than in doing everything exactly the same way every time.  They often innovate new ways to do the same tasks.

Employees in Manager jobs are usually not very successful.  They tend to micro-manage and are fearful of overseeing people who may want to creatively approach a given task.  They don't want to be entirely independent and left to their own devices, so they treat their employees as if everyone feels the same way...making all their reports feel that their boss does not trust them.

Managers in Employee jobs are often miserable.  Or, at best, frustrated.  They want to be rewarded for meeting the goal, not for having perfect attendance.  They want to know not just WHAT we are doing but also WHY.  They want to know their opinions are valued and sought after, and they want to work in a collaborative environment where ideas are tossed around, manipulated, and melded into a workable plan...not in an environment where the plan is simply handed down from on high.

I believe the best way to treat all employees is as if they are Managers.  Give them freedom, space, time, flexibility and a budget, and see what they can do.  I don't think most people have ever been treated this way in a job, so it may take some folks a little while to get used to it.  But, keep trusting them and I believe most people are happier with more independence and less managing. 

Some people do not like this work environment, and there are great jobs out there for tried and true Employee types.  Just don't try working for me...as a die-hard Manager myself, I don't want to have to give you an exact list of what to do and when.  I'd much rather see what you can come up with on your own!!