企业管理ManagingYourBoss英文版

1、ManagingYourBoss A quarter-century ago, John Gabarro and John Kotter introduced a powerful new lens through which to view the manager-boss relationship: one that recognized the mutual dependence of the participants. Thhe ffactt iss, bbossses neeed ccoopperaatioon, relliabbiliity, annd hhoneestyy frr

2、om theeir dirrectt reeporrts. Maanaggerss, ffor theeir parrt, relly oon bbossses forr maakinng cconnnecttionns wwithh thhe rrestt off thhe ccomppanyy, ffor setttinng pprioorittiess, aand forr obbtaiininng ccritticaal rresoourcces. Iff thhe reelattionnshiip bbetwweenn yoou aand youurbooss is roccky,

3、thhen it is youu whho mmustt beeginn too maanagge iit. Wheen yyou takke tthe timme tto cculttivaate a pprodducttivee woorkiing rellatiionsshipp - byy unnderrstaandiing youurboosss sstreengtths andd weeaknnessses, prriorritiies, annd wworkk sttylee eveeryoone winns. Inn thhe 225 yyearrs ssincce iit w

4、was pubblisshedd, tthiss arrticcle hass trrulyy immproovedd thhe ppraccticce oof mmanaagemmentt. IIts simmplee yeet ppoweerfuul aadviice hass chhangged thee waay ppeopple worrk, enhhancced couuntllesss maanagger-bosss rrelaatioonshhipss, aand impprovved thee peerfoormaancee off coorpoorattionns iin

5、wwayss thhat shoow uup oon tthe botttomm liine. Ovver thee yeearss, iit hhas beccomee a staaplee att buusinnesss scchoools andd coorpooratte ttraiininng pproggramms wworlldwiide.If yyou forrge tiees wwithh yoour bosss bbaseed oon mmutuual resspecct aand unddersstanndinng, botth oof yyou willl bbe mm

6、oree efffecctivve To mmanyy peeoplle, thee phhrasse mannagiingyyourrbosss mayy sooundd unnusuual or susspicciouus. Beccausse oof tthe traadittionnal topp-doown empphassis in mosst oorgaanizzatiionss, iit iis nnot obvviouus wwhy youu neeed to mannagee reelattionnshiips upwwardd - unnlesss, of couurse

7、e, yyou wouuld do so forr peersoonall orr poolitticaal rreassonss. BBut we aree noot rrefeerriing to pollitiicall maaneuuverringg orr too appplee poolisshinng. We aree ussingg thhe ttermm too meean thee prroceess of connsciioussly worrkinng wwithh yoour supperiior to obttainn thhe bbestt poossiiblee

8、 reesullts forr yoou, youurbooss, annd tthe commpanny.Receent stuudiees ssugggestt thhat efffecttivee maanaggerss taake timme aand efffortt too maanagge nnot onlly rrelaatioonshhipss wiith theeir subborddinaatess buut aalsoo thhosee wiith theeir bosssess. TThesse sstuddiess allso shoow tthatt thhis

9、esssenttiall asspecct oof mmanaagemmentt iss soomettimees iignooredd byy ottherrwisse ttaleenteed aand agggresssivve mmanaagerrs. Inddeedd, ssomee maanaggerss whho aactiivelly aand efffecttiveely suppervvisee suuborrdinnatees, prooduccts, maarkeets, annd ttechhnollogiies asssumee ann allmosst ppasss

10、iveely reaactiive staancee viis-viis ttheiir bbossses. Suuch a sstannce almmostt allwayys hhurtts tthemm annd ttheiir ccomppaniies.If yyou douubt thee immporrtannce of mannagiingyyourr reelattionnshiip wwithh yoourbbosss orr hoow ddiffficuult it is to do so efffecttiveely, coonsiiderr foor aa moomen

11、nt tthe folllowwingg saad bbut telllinng sstorry:Frannk GGibbbonss waas aan aacknnowlledgged mannufaactuurinng ggeniius in hiss inndusstryy annd, by anyy prrofiitabbiliity staandaard, a verry eeffeectiive exeecuttivee. IIn 119733, hhis strrenggthss prropeelleed hhim intto tthe possitiion of vicce pp

12、ressideent of mannufaactuurinng ffor thee seeconnd llarggestt annd mmostt prrofiitabble commpanny iin iits inddusttry. Giibboons wass noot, howweveer, a ggoodd maanagger of peooplee. HHe kkneww thhis, ass diid ootheers in hiss coompaany andd hiis iinduustrry. Reccognniziing thiis wweakknesss, thee p

13、rresiidennt mmadee suure thaat tthosse wwho repportted to Gibbbonns wweree goood at worrkinng wwithh peeoplle aand couuld commpennsatte ffor hiss liimittatiionss. TThe arrranggemeent worrkedd weell.In 119755, PPhillip Bonnnevvie wass prromootedd innto a pposiitioon rrepoortiing to Gibbbonns. In keee

14、pinng wwithh thhe pprevviouus ppattternn, tthe preesiddentt seelecctedd Boonneeviee beecauuse he hadd ann exxcelllennt ttracck rrecoord andd a repputaatioon ffor beiing goood wwithh peeoplle. In makkingg thhat sellecttionn, hhoweeverr, tthe preesiddentt neegleecteed tto nnotiice thaat, in hiss raapi

15、dd riise thrrouggh tthe orgganiizattionn, BBonnneviie hhad alwwayss haad ggoodd-too-exxcelllennt bbossses. Hee haad nneveer bbeenn foorceed tto mmanaage a rrelaatioonshhip witth aa diiffiicullt bbosss. IIn rretrrosppectt, BBonnneviie aadmiits he hadd neeverr thhougght thaat mmanaaginng hhis bosss ww

16、as a ppartt off hiis jjob.Fourrteeen mmontths aftter he staarteed wworkkingg foor GGibbbonss, BBonnneviie wwas firred. Duurinng tthatt saame quaarteer, thee coompaany repportted a nnet losss ffor thee fiirstt tiime in sevven yeaars. Maany of thoose whoo weere cloose to theese eveentss saay tthatt th

17、hey donnt reaallyy unnderrstaand whaat hhapppeneed. Thiis mmuchh iss knnownn, hhoweeverr: WWhille tthe commpanny wwas briingiing outt a majjor neww prroduuct - a pproccesss thhat reqquirred salles, ennginneerringg, aand mannufaactuurinng ggrouups to cooordiinatte ddeciisioons verry ccareefullly - a

18、wwholle sseriies of missunddersstanndinngs andd baad ffeellinggs ddeveelopped bettweeen GGibbbonss annd BBonnneviie.For exaamplle, Bonnnevvie claaimss Giibboons wass awwaree off annd hhad accceptted Bonnnevvies ddeciisioon tto uuse a nnew typpe oof mmachhineery to makke tthe neww prroduuct; Giibboon

19、s sweearss hee diid nnot. Fuurthhermmoree, GGibbbonss cllaimms hhe mmadee itt cllearr too Boonneeviee thhat thee inntrooducctioon oof tthe prooducct wwas tooo immporrtannt tto tthe commpanny iin tthe shoort runn too taake anyy maajorr riiskss.As aa reesullt oof ssuchh miisunnderrstaandiingss, pplann

20、ninng wwentt awwry: A neww maanuffactturiing plaant wass buuiltt thhat couuld nott prroduuce thee neew pprodductt deesiggnedd byy ennginneerringg, iin tthe vollumee deesirred by salles, att a cosst aagreeed on by thee exxecuutivve ccommmitttee. Giibboons blaamedd Boonneeviee foor tthe misstakke. Bon

21、nnevvie blaamedd Giibboons.Of ccourrse, onne ccoulld aarguue tthatt thhe pprobblemm heere wass caauseed bby GGibbbonsss inaabillityy too maanagge hhis subborddinaatess. BBut onee caan mmakee juust as strrongg a casse tthatt thhe pprobblemm waas rrelaatedd too Boonneeviees inaabillityy too maanagge h

22、his bosss. Remmembber, Giibboons wass noot hhaviing diffficcultty wwithh anny ootheer ssuboordiinattes. Mooreooverr, ggiveen tthe perrsonnal priice paiid bby BBonnneviie (beiing firred andd haavinng hhis repputaatioon wwithhin thee inndusstryy seeverrelyy taarniisheed), thheree waas llitttle connsol

23、latiion in sayyingg thhe pprobblemm waas tthatt Giibboons wass pooor at mannagiing subborddinaatess. EEverryonne aalreeadyy knnew thaat.We bbeliievee thhat thee siituaatioon ccoulld hhavee tuurneed oout diffferrenttly hadd Boonneeviee beeen morre aadeppt aat uundeersttanddingg Giibboons andd att maa

24、naggingg hiis rrelaatioonshhip witth hhim. Inn thhis casse, an inaabillityy too maanagge uupwaard wass unnusuuallly ccosttly. Thhe ccomppanyy loost $2 milllioon tto $5 mmilllionn, aand Bonnnevvies ccareeer wass, aat lleasst ttempporaarilly, dissrupptedd. MManyy leess cosstlyy caasess siimillar to th

25、iis pprobbablly ooccuur rreguularrly in alll maajorr coorpoorattionns, andd thhe ccumuulattivee efffecct ccan be verry ddesttrucctivve.Misrreaddingg thhe BBosss-Suuborrdinnatee Reelattionnshiip Peopple oftten dissmisss sstorriess liike thee onne wwe jjustt reelatted as beiing merrelyy caasess off pe

26、ersoonallityy coonfllictt. BBecaausee twwo ppeopple cann onn occcassionn bee pssychholoogiccallly oor ttempperaamenntallly inccapaablee off woorkiing toggethher, thhis cann bee ann appt ddesccripptioon. Butt moore oftten, wee haave fouund, a perrsonnaliity connfliict is onlly aa paart of thee prrobl

27、lem - sommetiimess a verry ssmalll ppartt.Bonnneviie ddid nott juust havve aa diiffeerennt pperssonaalitty ffromm Giibboons, hee allso madde oor hhad unrreallisttic asssumpptioons andd exxpecctattionns aabouut tthe verry nnatuure of bosss-ssuboordiinatte rrelaatioonshhipss. SSpeccifiicallly, hee dii

28、d nnot reccognnizee thhat hiss reelattionnshiip tto GGibbbonss innvollvedd muutuaal ddepeendeencee beetweeen twoo faalliiblee huumann beeinggs. Falllinng tto rrecoogniize thiis, a mmanaagerr tyypiccallly eeithher avooidss trryinng tto mmanaage hiss orr heer rrelaatioonshhip witth aa booss or mannage

29、es iit iinefffecctivvelyy.Somee peeoplle bbehaave as if theeir bosssess weere nott veery deppenddentt onn thhem. Thhey faiil tto ssee howw muuch thee booss neeeds theeir hellp aand coooperratiion to do hiss orr heer jjob efffecttiveely. Thhesee peeoplle rrefuuse to ackknowwleddge thaat tthe bosss cc

30、an be sevvereely hurrt bby ttheiir aactiionss annd nneedds ccoopperaatioon, deppenddabiilitty, andd hoonessty froom tthemm.Somee peeoplle ssee theemseelvees aas nnot verry ddepeendeent on theeir bosssess. TTheyy gllosss ovver howw muuch hellp aand infformmatiion theey nneedd frrom thee booss in ordd

31、er to perrforrm ttheiir oown jobbs wwelll. TThiss suuperrficciall viiew is parrticculaarlyy daamaggingg whhen a mmanaagerrs jobb annd ddeciisioons afffectt ottherr paartss off thhe oorgaanizzatiion, ass waas tthe casse iin BBonnneviiess siituaatioon. A mmanaagerrs immmediiatee booss cann pllay a ccr

32、itticaal rrolee inn liinkiing thee maanagger to thee reest of thee orrgannizaatioon, makkingg suure thee maanaggers pprioorittiess arre cconssisttentt wiith orgganiizattionnal neeeds, annd iin ssecuurinng tthe ressourrcess thhe mmanaagerr neeedss too peerfoorm welll. Yett soome mannageers neeed tto

33、ssee theemseelvees aas ppraccticcallly sselff-suuffiicieent, ass noot nneeddingg thhe ccritticaal iinfoormaatioon aand ressourrcess a bosss ccan suppplyy.Manyy maanaggerss, llikee Boonneeviee, aassuume thaat tthe bosss wwilll maagiccallly kknoww whhat infformmatiion or hellp ttheiir ssuboordiinattes

34、 neeed aand proovidde iit tto tthemm. CCerttainnly, soome bosssess doo ann exxcelllennt jjob of carringg foor ttheiir ssuboordiinattes in thiis wway, buut ffor a mmanaagerr too exxpecct tthatt frrom alll boossees iis ddanggeroouslly uunreealiistiic. A mmoree reeasoonabble exppecttatiion forr maanagg

35、erss too haave is thaat mmodeest hellp wwilll bee foorthhcommingg. AAfteer aall, boossees aare onlly hhumaan. Mosst rreallly efffecttivee maanaggerss accceppt tthiss faact andd asssumme pprimmaryy reespoonsiibillityy foor ttheiir oown carreerrs aand devveloopmeent. Thhey makke aa poointt off seeekii

36、ng thee innforrmattionn annd hhelpp thhey neeed tto ddo aa joob iinstteadd off waaitiing forr thheirr boossees tto pprovvidee itt.In llighht oof tthe forregooingg, iit sseemms tto uus tthatt maanaggingg a sittuattionn off muutuaal ddepeendeencee ammongg faalliiblee huumann beeinggs rrequuirees tthe

37、folllowwingg:You havve aa goood unddersstanndinng oof tthe othher perrsonn annd yyourrsellf, esppeciiallly rregaardiing strrenggthss, wweakknesssess, wworkk sttylees, andd neeedss. You usee thhis infformmatiion to devveloop aand mannagee a heaalthhy wworkkingg reelattionnshiip - oone thaat iis ccomp

38、patiiblee wiith botth ppeopples wworkk sttylees aand asssetss, iis ccharractteriizedd byy muutuaal eexpeectaatioons, annd mmeetts tthe mosst ccritticaal nneedds oof tthe othher perrsonn. Thiss coombiinattionn iss esssenntiaallyy whhat we havve ffounnd hhighhly efffecttivee maanaggerss dooingg.Undeer

39、sttanddingg thhe BBosssManaaginngyoourbbosss reequiiress thhat youu gaain an unddersstanndinng oof tthe bosss aand hiss orr heer cconttextt, aas wwelll ass yoour ownn siituaatioon. Alll maanaggerss doo thhis to somme ddegrree, buut mmanyy arre nnot thoorouugh enooughh.At aa miinimmum, yoou nneedd to

40、o apppreeciaate youurboosss ggoalls aand preessuuress, hhis or herr sttrenngthhs aand weaakneessees. Whaat aare youurboosss oorgaanizzatiionaal aand perrsonnal objjecttivees, andd whhat aree hiis oor hher preessuuress, eespeeciaallyy thhosee frrom hiss orr heer oown bosss aand othherss att thhe ssam

41、ee leevell? WWhatt arre yyourrbosssss loong suiits andd bllindd sppotss? WWhatt iss thhe pprefferrred styyle of worrkinng? Doees yyourrbosss llikee too geet iinfoormaatioon tthrooughh meemoss, fformmal meeetinngs, orr phhonee caallss? DDoess hee orr shhe tthriive on connfliict or tryy too miinimmize

42、e itt? WWithhoutt thhis infformmatiion, a mannageer iis fflyiing bliind wheen ddeallingg wiith thee booss, annd uunneecesssarry cconffliccts, miisunnderrstaandiingss, aand proobleems aree inneviitabble.In oone sittuattionn wee sttudiied, a toppnottch marrkettingg maanagger witth aa suuperriorr peerf

43、oormaancee reecorrd wwas hirred intto aa coompaany as a vvicee prresiidennt to strraigghteen oout thee maarkeetinng aand salles proobleems. TThe commpanny, whiich wass haavinng ffinaanciial diffficculttiess, hhad reccenttly beeen aacquuireed bby aa laargeer ccorpporaatioon. Thee prresiidennt wwas ea

44、gger to turrn iit aarouund andd gaave thee neew mmarkketiing vicce ppressideent freee rreinn - att leeastt innitiiallly. Bassed on hiss prreviiouss exxperriennce, thhe nnew vicce ppressideent corrrecctlyy diiagnnoseed tthatt grreatter marrkett shharee waas nneedded forr thhe ccomppanyy annd tthatt s

45、ttronng pprodductt maanaggemeent wass reequiiredd too brringg thhat aboout. Foolloowinng tthatt loogicc, hhe mmadee a nummberr off prriciing deccisiionss aiimedd att inncreeasiing higgh-vvoluume bussineess.Whenn maargiins decclinned andd thhe ffinaanciial sittuattionn diid nnot impprovve, howweveer,

46、 thee prresiidennt iincrreassed preessuure on thee neew vvicee prresiidennt. Bellievvingg thhat thee siituaatioon wwoulld eevenntuaallyy coorreect itsselff ass thhe ccomppanyy gaaineed bbackk maarkeet ssharre, thee viice preesiddentt reesisstedd thhe ppresssurre.Whenn byy thhe ssecoond quaarteer, ma

47、rrginns aand proofitts hhad stiill faiiledd too immproove, thhe ppressideent toook ddireect conntrool ooverr alll ppriccingg deecissionns aand putt alll iitemms oon aa seet lleveel oof mmarggin, reegarrdleess of vollumee. TThe neww viice preesiddentt beegann too fiind himmsellf sshutt ouut bby tthe

48、preesiddentt, aand theeir rellatiionsshipp deeterriorrateed. In facct, thee viice preesiddentt fooundd thhe ppressideents bbehaavioor bbizaarree. UUnfoortuunattelyy, tthe preesiddentts neww prriciing schhemee allso faiiledd too inncreeasee maargiins, annd bby tthe fouurthh quuartter, booth thee prre

49、siidennt aand thee viice preesiddentt weere firred.Whatt thhe nnew vicce ppressideent hadd noot kknowwn uuntiil iit wwas tooo laate wass thhat impprovvingg maarkeetinng aand salles hadd beeen onlly oone of thee prresiidenntss gooalss. HHis mosst iimmeediaate goaal hhad beeen tto mmakee thhe ccomppan

50、yy moore proofittablle - qquiccklyy.Nor hadd thhe nnew vicce ppressideent knoown thaat hhis bosss wwas invvestted in thiis sshorrt-ttermm prriorrityy foor pperssonaal aas wwelll ass buusinnesss reeasoons. Thhe ppressideent hadd beeen a sstroong advvocaate of thee accquiisittionn wiithiin tthe parren

51、tt coompaany, annd hhis perrsonnal creedibbiliity wass att sttakee.The vicce ppressideent madde tthreee bbasiic eerroors. Hee toook infformmatiion supppliied to himm att faace vallue, hee maade asssumpptioons in areeas wheere he hadd noo innforrmattionn, aand - whaat wwas mosst ddamaaginng - hhe nne

52、veer aactiivelly ttrieed tto cclarrifyy whhat hiss boosss oobjeectiivess weere. Ass a ressultt, hhe eendeed uup ttakiing acttionns tthatt weere acttuallly at oddds wwithh thhe ppressideents pprioorittiess annd oobjeectiivess.Manaagerrs wwho worrk eeffeectiivelly wwithh thheirr boossees ddo nnot behh

53、avee thhis wayy. TTheyy seeek outt innforrmattionn abboutt thhe bbossss goaals andd prrobllemss annd ppresssurres. Thhey aree allertt foor ooppoortuunittiess too quuesttionn thhe bbosss annd ootheers arooundd hiim oor hher to tesst ttheiir aassuumpttionns. Theey ppay atttenttionn too clluess inn thh

54、e bbossss behhaviior. Allthooughh itt iss immperratiive thaat ttheyy doo thhis esppeciiallly wwhenn thhey beggin worrkinng wwithh a neww booss, efffecctivve mmanaagerrs aalsoo doo thhis on an onggoinng bbasiis bbecaausee thhey reccognnizee thhat priioriitiees aand conncerrns chaangee.Beinng ssenssit

55、iive to a bbossss worrk sstylle ccan be cruuciaal, esppeciiallly wwhenn thhe bbosss iss neew. Forr exxampple, a neww prresiidennt wwho wass orrgannizeed aand forrmall inn hiis aapprroacch rrepllaceed aa maan wwho wass innforrmall annd iintuuitiive. Thhe nnew preesiddentt woorkeed bbestt whhen he had

56、d wrrittten repportts. He alsso pprefferrred forrmall meeetiingss wiith sett aggenddas.One of hiss diivissionn maanaggerss reealiizedd thhis neeed aand worrkedd wiith thee neew ppressideent to ideentiify thee kiindss annd ffreqquenncy of infformmatiion andd reeporrts thaat tthe preesiddentt waanteed

57、. Thiis mmanaagerr allso madde aa poointt off seendiing bacckgrrounnd iinfoormaatioon aand briief ageendaas aaheaad oof ttimee foor ttheiir ddisccusssionns. He fouund thaat wwithh thhis typpe oof pprepparaatioon ttheiir mmeettinggs wweree veery useefull. AAnottherr innterresttingg reesullt wwas, hee

58、 fooundd thhat witth aadeqquatte pprepparaatioon hhis neww booss wass evven morre eeffeectiive at braainsstorrminng pprobblemms tthann hiis mmoree innforrmall annd iintuuitiive preedeccesssor hadd beeen.In cconttrasst, anootheer ddiviisioon mmanaagerr neeverr fuullyy unnderrstoood howw thhe nnew bos

59、ssss woork styyle diffferred froom tthatt off hiis ppreddeceessoor. To thee deegreee tthatt hee diid ssensse iit, he expperiiencced it as tooo muuch conntrool. As a rresuult, hee seeldoom ssentt thhe nnew preesiddentt thhe bbackkgrooundd innforrmattionn hee neeedeed, andd thhe ppressideent nevver fe

60、llt ffullly ppreppareed ffor meeetinngs witth tthe mannageer. In facct, thee prresiidennt sspennt mmuchh off thhe ttimee whhen theey mmet tryyingg too geet iinfoormaatioon tthatt hee feelt he shoouldd haave hadd eaarliier. Thhe bbosss exxperrienncedd thhesee meeetiingss ass frrusttrattingg annd iine