Author: Shaun Coffey

Shaun Coffey is interested in future making and institutional building. He is an agricultural scientist who tries to integrate fragmented and sector-specific technical and scientific knowledge to address the wicked problems that characterise the real world.
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Management through Meaning

“Total self-absorption or lack of empathy” and “lousy interpersonal skills” are the least desirable behaviours of leaders.”

The management of meaning is central to leading organisations in the current climate of discontinuous change (Limerick and Cunnington, 1993:224-225). Managers should have very meaningful objectives but if these are not communicated little will be realised. The ability to translate visions into meaningful actions or attitudes for followers through a mastering of communication is inseparable from effective leadership (Peters and Waterman, 1982:67-73). Vision plus communication results in shared purpose (Nanus, 1992:156).

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Thoughts On Thursday…learning is work

“The ability to learn from experience in the present — from moments, not models — is what is needed when the past has become a hindrance and the future is unclear.“ p.49

This week I was alerted to this paper by Gianpiero Petriglieri.  It’s attraction is a reminder that whilst we often voice the need to learn at work, we often leave that as an aspiration.  To turn aspiration to action we need to create the time and space for learning to occur.  It must a a conscious process.

“There is freedom that comes with transformative learning. If you can notice, voice, interpret, and own your experience, you can also begin to imagine how to change it.” p.50

 Gianpiero Petriglieri (2020) Learning for a Living. Learning at work is work, and we must make space for it.  MIT Sloan Management Review Vol. 61, No. 2 • Reprint #61209 • https://mitsmr.com/358yEht

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What wastes a manager’s time?

  • lack of self-discipline
  • lack of plans
  • crisis management
  • ineffectual delegation
  • procrastination
  • inability to say no
  • attempting too much
  • personal disorganisation
  • drop-in visitors
  • telephone interruptions
  • lack of self-discipline

All are controllable: so why be out of control?