Melanie was thinking. I repeated my question.
“What things do you need to pay attention to that will have an impact one year from now?”
“This company is pretty stable in what it does,” she replied. “We may replace a machine or our volume might go up or down. But what is really volatile, is the people. You never know what is going to happen with the people.” Melanie’s mind began to race like she had just discovered uranium.
“You’re right,” she continued. “The biggest thing that always changes is the people.”
“And even if the people don’t change, the people change. Even if it’s still the same people, they are not the same people.”
Melanie’s discovery of uranium was shifting to panic. This new world that opened up just a few seconds ago, suddenly got very scary.
“So, I am responsible for knowing that, a year into the future?” she asked.
I nodded. -TF
People don’t change; it’s the relationship between them that changes whether it’s personal or professional. It’s up to the manager to be a part of that relationship. It is not an easy task however this makes being a manager so intriguing. Constant changes in relationships are happening on a daily bases. If Melanie had played a more active roll in getting to know what the status of their education and there plans were she probably would’ve had several other employees lining up for that position if not already training. Manager more than ever need to focus more on developing a positive and nurturing relationship with there teams, remember your depending on them to follow your directions, make your job easier and the company more successful.
Jose,
The people part of being a manager constantly changes. It is the most dynamic part of the organization, requiring constant attention. At the end of the day, our trusted machines go idle and we power them down. At the end of the day, our people go home and continue their lives, and hopes and dreams.