Comments on: Five Management Tips for Success http://www.kadavy.net/blog/posts/five-management-tips-for-success/ Get to know David Kadavy Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:39:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: kadavy http://www.kadavy.net/blog/posts/five-management-tips-for-success/comment-page-1/#comment-933 kadavy Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:56:51 +0000 http://www.kadavy.net/?p=460#comment-933 Good points, @sj. "most employees actually value knowing where they fit, who their boss is, what they should and should not be doing" This is essentially what I'm trying to say. Good points, @sj. “most employees actually value knowing where they fit, who their boss is, what they should and should not be doing” This is essentially what I’m trying to say.

]]> By: sj http://www.kadavy.net/blog/posts/five-management-tips-for-success/comment-page-1/#comment-932 sj Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:11:24 +0000 http://www.kadavy.net/?p=460#comment-932 Last point - I've found that most employees actually value knowing where they fit, who their boss is, what they should and should not be doing, etc. Our company historically lacked a lot of that, and while myself and few other (inherently entrepreneurial-minded people) have thrived, we've had an immense amount of turnover through the years. It was the establishment of more order, not less, that reversed that trend. Most people like defined roles, not the "freedom" to make it up as they go. Last point – I’ve found that most employees actually value knowing where they fit, who their boss is, what they should and should not be doing, etc. Our company historically lacked a lot of that, and while myself and few other (inherently entrepreneurial-minded people) have thrived, we’ve had an immense amount of turnover through the years. It was the establishment of more order, not less, that reversed that trend. Most people like defined roles, not the “freedom” to make it up as they go.

]]> By: sj http://www.kadavy.net/blog/posts/five-management-tips-for-success/comment-page-1/#comment-931 sj Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:08:48 +0000 http://www.kadavy.net/?p=460#comment-931 I actually think org charts are very powerful, or can be. Michael Gerber (of E-Myth fame) built his entire organizational strategy for start-ups around the concept of the org chart. As long as the org chart is designed around functions, not people (i.e. the work that needs to be done, not the specific person doing it) it can actually be a tool to provide an immense amount of freedom and growth. Everyone in the company knows what they're there to do, what results they're being accountable for, how their work fits into the larger organization and helps accomplish it's purpose, etc. And if they are trained and given the freedom to develop systems around accomplishing that work in a systematic, consistent way (assuming those systems don't already exist) it can become a very creative way to do business as well - if everyone knew their role and put all their resources towards innovating and orchestrating the best possible way of doing that role, you'd have a very life-giving, thriving company. But it starts with management understanding an org chart's power, designing it around work and not people, and training/equipping/setting the expectation that everyone is responsible for being creative and innovative within their respective roles (which means, among other things, having the freedom to fail in the pursuit of better). I actually think org charts are very powerful, or can be. Michael Gerber (of E-Myth fame) built his entire organizational strategy for start-ups around the concept of the org chart. As long as the org chart is designed around functions, not people (i.e. the work that needs to be done, not the specific person doing it) it can actually be a tool to provide an immense amount of freedom and growth.

Everyone in the company knows what they’re there to do, what results they’re being accountable for, how their work fits into the larger organization and helps accomplish it’s purpose, etc. And if they are trained and given the freedom to develop systems around accomplishing that work in a systematic, consistent way (assuming those systems don’t already exist) it can become a very creative way to do business as well – if everyone knew their role and put all their resources towards innovating and orchestrating the best possible way of doing that role, you’d have a very life-giving, thriving company.

But it starts with management understanding an org chart’s power, designing it around work and not people, and training/equipping/setting the expectation that everyone is responsible for being creative and innovative within their respective roles (which means, among other things, having the freedom to fail in the pursuit of better).

]]> By: kadavy http://www.kadavy.net/blog/posts/five-management-tips-for-success/comment-page-1/#comment-930 kadavy Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:37:03 +0000 http://www.kadavy.net/?p=460#comment-930 Hey everybody, @Pam knows what she's talking about ;) True @rishi, org charts *can* suck, but the rest of the tips are there to make the first one work. Without them, the first tip will fail, and I think that's part of what has made lateral organizations popular: making employees feel included and respected is hard work without fooling them into thinking that "titles don't matter." Hey everybody, @Pam knows what she’s talking about ;)

True @rishi, org charts *can* suck, but the rest of the tips are there to make the first one work. Without them, the first tip will fail, and I think that’s part of what has made lateral organizations popular: making employees feel included and respected is hard work without fooling them into thinking that “titles don’t matter.”

]]> By: rishi http://www.kadavy.net/blog/posts/five-management-tips-for-success/comment-page-1/#comment-929 rishi Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:40:08 +0000 http://www.kadavy.net/?p=460#comment-929 I hate org charts - especially the shitty ones at Accenture. Probably because I was always at the bottom or not even on them. I hate org charts – especially the shitty ones at Accenture. Probably because I was always at the bottom or not even on them.

]]> By: Pam Hege http://www.kadavy.net/blog/posts/five-management-tips-for-success/comment-page-1/#comment-928 Pam Hege Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:03:00 +0000 http://www.kadavy.net/?p=460#comment-928 Very insightful. I'd add a sixth tip...Don't Put the "Kids" in the Middle. Most team members want to come in, do their job the best they can, and go home to their life. When battling executives get their staff involved it disrupts productivity and morale. Keep your bickering to yourself and let your team do what they do best. Very insightful. I’d add a sixth tip…Don’t Put the “Kids” in the Middle. Most team members want to come in, do their job the best they can, and go home to their life. When battling executives get their staff involved it disrupts productivity and morale. Keep your bickering to yourself and let your team do what they do best.

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