Segment 10 (2021) - The Role of Management

[Paul Terlemezian]

Management might justifiably be an obstacle or an accelerator to your idea. With insight from The Daily Drucker (November 12) might we learn about "The Work of the Manager?

Humorists:

• Josh Felix
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Meetings
• Mike Blake

Panelists:

• Laura Davis (Alternate)
• Takiyah Gross-Foote
• Debra Kline
• Bob Norton
• Michael Robertson
• James Roland (Alternate)
• Ashley Wheeler

Moderators:

• Walt Carter

Remarkable Speakers (Listeners:)

• Steph Crowe

[Walt Carter]

Pat Lencioni has written "Death By Meeting" and built a whole coaching program at the Table Group on the topic.  He's also the author of "The Five Dysfunctions of Teams" which dovetails with his approach to meeting leadership, participation, and avoidance.  

[Paul Terlemezian]

Thanks Walt!

I wonder of "Death by Virtual Meeting" has been written yet and if Five is a big enough number for the Dysfunctions of a "Virtual" team. I am an advocate for Virtual Meetings and Virtual Teams by the way but not so much an advocate for the way they are being managed.

[Bob Norton]

What I bring as a question to learn about: What do people want from "Community" in learning and online. And do they prefer to pay for this service or allow sponsors (advertising embedded). 

On the management question:

At least 80% of people need direction, creativity and process. Management must provide vision of the future, forming teams (right people on the bus) and motivate. And,of course Drucker is correct. And a perfect answer too. 

[Walt Carter]

Bob, 

Great question...I wonder what the survey would reveal about "community" in this regard...?

On the management question, are you applying the Pareto Principle to get the 80% number or generalizing on personal observation?  

[Bob Norton]

I am generalizing from experience as I know no source of solid data on this issue. Pareto would certainly be an influence but in my experience, it is closer to 90% and I am being "Conservative". Most people lack the desire, discipline, risk appetite, creativity and drive to be entrepreneurs, or self-managed. Starting a company really requires them all. An 85% startup failure rate may be another data point in this fuzzy math, as well as a span of control of managers versus individual contributors being 7 to 1 - though that is a different issue too. 

I am not talking about freelancers or self-employed but real entrepreneurship which means creating something new, disruptive (for a time), large and requires lots of sweat equity, capital and founding team who is willing to take on lots of risk. To manage anything significant this (skill set) must come from somewhere.

We all need some oversight and accountability - even the CEO reporting to a Board of Directors.