The purpose here is to show how much of what is learned of the principles and practice of management come together. The key issues to recognise are:
the unpredictability of much of the workload of managers
the need to bring expertise to bear on a wide variety of different situations
the ability just to take a moment to think things through before choosing a course of action
that as so much of management is about achieving things through and for people, it is essential to have the interpersonal skills and understanding necessary to get things done with the minimum of fuss.
The other factors covered in this chapter are all directly concerned with managing on a daily basis; and these are:
the need to promote and develop the attitudes and values that you want to have in the place of work; and this is reinforced by the need for interpersonal skills, thoughtfulness, addressing a wide variety of different situations as above;
managing by walking about and being visible as often as possible; and this is because everything is addressed more fully and effectively face to face than through email or other correspondence;
attending on a continuous basis to performance and its management; and again recognising that visibility is likely to mean that performance issues are more likely to be picked up if management is visible and involved.
Out of all this arises the questions of control and direction; and this is as much about how to control things as what to control. Certainly there is a balance to be struck between remaining actively involved, without getting in the way of progress.
