Sense and Nonsense in the Office

Rule 1: Management is one of the most difficult jobs going, and is harder now than ever because the challenges are greater. Rule 2: Most people are bad at managing, some are very bad. Hardly anyone can do it well. Rule 3: Good managers need to be both hard and soft, decent and ruthless, good at the big picture and at the small detail. Rule 4: In view of the above, the market for management consultants, trainers, gurus, business schools and business books is expanding, apparently without limit. Rule 5: While most of the management help industry is of dubious value, managers do need the experience and advice of wise outsiders. But to follow that advice blindly - as many companies do - is, of course, idiotic. Rule 6: Any new management technique that comes with a catchphrase is suspect. It almost certainly will not suit the company in question, and even if it does, the management will probably fail to apply it properly. Rule 7: It is hard to teach a middle-aged dog new tricks. People who are rotten communicators do not become better by virtue of having been on a course, or having read a book. Improving and changing is a long, painful slog. Rule 8: People like security. They like to be told what to do. Empowerment and flat structures are over-rated. Rule 9: All work is tedious for much of the time. If everyone accepts this, then so much the better.