LAW NO. 1 - NOTHING EVER GETS BETTER

This law is simply stated as the law of procrastination. Many people in responsible positions do, from time to time, run across what I call SITNA’s or Situations that Need Attention. The situations are usually people ones. A subordinate might not be doing the proper job. He or she needs coaching or guidance but is not receiving it and so continues to cause problems. The common approach to this situation is to procrastinate, to wait for awhile, hoping that the problem will solve itself over time.

This is where my first law comes in! Despite much wishful thinking, NOTHING EVER GETS BETTER by itself. Without attention and action the problem will stay a problem and often get worse over time. Many managerial careers have been ruined by failure to address problems as they arise.

LAW NO. 2 – HIGHER YOU GO, MORE YOU SHOW

This law is an important one for ambitious leaders who are intent on climbing the corporate ladder.

Simply stated, we live in a world of pyramid organizations and if you are at the top of the pyramid, you are very visible to the rest of the organization. Why is this important? Well you’ve heard about “walking the talk” and you know that the organization is very good at observing the gap between what the leaders say and what they actually do. So at the top of the pyramid, you have to make sure that there is no gap between what you say you want the organization to do and what you personally do.

LAW NO. 3 – HIGHER YOU GO, LESS YOU KNOW

As you rise up in the organization, your outlook changes from an operational perspective to a strategic one. You deal in the external world, always looking for opportunities, dealing with stakeholders, dealing with the public, regulators and key customers.

This view of the world has its benefits but it also has its downside. As you rise up through the ranks, it becomes harder and harder to relate to what’s happening on the shop floor. The layers of supervision between you and the bottom of the organization creates filters that prevent you from hearing directly about problems, morale, etc.

So, if you want to know what’s really going on in your organization, better get out there on a regular basis and do a lot of listening to the grassroots organization. They have a lot to say about how things ‘really work’ around the place, information that is very useful for you to know.

LAW NO. 4 – NEVER PICK A FIGHT WITH A PIG

This is a fun law to end the column. It is easily expressed as “never pick a fight with a pig”! Why? Well, in reality, all that will be accomplished is that you will get dirty and the pig will have a good time in the mud. This law is important because you want to ensure that when you are ready to take on someone, you need to analyze things very carefully, what you hope to accomplish and how will you be better off after the interaction.

David Bratton is a Certified Management Consultant and president of Bratton Consulting Inc. in London. He also represents Drake Beam Morin (DBM), one of Canada’s largest career counselling and outplacement firms. He can be contacted at (519) 679-2774 or by email: dbratton@brattonconsulting.com.