The Manager's Perspective

Management is something we learn instinctively, we are originally conniving, clever and crafty. We know how to vie for attention. We’ve tried pity, sympathy, back-stabbing the sibling and what not. Not to mention living the truism, neighbor’s envy, owners pride…The way I see a corporate environment is no different. There is a good side too. Leadership, Empathy, Team play…But few good eggs left, isn’t it? Besides, how much of a moral framework are we allowed to have in this rat race?
Anyway my humble opinion stems from a class I taught last quarter. It was christened Strategic Management but it taught gaming theory. And the strategy part over rode the management part by many laps. Interestingly enough the case-studies in there were so matter of fact that protecting one’s self interest is not a crime anymore. In the business world alliance has a very different connotation. There is no need for expectation management as vested interest is always a priority!
One principle that strongly resonated with me – ‘Look forward, reason backward.’ Corporate philosophies are over and above the jaded chess board analogy. I found an excellent ad which I included in the final exam I put my students through - I asked them to view and analyze this ad in the light of this principle:



I thought it applied so freaking well in life – Work your butt out just so you can DO NOTHING!