Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

Many of us have experienced the frustration of working for a manager who intimidates their team members while apparently charming their superiors at the same time.  But it’s hard to know if you are that type of manager.  You might think you are doing a good job.  You get results by challenging and pushing people past their comfort zones. But what if they perceive your style as overly intimidating and as a consequence they are actually afraid of you?

Some managers believe that being direct and pushy is the only way to get results.  While this can be appropriate in some situations,  it does not build a culture of trust and commitment in the long term. 

There was a company that was struggling to meet its goals and objectives.

The management team was constantly pushing their employees to work harder and faster, but nothing seemed to be working.
One day, a wise consultant was brought in to help the company improve its management practices. The consultant observed the company’s operations for a few weeks and then called a meeting with the management team.

The consultant started by telling the management team a story:

“There was a farmer who had a field of wheat that wasn’t growing well. He tried everything he could think of, but nothing seemed to help the wheat grow. One day, he decided to try something new. Instead of pushing the wheat to grow, he decided to focus on the soil. He enriched the soil, gave it the nutrients it needed, and then let nature take its course. To his amazement, the wheat grew tall and strong.”

The consultant then turned to the management team and said, “Just like the farmer, you need to focus on the ‘soil’ of your company. Your employees are the soil that your company grows in. If you invest in them, give them the support they need, and create a positive work environment, they will grow and thrive. Your company will flourish as a result.”

The moral of the story is that good management is not just about pushing people harder, but also about investing in them and creating a positive work environment that supports growth and development.

If you wanna share your experiences, you can find me online in all your favorite places  LinkedIn and Facebook. Shoot me a DM, a tweet, a comment, or whatever works best for you. I’ll be the one trying to figure out how to read books and get better at playing ping pong at the same time.