I think we might have missed the boat when it comes to how we view the art of management.
Whenever I have the pleasure of speaking at dental meetings, I ask the attendees to raise their hands if they think they’re good ‘people managers’.
Invariably, hands are raised.
A lot of people think they’re great at managing people.
But what does that really mean? Is this really what they want to be?
When I ask them if they enjoy managing poor attitudes, disruptive behavior, or excessive drama in the office, I get a resounding “NO WAY!! No one likes that.”
But that’s what people managers do. That’s reality.
What if we could embrace a new and better concept of management that helps us move beyond people management to process management; the procedure of managing a highly functional, self-motivated, and cohesive team in achieving goals that are critical to organizational growth and success?
People problems are no longer an issue for those that have mastered the art of process management. In truth, process management cannot exist if there are lingering people problems because the time and energy spent correcting these problems will undermine any effort to manage process. Quite simply, managing people drains us, while managing process is energizing.
Taking Stock
If people problems are draining our energy and resolve, it is time to consider the source. From my own personal experience, the problem can be traced to one source; ME! I create a people problem through lack of effective leadership and losing sight of my commitment to a mutually shared core ideology that serves as the foundation of our organization’s culture.
If you are interested in finding out if you are a ‘people manager’ or a ‘process manager’, please contact me to schedule a complimentary 30 minute session.