Or the standard phrase “The door is always open” or “I am as close as your telephone ( email / blackberry /iPhone in 2011/12).

These are all pat answers. Yet the wisest manager of all does not fall prey to these slogans. The role of management is to manage.
Yet ask most managers what management is and you will receive alternatively a blank stare , or worse yet a feigned look that the troops are starting up and its time to stomp them and teach them who is boss.

If management is so busy putting out minor fires – how on earth can they see the forest for trees , the real priorities and where to allocate time , resources and planning efforts.

Sure events will happen. Fires will occur and disasters will happen from time to time. These have to be dealt with promptly.
On top of that a major role of fire departments is not so much in heroically fighting fires but in fire prevention. Indeed if resources and time are set to task , not to minor disturbances a lot , lot will be accomplished of merit – and with a lot less effort and
frustration. Some people just like to put out fires – and in a jackpot most of the time – or getting there. Avoid these people like the plague. Indeed if are misfortunate enough to take one on a holiday be prepared for startled responses like “you act like you are on a budget”.

Fire Your Boss

Fire Your Boss
Root Canal in Puerto Morelis Cancun

So too is it with the current business cycle.  If times are rough for sales then the refrain to staff ( who are receiving negligible pay packets)  is “stay the course”.  That is of course even if the ship is sinking fast.

Yet when it comes to the current business downtown the bosses are throwing the staff off the top deck of the ship as fast as they can.  Downsizing , layoffs, firings are all standard and indeed the norm.

What happened to the concepts of planning ahead and of being “proactive”.  Should not this been taken into account with forward looking planning.  Was it now now obvious to all that 1) perilous times were coming  2) business is a cycle.

Dilbert on risk management « Manage By Walking Around – Tagged: “performance management”, “strategy management”, dilbert, risk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. …

Transformational Leadership – Confidence « Leadership Champions – Transformational Leadership Month – November 2008. Whole of November 2008 – I will be posting topics & tips related to Transformational Leadership & General Project Management … DILBERT – Lighter Side Of Management …

Project Management & Dilbert | Project management and time … – Author: John Reeve , Categories: Intervals News , Posted: 10 November, 2008 , Tags: dilbert, project management.

Dilbert Comics – 32 « Riswan E. Tarigan, Thinker & Motivator – Dilbert Comics – 32. dilbert-comics-32 … Recent Posts. TIPS UNTUK MEMBUAT SIKAP ANDA TOP · Dilbert Comics – 32 · Dilbert Comics – 31 · Dilbert Comics – 30 · Dilbert Comics – 29 …

Yet you may of heard the phrase from the mouth’s of idiot managers “Our job is to think” or “Our job is too look ahead /manage”.  If these people were negligent should not they be the one’s held responsible and whose heads should be on the chopping block ?  Was management involved with bond trading at Lehman Brothers reprimanded in any way  or held vaguely responsible ?  At the best they received large bonuses and were promoted .  At the worst they were made sacrificial lambs , fired and are now in position of authority , trust and management safely at some other firm  where they are in positions to advise and “manage”.  More of the same.

its all very similar to the executives or General Motors going to demand money from the US congress with no business plan whatsoever prepared.  But then again would you of expected different ?

Ace Employment Wpg

Fire Your Boss

• Retire to a Second Career Different circumstances and goals motivate baby boomers toward different types of "retirements." Some have just had it with work, period....
• Men Health And Fitness Tips It has been just recently reported by the researchers of World Health Organization (WHO) that thousands of men have been...
• Bad Paper, and Lots of it How did the housing bubble turn into the current credit meltdown? Well, the system was able to handle the 'normal'...
• Surprise! (Not) Your manager matters Anybody who's ever had a bad manager, knows it's true that your manager counts. Keeping up with ideas -- Do...