Managing People - Why Is It So Difficult?

Home
>
Business Management
>
Managing People - Why Is It So Difficult?

Managing People - Why Is It So Difficult?

Managing, supervising, being a team leader is the hardest job in the world and I'll tell you why. Imagine what it's like to drive a car. You turn the key to start the engine, select drive or the gear you want and press the gas pedal. The car then moves off and if you want to turn you rotate the steering wheel to the right or left and to stop, you press the brake pedal. All this was quite difficult when you first learned to drive but its easy now.

If I asked you to drive my car, you might take a short while to get used to it, but you'd immediately be able to drive down to the supermarket and get me some food.

However, if I was to tell you that my car was different from any other you'd driven then I'm sure you'd have a problem - "You don't start it with a key there's a little switch somewhere. When you engage forward gear it might go backward and if you turn the wheel left it might go right but sometimes it goes left. And the gas peddle is what stops it and the brake pedal makes it go faster but not every day. You'll get used to it in time; I've lived with it for years".

Managing people is pretty much like this, every model is different and you need different skills to "drive" each one. Just because pressing the gas pedal on one model makes it go forward, doesn't mean to say that the next one will be the same; it might, but it might not.

The problem arises because we "learn" on certain models and then find to our annoyance that the others are different. "Why can't they all be the same" we scream in frustration."

Human beings are the most complex and complicated pieces of "equipment" you'll ever have to deal with. Many of them have similarities but every one of them in this world is different and they all work in a slightly different way. Your job as a manager is to get these complex humans working as efficiently as possible, there's no one around to show you what to do and there's no instruction manual.

What also complicates the relationship between the manager and the team is this - Human beings are totally driven by their emotions.

When managers face a problem with one of their team they try to solve it logically and then they wonder why it all goes wrong.

Imagine that one of your team announces - "I'm leaving this job, I've found another job doing the same thing and it pays more money." You realise that you don't want to lose this team member so you approach your boss and agree an increase in salary. However, when you offer the increase in salary the team member turns you down.

So you think logically - "What's wrong with this person, why are they leaving?" They might be telling you that they're leaving for more money however that now doesn't seem to be the reason. It might just be that they're leaving because they feel you just don't care about them.

I've seen this happen so often with the good guys in a team. Because they're one of the high achievers who don't give the manager any problem they get left alone too much. What happens then is - they feel that the manager doesn't care about them so they leave.

Managing people is a hugely difficult job, a degree in psychology would help but if you haven't got that then click the link below.

Discover how you can generate more business by motivating your team! Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales by Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practical things you can do to get the best out of your people. Visit http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Israel to continue offensive despite UN resolution (AP)

AP - Israeli jets and helicopters bombarded Gaza Friday and Hamas responded with a barrage of rockets, as Israel's government said it will press forward with its offensive despite a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Illinois House on verge of impeaching Blagojevich (AP)

AP - Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces almost certain impeachment by the Illinois House, a historic step that would trigger a trial to determine whether the Democratic governor should be tossed out of office.

Rifts show as Obama urges quick action on stimulus (AP)

AP - Lawmakers are under orders to finish action on President-elect Barack Obama's nearly $800 billion economic recovery plan by mid-February. But already it is plain that a set of serious fissures need to be bridged if the bill is to be completed within five weeks.

Democrats begin new session with labor bills (AP)

AP - Democrats are ushering in what they believe will be a new labor-friendly era in Washington with House votes on two bills aimed at helping women fight pay discrimination in the workplace.

Job losses stack up as recession deepens (AP)

AP - Trying to survive a deepening recession, employers are cutting their work forces to the bone, leaving more Americans unemployed and with dim prospects of finding a new job any time soon.

Toxic coal ash piling up in ponds in 32 states (AP)

AP - Millions of tons of toxic coal ash is piling up in power plant ponds in 32 states, a practice the federal government has long recognized as a risk to human health and the environment but has left unregulated.

Obama to finalize national security team Friday (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama is completing his national security team by announcing his unusual choices for CIA director and a national intelligence director who may face tough Senate confirmation questioning over how he confronted the Indonesian military when civilian massacres were occurring in East Timor.

Emphasis on smooth transition to new Cabinet (AP)

AP - Just minutes after George W. Bush took the oath of office eight years ago, he signed papers formally nominating 13 Cabinet-level officials. Several hours later, the Senate, meeting in a special Saturday session, confirmed seven Cabinet secretaries, including the heads of the key posts at State, Treasury and Defense.

Mini Dynasty: Gators beat Sooners for BCS title (AP)

AP - Tim Tebow enjoyed the battering-ram runs. He liked the old-school jump pass. Drawing a rare penalty, that really made Tebow's day. With No. 1 Florida about to finish off No. 2 Oklahoma 24-14 for the BCS championship Thursday night, Tebow was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Critics' final answer: `Slumdog' wins 5 awards (AP)

AP - The critics have spoken, and "Slumdog Millionaire" is their final answer.

World waits on jobs data as recession weighs (Reuters)

Reuters - Steep falls in European industrial output underlined the severity of the world economic crisis on Friday and more grim news was on the way with the United States expected to report the biggest monthly job cuts in more than 30 years.

U.N. calls for immediate Gaza truce (Reuters)

Reuters - Israel pushed ahead with its two-week-old offensive in the Gaza Strip on Friday, defying a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Panel steps up criticism of Treasury: report (Reuters)

Reuters - A report being released on Friday alleges that the U.S. Treasury has failed to reveal its strategy for stabilizing the financial system, not answered questions asked by a government watchdog, and has done nothing to help struggling homeowners, the Wall Street Journal said.

EU seeks gas supply return after deal on monitors (Reuters)

Reuters - Russia's state-controlled gas monopoly said a deal to monitor gas exports via Ukraine would be signed on Friday, allowing for the resumption of supplies to Europe cut off by Moscow's price row with Kiev.

Citi backs measure to help avoid foreclosures (Reuters)

Reuters - Financial giant Citigroup Inc will support a proposal in Congress to rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said on Thursday.

Illinois panel recommends governor's impeachment (Reuters)

Reuters - A legislative committee on Thursday recommended the impeachment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, citing widespread abuse of power including allegations he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Obama team amending financial rescue package: report (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama's economic team is urgently overhauling the $700 billion financial rescue package to broaden its scope beyond Wall Street, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

Health care overhaul needn't break bank: study (Reuters)

Reuters - An analysis of proposals to overhaul U.S. health care by President-elect Barack Obama and members of Congress suggests it is possible to insure all Americans without significantly raising total health spending.

Israel and Hamas battle on after UN ceasefire demand (AFP)

AFP - Israel and Hamas launched heavy air strikes and rocket attacks on each other Friday, ignoring a UN Security Council order on the warring rivals to end their conflict.

Russia hopeful of resuming Europe gas supplies (AFP)

AFP - Russian gas deliveries to Europe could resume later Friday, the head of Russia's state gas firm said, raising hopes for an end to a transit dispute with Ukraine that has left several European states without gas at a moment of bitter cold.

Managing People - Why Is It So Difficult?

Business Management Business Management