#Manager

by Winston Ash on #Manager

Learned Ethics

Aristotle wrote, “the works produced are by nature better things than the activities”.
 
For me: the work I do must be my best because that shows who I am. Not only the work but the way I complete it. My process and ability show through and there is no doubt to my competency. Self-doubt is the only negative. Yet I let it go once I take action.
 
Think with clarity. Act with purpose. My mind’s eye removed the veil that was covering my thoughts. With the veil gone I can see the patterns I missed before. The patterns show me the path. And I move. Fast, sudden action in the pursuit of my goal. I realize when I write down my actions and review what I’ve written, patterns emerge.
 

What Did I Discover?

 
Finance, budgeting, and planning are things I enjoy doing. The process of digging deep into the numbers brings back that childhood smile. The smile, all teeth, that feels the glow of solving a problem. Problem-solving is the ultimate pattern recognition. From nothing, I grasp a solution that fits – the mating of problem and solution. And, behold; it is glorious! To me, that is the basis of winning. Winning is the game.
 
The second part of that feeling is executing a well-laid plan. I remember football. Sweating buckets on the field during practice, to arrive on game day. Ready. Before every contest, the nerves start. What if I suck? What if I’m not good enough? What if I lose? And each time I find my truth. The outcome will be what it is; the amount of work I put in before will determine how ready I am. And no amount of second-guessing now will change that. To myself I say; get some, this is your time, this is your moment, and you worked your ass off for this. That’s enough to get me moving. Doubt never stood in my way, the self-talk is my motivation.
 
by Winston Ash on #Manager

Character Flaw

 
We spent the day going over our character traits. I learned a lot about the way people view my actions.
 
Being vocal with a group is not one of my strong suits. I am self-aware enough to know this. My comfort level reaches zero when I have to speak in front of a group unprepared. I’m not intimidated by the group; more likely, I am scared I will appear uneducated.
 

Should this be my reaction?

 
No, and to be honest I’m not happy about that. Fear driven by shame is not anything that I want to accept or embrace. My feelings spring from my thoughts, which need to change. Shame is an unacceptable feeling. In my book, shame rates low on the totem pole. It is not helpful. It doesn’t help me improve. And I don’t need it.
 

The Cure

 
Speak up. I know what I’m talking about. I’ve been doing this for years. And my record speaks for itself. The time passed for silence. My voice will sound loud and proud.
 
by Winston Ash on #Manager

Coach not player

Low standards: manifested as “good enough”

One of my biggest issues. And it’s not directed at me. It’s at my people. I hold myself to impeccable standards. But let my people off the hook.
Two issues I see.

First I let them stumble because I downgrade their capabilities until proven wrong.

Second it’s my tendency to help. Both stem from the same place.

And it all leads to a lower functioning team.

The fix: empowerment and failure.

Give them room to grow or fail. All I can do is coach, not do.

 
by Winston Ash on #Manager

Days Like Today

I started the day unmotivated. Hard to get out of bed. Not tired, bored. The day before I spent half the night doing business development.

It felt great. So, why the crappy feeling?

Exhaustion. No, serious. I’ve never put myself out there like that before.

Hustling. Trying to sell. Talking to strangers. It’s not something I do on the regular. I would rather stick objects in my eye. It’s fear of rejection that gets me.

My solution: math.

Or, quantify the risks. As always, it’s straightforward. I ask, “so, what?” What is the worst that happens if everyone I reach out to rejects me? I’m back to zero.

 Ok … not so bad. I’m already there. And, what if the opposite is true? People see what I’m doing and love it. They can’t get enough. Well, then I’m onto something. Bring it back around. I have a limited and known downside with an exponential upside. It’s a simple gamble. Take it. 

How do I move forward?

With the risks assessed and quantified, it’s easier. Guess what. I’m still not motivated. No amount of self-talk is going to make me want to work today. Great, now all that work was for nothing? Not so fast. Even though it’s a small win – the mental math. It is a win. So, i’m going to take it for what it’s worth. Tomorrow motivation will come.

Today, I force the work.

Professionals don’t take days off. Make it happen. Whether I want to or not. Tasks get checked. Lists completed. Work done. Move forward fast.

And that is how I win. Plan, Do, Check and Adjust. See issues develop and react.

Remind myself I only have one day and that’s today

 
by Winston Ash on #Manager, Business

Capture, Clarify, Organize

As a manager, this is my job. 

I realize to bring my business to the next level I need to do this work. 

Capture all inputs. Clarify what they mean for the business. Organize them by category. Then the crux of being an entrepreneur. Delegate the action. 

Ensure the work gets done. Put systems in place to follow-up and verify. Then, feed the beast. 

The CEO sets the course. The team handles the rest. Each role requires different skills. 

As business owner success is measured by increasing shareholder value. My goal in simple terms: do work, make money. 

Now, that I have an outcome set. I can see multiple paths. 

First project: 

Create flowchart of a typical client project. 

Stay Tuned …

The next #Manager post brings the flowchart.