The impossible dream

Now, let’s go back to our Chapter 1, to the summary of what a manager should do, and classify each task in (PAEI) terms. It should become clear that what is expected from ideal managers, executives, leaders, is to be (PAEI)s and since the roles are incompatible, at a point in time, that can not happen, or it will be extremely rare to happen.

The ideal manager is knowledgeable and achievement-oriented, (P); detail-oriented, (A); systematic and efficiency-oriented, (A); organized, a logical and linear thinker, (A); charismatic, visionary, a risk-taker, and change-oriented, (E); and sensitive to people and their needs, (I).

He can integrate all the necessary people to achieve goals successfully, (I). He knows how to build a team while making himself dispensable, (I). He judges himself by how well his group performs; by how well, together and individually, the group members achieve their goals, and by how well he facilitates the achievement of those goals, (IP).

He listens carefully, not only to what is being said but also to what is not being said, (I). He understands the need to change, (E), but introduces change cautiously and selectively, (A). He is able to identify leadership potential among his staff and is not afraid to hire and promote bright, challenging subordinates, (I).

He doesn’t complain when things go wrong, but offers constructive criticism instead, (I). His subordinates are not afraid to report failures; they know that he will be reasonable and supportive, (I). He encourages creativity, (E), and looks for support, (I), in decisionmaking. He is charismatic, (E), capable of motivating others to work hard to achieve the goals of the organization, (IP). He can delegate. (To delegate, one transfers the (P) role to someone else.) He trains his subordinates systematically, (A). He resolves conflicts diplomatically, respecting people’s expectations and ambitions and appealing to their social consciences, (I). He shares information instead of monopolizing it and using it to gain power, (I).

He is driven by a strong code of values, (I). He is analytical and action-oriented, (P); sensitive without being overly emotional (I). He seeks results, (P), but never by sacrificing the process, (A). He systematically develops markets, production facilities, finances, and human resources for the organization, (E).

What else does management involve? According to the dictionary definitions we examined earlier, “to manage” means to: Operate, (PA); organize, (A) or (pAei); rule, (A) or (pAei); control, (A) or (pAei); achieve goals (Paei); and lead, which could be any of these three combinations: (PaeI), (pAeI), or (paEI). (See Chapter 11 for more detail on the qualities of leadership.)

Finally, he must be able to plan. This requires having specific results in mind, (P); having a vision for the future, (E); paying attention to the details of implementation, (A); and gathering support from those who will perform implementation, (I). Thus, this one task alone requires all four roles.

He must be able to control, (A) – but here, again, the control must be in the service of facilitating a result, (P), without losing flexibility, (E); and it must be generally supported by the people to be effective, (I).

When you add it all together, what do you get? A (PAEI) – and that is too much to ask for. That is why neither you nor I nor any of the gurus who teach and preach management can actually be the ideal managers they claim they can create.

What should we do, then? Does this mean that every company and organization, by definition, will be mismanaged?

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Now that we have defined management, and why the ideal executive does not and can not exist, and described the styles of normal managers with strengths and weaknesses, we should proceed to describe mismanagement styles that should be avoided, and then we will be ready to prescribe what good management is and how it works.