Hi, I’m Tom Timbrooks

1. Hi, I’m Tom Timbrooks And this is my philosophy on Management

2. Management • Everything I’ve learned about management can be put into the following phrase: “The only people who have never done anything wrong are the people who have never done anything at all.”

3. Management • What I mean is: • Progress comes from taking risks. • Risks lead inevitably to failures. • Failures create the perception of incompetence. • So, the perception of competence comes from doing nothing since the only way to avoid mistakes is to avoid doing anything.

4. Management • That’s because for most people: • Perception is better than Reality. • Subjective is better than Objective. • Power is better than Authority. • What a leader has to realize is that: • Reality is better than Perception • Objective is better than Subjective. • Authority is better than Power.

5. Reality is better than Perception • When people are judged by the perception they create, they create a good perception. • Look angry. • Stay on the computer. • Keep papers in your hand. • Wear nice cloths. • Unfortunately, most customers will not pay for the perception of a good or service so the creation of a good perception does little to help the company.

6. Reality is better than Perception • When people are judged by the reality they create, they create a good reality. • Reduce costs for the company. • Increase sales for the company. • Since most customers purchase real goods and services and since the sale of those real goods and services are dependent upon availability and cost, employees who make real efforts to make real goods and services available to the customers will improve the financial situation of the company.

7. Reality is better than Perception • So when a manager grades people on the real efforts they make people make real efforts. • Those real efforts make the company more financially secure. • So making reality more important than perception helps the company to make money.

8. Objective is better than Subjective • Objective comes from the word object and in this context means, based upon measurable data. • Basically, if it can be graphed, it’s objective and if it’s objective, people can work towards it and if people can work towards it, they will work.

9. Objective is better than Subjective • Managers who measure their people subjectively tend to: • Refuse to accept personal accountability since nothing can be proven to be that manager’s fault because nothing objective is recorded. • Not develop the people on their teams since no clear objectives have been described to work towards. • Manage everyone the same way even though everyone on the team has different needs. • Concentrate on problems rather than objectives because it’s bringing attention to the problems that creates the illusion that the manager knows what’s going on. • Fail to set standards, once again, because no objective standards have been created. • Fail to provide team members with training since no objective certification program has been created. • Condone incompetence by punishing those team members who show initiative and make mistakes creating an environment where people are afraid to do anything.

10. Objective is better than Subjective • So, if people have some measurable, obtainable goal to work towards, they will work and, as a result, the company will benefit from that work through: • Accountability • Personal development • Flexible management • Objective orientation • Set standards • Training and certification programs • Personal initiative

11. Authority is better than Power • Power is the ability to force someone to act upon your will. • Authority is the ability to make someone want to act upon your will. • Using power may have a time and a place, but managers who depend upon power alone tend to: • Control results rather than influencing thinking styles which encourages people to do the same thing over and over rather than look for improvements. • Set teams against each other concentrating on individual goals rather than goals that will help the company as a whole to realize higher profits. • Manage everyone the same way creating an “us and them” attitude in the work environment. • Strike up inappropriate relationships with workers. • Recognize only the top performers leaving the other team members to feel that there’s no point in trying because nothing they do will be seen. • Try to manipulate people rather than manipulate the environment in an effort to get people to act differently.

12. Authority is better than Power • Power • Advantages • Get things done immediately • Get things done without question • Disadvantages • The workers will only do enough to keep from being punished. • The workers will only work when the power figure is present.

13. Authority is better than Power • Authority • Advantages • Promotes independent thinking • Promotes initiative and teamwork • Promotes concentrating on objectives • Promotes setting higher standards • Disadvantages • Requires more time • People generally leave when they get good

14. Authority is better than Power • So, if authority is used rather than power, an environment will be created that will foster: • Critical thinking to drive improvements • A team spirit that concentrates on common goals which will help the company realize higher profits. • An attitude that managers and workers are on the same side. • Appropriate management worker relationships. • Recognition of all the inputs of all the team members. • Changes to the environment to get people to work better.

15. Summation • Any individual can create the perception of competence by never taking risks for fear of failure. • The success of a company depends upon the determination of its people to work through their failures. • That determination can only exist in an environment that values that which is real, objective and authoritative.