Being a project manager is a continuous exercise in Influence Without Authority (Allan R. Chohen, David L. Bradford). Everyday I need to get things done, and can only achieve through the cooperative, and hopefully enthusiastic efforts of others.
I recently bought another book by the late Peter F. Drucker, The Daily Drucker: 366 Days of Insight and Motivation for Getting the Right Things Done.
The book contains excerpts from his many works, one for each day of the year. A nice and convenient format for a quick dose of motivation and wisdom.
One dose that struck a chord was 11 February, Human Factor in Management, Management is about human beings.
The task of management is to make people capable of joint performance, to make their strengths effective and their weaknesses irrelevant.
… Management must be built on communications and on individual responsibility. All members need to think through what they aim to accomplish – and make sure their associates know and understand that aim. …
Profound!!!
All the more relevant to me having just escaped from a situation where well-meaning groups overlapped in their responsibilities and came into conflict due to a lack of communication… the drama could have been avoided. Or could it? While living and working in a complex environment, perhaps it was inevitable; perhaps it is a surprise that such conflict does not happen more often?
