"Management Time: Who's Got the Monkey?"
Oncken and Wass
Management Time
May result in penaltys
Boss-imposed time
Annotations:
Used to accomplish those activities that the boss requires.
System-imposed time
Annotations:
Used to accommodate requests from peers for active support.
Won't result in penaltys
Self-imposed time
Subordinate-imposed time
(a) A subordinate's problem that the
manager knows enough to get involved
(b) A subordinate's problem that the manager
knows not enough to make on-the-spot decisions
It demands non existent time
from the manager
Should be minimized
Discretionary time
Should be increased
Where is the Monkey?
It jumps from subordinate's backs to yours
In accepting responsibility from subordinate
In assuming a position subordinate to
yours subordinate
The manager will feel guilty while
the subordinates feel frustrated
Annotations:
The reason the manager cannot make any of hese "next moves" is that his time is almost entirely eaten up by meeting his own boss-imposed and system-imposed requirements.
Getting Rid of the Monkeys
Figure out together how the next move
might be the subordinate's
You don't take the problem to yourself - you
determinate what the next move will be
Annotations:
"The instant your problem becomes mine, you no longer have a problem. I cannot help a person who hasn't got a problem".
Supervision
Discretionary time for the manager
Boss-imposed time for the subordinate
The monkeys may return: but only by
appointment
Transferring the Initiative
Clearly keep it with the subordinate
"The Anatomy of Managerial
Initiative"
Wait until told (lowest initiative)
Ask what to do
Recommend, then take resulting action
act, but advise at once
act on own, then routinely report (highest initiative)