i'm sad and frustrated....but most of all, i'm disappointed at myself.

let's talk about Management.

i'm studying it, i've examed for the first module....and i found out that i liked it more that i expected to.

why?

because it's application is direct, and it's results-immediate.

once you see a management fail, the results it it is not only immediate, but widespread as well. wanna know why? because management is essentially, managing people's hearts and minds. to put it bluntly - manipulating, so that the strengths of the group can be fully utilised.

and the cycle of it is = planning-output-feeback and planning agian.

if you get feedback first, that's not so good...and that's perhaps the nightmare of a manager. if you're in the output process and you get feedback, it means something is really wrong.

i won't go into detail what are the theories, tools and indicators in management.

but i will go into what i observed.

when you see people lose interest in your organisation - it's time to wake up.

and all the alarm bells, in your thick skull should ring LOUD.....("you" is used generally here)

take for example my mum. her boss isn't really experienced in managing people. he has like 9 deparments under him. that, is like too many already? FInance, logistics, freight etc etc etc....the management tree is wrong.

and the outcome?

due to the boss's own "welfare of the people first" nature, he pushed alot of those jobs to only a few people. so many times, it's like a lopsided pyramid. with my mum one of his "victims". this resulted from simply - there was a few managers under him who couldn't perform, aren't responsible, and similarly to his "welfare first" nature. so when the higher management pushed the Boss, he is under pressure.

yet due to his welfare nature, he couldn't touch those "un-productive" managers because he's somewhat "soft-hearted". what does he do?

and the answer isssssssss.........

he pushed all the jobs to the people whom he thinks "can take it" like my mum.

i'm very much like my mum in some ways. we see very far....can anticipate and will plan for the future. one very good result of that is my home finance. my paren'ts don't earn much, but with careful FUTURE planning, everything worked out fine.

but that aside....after my mum brought up this situation to the Boss, he turned her down and said if she didn't want to help him, then she shouldn't come and complain.

yes, the exact words werre complain.

so, let's visit the word feedback and complain.

what's the thin line that seperates those 2?

perhaps it's the tone used.

that's why i'm trying so hard to be civilised here.

because to tell you the truth, i'm almost up to my limit with tolerance. i can tolerate alot....but sometimes, i just needa breath you know?

perhaps you're inexperienced like the Boss, perhaps you think of others in their welfare first.

yes - that's good. in fact, it's very rare for leaders and presidents to think that way. (just recall the recent wars. does any president give a damn that men are going to die in a war?)

but sometimes, as they say - let nature takes its course. if there are un-happiness because there are too many things to do, then let's cut back. do you think it's better than having no direction? i don't know....somehow i way of doing things is just tell people...ALL OF THEM, where i'm heading, who do i need to steer the ship with me and what we all have to do to achieve it. it only takes 15 bloody minutes. and you save 15 hours of sleep.

just test them, instead of protecting them.

you said people will call me a control freak. i don't deny, but that is only i see joy and comfort in the motivation i'm capable to give to my members through the endless projects.

it's like going to cambodia, building endless roads (actually, it's only 1km) and teaching kids is tiring, taxing, and often frustrating. but we're smiling all the way through. it's those activities that bond this small band of YjC adverturers together.

it's not small talk that does the job

it's not being funny that does the job

it's not anything but simply - having a task to do, and as a member able to do it well. that's what does the job.

but most importantly, you cannot lead, if you're their friends.

i choose to be their leader. because ultimately, i'm their friend to the end.

why can't we be their friends. because if we're their friends, we don't take into consideration the urgency and unforgiveness of time and reality of the situation. once you're in the comfort zone with friends, you tend to slip your guard as well as your drive. because you know your friends will be with you.

but that is not how it works, because reality is unforgiving. i guess we already know that. (teachers are minature figures of reality)

this is my idea of irony in leadership - how to balance that scale between a friend and a "control freak".

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don't you think we've been incubating for too long? when promos ended, my heart wasn't even in it already, but with the thought of the xmas concert coming up, and the endless preparations and practices don't turn me off. rather, it's the opposite, because i know i can contribute.

When a person feels that he/she is important or can contribute. that itself is the best satisfaction one can give to another - as a friend and as a leader.

because right now, ,some are losing heart. i cannot gurantee how many more will follow suit.

it's proven over time, that a welfare state doesn't work. are we going to prove, that welfare leadership doesn't work too?

maybe you might say the opposite. perhaps you're already boiling in anger. this is not betrayal...i just want us to keep the promise we made together. because if nothing is going to be done....i'm afraid i'll have to break it(the promise) first. and seriously.... i won't gurantee what i'll do in order to achieve what i want...then i'll really turn into a control freak

sometimes people say.....but who's really talking? the member or the leader?