The kind of boss I am
Probably unlike many I truly believe that a company should be run a like well organised small army with clear chains of command, orders and execution. I don’t believe in micro-management or macho culture but at the top of each successful organisation there must be management with strong focus on involvement and discipline based on clear roles and mutual respect.
Organistions ran purely on consensus, delivery by commitee are frequently behind the schedule, full of politics and most importantly delivering mediocre products. That’s because “touchy-feely” approach to making things happen doesn’t work neither in the world of business nor in engineering.
Great products are just not products of compromise but clear vision of small group at the helm being able to force down their vision onto the company. This doesn’t have to mean lack of creativity or discussion as there should be time for both. It does mean however that when the rubber hits the tarmac there’s traction of one vision going just one way.
I’m a specific type of boss. You know my mantra: if you don’t measure you don’t manage. As a manager I carefully select priorities and measure performance of execution. As a boss I’m particularly intolerant for any excuses if someone fails to deliver.
As a person I’m very sympathetic towards the reasons people give me that stood in their way of achieving what’s expected of them. There lies my dilemma. I don’t want to appear harsh and pushing top priorities to the point where failure is not an option.
I don’t want to appear inhuman by disregarding purely human reasons for non-delivery of critical milestones. I don’t want to hear excuses or have to deal with them by accepting what I hear. The only way out for many personas I peddle at the same time is to fire people for unexplainable non-delivery of small pebbles.
When evaluating I’m not getting even into reasons behind non-delivery of big rocks. And I’m not even sorry. Therefore I one wants to stick around they better make sure that all the “small” or “easy” stuff always gets done before even approaching the difficulties of “big rocks”.