Differences between a manager and a non-manager
Differences between a manager and a non-manager
When you take a long time, you’re slow.
When your manager takes a long time, he’s thorough.
When you don’t do it, you’re lazy.
When your manager doesn’t do it, he’s too busy.
When you make a mistake, you’re an idiot.
When your manager makes a mistake, he’s only human.
When doing something without being told, you’re overstepping your authority.
When your manager does the same thing, that’s initiative.
When you take a stand, you’re being bull-headed.
When your manager does it, he’s being firm.
When you overlooked a rule of etiquette, you’re being rude.
When your manager skips a few rules, he’s being original.
When you please your manager, you’re apple polishing.
When your manager pleases his manager, he’s being co-operative.
When you’re out of the office, you’re wandering around.
When your manager is out of the office, he’s on business.
When you’re on a day off sick, you’re always sick.
When your manager is a day off sick, he must be very ill.
When you apply for leave, you must be going for an interview.
When your manager applies for leave, it’s because he’s overworked.
Boat Race
Boat Race
The Americans and the Japanese decided to engage in a competitive boat race. Both teams practiced hard and long to reach their peak performance. On the big day they felt ready.
The Japanese won by a mile. Afterward, the American team was discouraged by the loss. Morale sagged. Corporate management decided that the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found, so a consulting firm was hired to investigate the problem and recommended corrective action.
The consultant’s finding: The Japanese team had eight people rowing and one person steering; the American team had one person rowing and eight people steering.
After a year of study and millions spent analyzing the problem, the consultant firm concluded that too many people were steering and not enough were rowing on the American team.
So as race day neared again the following year, the American team’s management structure was completely reorganized. The new structure: four steering managers, three area steering managers and a new performance review system for the person rowing the boat to provide work incentive.
The next year, the Japanese won by two miles. Humiliated, the American corporation laid off the rower for poor performance and gave the managers a bonus for discovering the problem….
Sitting at the Top
Sitting at the Top
A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, “Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?” The crow answered: “Sure, why not.” So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Moral of the story is:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.