MY TEN MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES

Based on Forty Challenging and Rewarding Years at UCLA

JACK POWAZEK UCLA ADMNISTRATIVE VICE CHANCELLOR 2014 ABOG Conference, Los Angeles, CA

KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING

CLARITY OF DEPARTMENT’S DIRECTION

Namely:



Mission



Goals



Objectives

OBJECTIVES TEND TO LOSE THEIR VIBRANCY: 

When was the last time you thought about your objectives in context of a project?



When was the last time you discussed your objectives among your work group?



Do you update your objectives throughout the year?



Do you abandon your objectives after the first crisis?

THE STAFFING FUNCTION IS TRULY POWERFUL

“Organizational problems are a geometric expansion of errors made during the selection process.” - Peter Drucker

PRESSURE TO FILL THE POSITION 

Immense backlog of work



You may be performing a portion of unfilled position’s duties



Your boss has threatened you with unspeakable horrors if you do not fill the position

WHEN UNDER PRESSURE … 

Do not settle for a mediocre employee



If you do, then you will reap the consequences

STAFFING IS MORE THAN HIRING 

Do you view employees as:

–

An expense?

or

–

A resource?

LEADERSHIP STYLE BASED ON FORCES

1.

Manager 2.

Subordinates 3.

Situation

CONTINUUM OF LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR

BOSS CENTERED LEADERSHIP SUBORDINATE CENTERED LEADERSHIP Use of Authority by the Manager Area of Freedom for Subordinates MANAGER MAKES DECISION MANAGER PRESENTS TENTATIVE DECISION SUBORDINATES FUNCTION WITHIN LIMITS SET BY MGR

Reprint by UCLA Institute of Industrial Relations, “How to Choose A Leadership Pattern, “ Tannenbaum & Schmidt

FORCES IN THE MANAGER 

Views on employee involvement in decision making



Confidence in subordinates



Comfort level for locations on the leadership continuum



Tolerance for ambiguity

FORCES WITHIN YOUR SUBORDINATES 

Knowledge & experience



Readiness to assume decision making



Tolerance for ambiguity & risk



Need/desire for independence

FORCES WITHIN THE SITUATION 

Effectiveness of work group



Values & traditions of the unit



Type of problems, projects or issues



Level of urgency-timeframe

LEADERS/MANAGERS DO NOT HAVE TO DEVELOP A GREAT IDEA

But they do have to recognize one, then protect the idea, and nurture the idea.

NEWTON’S FIRST LAW OF MOTION

(A Paraphrase)

An object in motion tends to stay in motion.

An object at rest tends to stay at rest.

DEFYING A LAW OF MOTION 

Re-booting a department

–

You are not going to do it yourself

–

Start with your supervisors

>

Motivate

>

Right Place

>

Replace

– – –

Identify & prioritize your blockages/challenges Develop new initiatives & strengthen current ones Be mindful of the leadership continuum

MISTAKES HAPPEN

To paraphrase John Wooden: I would rather have players who make mistakes of commission versus those of omission.

ERRORS OF COMMISSION AS IT APPLIES TO MANAGEMENT 

Manager attempts something brand new; risky; venturing into unknown



Seizing the moment or opportunity



Results less than satisfactory

ERRORS OF OMISSION AS IT APPLIES TO MANAGEMENT 

Forgoing risk



Not attempting new processes/procedures



Shying away from improvement due to unknown consequences



Missing opportunities

COMMISSION vs. OMISSION 

You learn more from errors of commission



You learn less from errors of omission and they tend to be more readily repeated



Managing effectively is not possible, if zero risk is your mantra

THOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF YOUR COLLEAGUES

PARTICULARLY, OUTSIDE OF THE FAMILY ORGANIZATION.

A DOWNWARD SPIRAL… 

A bickering department loses credibility



A department without credibility is bound for low productivity



A department with low productivity ultimately may lose its management team

PROBLEM DEFINITION IS CRITICAL IN PROBLEM SOLVING.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO FALL INTO THE ABYSS:

“The Solution In Search Of The Problem”

WHY DO WE LOOK BACKWARDS TOWARD THE PROBLEM DEFINITION?



Time pressure – need for a quick response



Person(s) of authority or consequence “suggest or provide” a solution



Incomplete or conflicting information



Managers tend to get rewarded for solving problems, not defining them

POTENTIAL MITIGATION MEASURES 

Slow down process – attempt a time extension



Acknowledge proposed solution will be highly considered

and

Suggest other potential alternatives will be examined



Acquire most essential data

–

Realize complete data is rarely achieved



Managers do get rewarded for solving problems

–

Learn to live with it

CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES WISELY

or “Is This The Ditch That I Am Going To Die In?”

THOUGHTS TO PONDER 

Not everything is important



Continuously using a winner take all strategy

–

Ultimately, results in the organization getting even with you

–

Your backstop or support may not be here tomorrow

WHEN DO YOU CHALLENGE STATUS QUO; COLLEAGUES; SUPERVISORS?

ASK YOURSELF:



What are the consequences, if you do not challenge?



Is the timing right?



What is the problem?



What is your long-term strategy?

AS A MANAGER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE SMART , BUT IT IS MORE CRITICAL TO BE WISE.

WISDOM IS MORE CLEARLY VIEWED THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR

WISE DECISIONS TYPICALLY INVOLVE:



Incorporating long-term view



Developing a nuanced response



Making difficult decisions

IN CONCLUSION

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT ARE HARD WORK, BUT REWARDING.

YOU ARE TO BE COMMENDED FOR ASSUMING THESE RESPONSIBILITIES.