(seventh in a series titled Issues Managers Face in the Workplace)

You didn’t make it into the management ranks without trusting your instincts, having a little luck, and a lot of determination. Many companies are run by a select few who espouse strategy and then watch it work - or not.

Driven by Passion

This is the entrepreneur. You chose management because you are an optimist. You have the charisma, the ‘fire’, to motivate teams to succeed at unprecedented levels and in extraordinary circumstances. By sheer will, you get results. Laugh, cry, hug, scream - just get the team to the goal.

Passion should not be your plan. Passion should fuel your direction, initiative, and determination.

Driven by Data

This is the scientist. You chose management because you are a researcher. You have the knowledge, the technical skills, to show teams the detailed plan to succeed at unprecedented levels and in extraordinary circumstances. By pragmatic planning, you get results. Think, review, plan, research - data-driven decisions get your team to the goal.

Data should not be where you hide. Data should help build your plan.

Driven by Results

This is the practitioner. You chose management because you are a leader. You have the courage to motivate and the technical skills to lead teams to succeed at unprecedented levels and in extraordinary circumstances. By knowing art from science, you get results. Get the data that points you in a confident direction and helps build your plan. Apply your passion to the plan. You get results.

Managing is as much art as it is science. We’ll explore this topic in a future post.

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Want more on evidence-based management? Check out these resources:

  • Read a great book on evidence-based management by Stanford professors Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton.
  • There are some sample studies, great resource links, and a research & practice section at this site.

Joe Raasch :: Jan.23.2008 :: Change Management, Leadership, Organizational Development, Performance Management :: 5 Comments »