I had an executive manager say to me recently, "Kevin, I just want these people to do their jobs and leave me alone---they got me dealing with their marriages, divorces, kid's problems, everything. Just do your jobs and leave me alone!" After a bit of laughter we paused in silence both probably thinking the same thing: What are we really doing here?
I used to think managing people was more of a transactional experience: I do this so you can do that and we are all finished at the end of the day, NEXT! I now realize there is something much more important going on here, but it is only available to those who are able to move out of their everyday transactions and enter the larger picture---dare I say the "transcendent" picture of management. By this I simply mean that as an employer you have the possibility of experiencing something beyond the every day task orientation of your work world.
I used to think managing people was more of a transactional experience: I do this so you can do that and we are all finished at the end of the day, NEXT! I now realize there is something much more important going on here, but it is only available to those who are able to move out of their everyday transactions and enter the larger picture---dare I say the "transcendent" picture of management. By this I simply mean that as an employer you have the possibility of experiencing something beyond the every day task orientation of your work world.
All I want to say for now is that I answered my clients statement by saying, "You thought you were just here to hire employees and get a job done and then one day you woke up and found out you were really a steward of souls."
He laughed and then went silent. "Yea," he said, "I think I know what you mean."
(For further discussion of this topic see Fundamental Three in my book)
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