A Passion for Management - Caring about your people

There was a rather wonderful post by the blond canadian expressing her passion for teaching.

In some ways our teachers are the most important professionals of all for they teach our young. The influence of a good teacher can be measured down the generations.

As a manager, I have always had a passion for my people. This holds whether I like them or not. Mainly I have. But regardless, I have always measured part of my success by how well my people do.

Today I attended some code of conduct and ethics training. It was a useful course because it illustrated various elements and problems about the organisation in which I am presently doing some project work. But when I looked at most of the sample problems - several former staff are in jail for corruption - I felt that I was looking at the outcomes of management problems.

Caring for your people does not mean being soft on them. Any professional organisation must demand standards. But it does mean being close to what they do. And if you do this, you will normally spot emerging problems in advance. Better, you have a chance to help your people achieve their own potential.

This always works to mutual advantage. Staff work better while they are with you. Then. when they leave, they retain a soft spot for you that can work to your advantage in the future.