Yes, yes... I admit I speak too much sometimes. I always have comments and I always find flaws in everything and anything that others do.
Especially when it comes to managing people's expectation, staff or project.
Because I always sit on this side and not that. Like the saying - easier said than done.
Because my projects have always consisted of me, me and me. (And a clerk to help with documentation and heavy lifting tasks.)
Because I deal directly with the big boss.
So this is my first. To prove my point and to practise what I preach. To not do those mistakes I pointed out.
But it's not easy. Yes, I, the one who talks so much and does so little, admit that managing a project is not easy. Every micro-angle needs to be analysed. I can't do what I used to do - on the spot decision, harsh rejection, spur of the moment bashing.
Because this time, I deal with human and not robots. Because human have varying understanding of matters, different perspectives. Because I am not the client. And they are not the contractors.
Those jargons from Human Relations 101 seem to line up and take turns to appear in the scene. Delegation. Done. Communication. Done. Empowerment. Done.
Opps, STOP! Back track. Empowerment. Review needed.
I learnt that empowerment creates sense of ownership that may contribute to the success of a project. But unmonitored empowerment may cause staff to take advantage and use the power to his/her own benefits. But if you empower, yet you monitor, what's the point of empowering?
The problem of managing a project alone is that you and only you are accountable and answerable for everything that you do. So to avoid scrutiny, ions have to be laid out, analyzed and carefully planned. Even the alternative plans are laid out in case of emergency.
The problem of managing a project alone is that your brain works 24/7. Even your dreams become your drawing board. You breathe, eat, drink, smell the project. You practically live your every day in it.
The problem of managing a project alone is that when you have to manage a group of people to do what you do best alone, you tend to want to see the picture all the time. Because working alone puts you constantly behind the wheel, you wonder where the wheel is and start to hallucinate a functional wheel.
One really has to make numerous stops to analyze the situation. To guide or to let them figure out on their own. To dictate or not to dictate. To get consensus or to veto.
Wow. What experience.
Sure will keep my mouth shut for a while.
2 comments:
these days i mostly dont work alone, but like u, am also constantly needing to see and keep track of 'the big picture'. Cant say i hv any tips on how to lighten up about it, except that it helps if u got good and reliable teamates yg 'satu kepala'. Else, make up ur own 'master wheel' as backup incase someone screws up heheh :-D
Some people have made the ultimate solution to this problem... forming nepotism, cronysm, a.k.a. a greater sense of teamworking, be it for the good or bad as long as it benefits the group. A simple phrase is "i scratch your back, you scratch your back". You can see abundant examples around you. Too many, sadly... that if one does not follow the "trend" will eventually fall out of the battle.
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