Management By Wondering About:

August is the month when real managers go on vacation while juniors hold the fort.  It is also when a lot of MBWA takes place.

No, no, not management by walking around.  That’s so seventies.

I’m talking about management by wondering about.  You know what I mean.  You’re lying in the sun somewhere when you start wondering about the office.  Are they coping without you?  Are they messing up?  Are they missing you?

So you start managing by ‘wondering about’.  First, you wonder about your emails.  Then you break your promise and you read your emails on that thingy that allows you to Manage By Wandering Away from the office.  Before you know it, you’re sending emails that start with ‘I’m just wondering about...’.

Of course, you’re not fooling them back at the office.  They know you are more than just wondering.  You’re trying to manage them from a distance.  After all, you are a real manager on vacation.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

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© 2009 James Henry McIntosh