The Newsletter

Issue no. 18|July 20, 2010

(Re-)Consider Taking Some Risks

Sometimes we're asked questions about management or being a professional, and we give honest answers that the questioner or audience don't like. The rebuttal sounds like, "well, but what if my team doesn't agree?" Or, "that seems very direct - what if they argue?" Or, "what if it doesn't work?"


Our response sometimes doesn't seem terribly kind, though we don't mean it in an unkind way. We say, "We never said this was Risk Free Manager Tools, or Risk Aversion Manager Tools. Sometimes you have to do something different, and exchange some kind of risk you are already living for a risk that's different but perhaps better." For instance, there's a risk that your directs won't like One on Ones initially, but we see that as a better risk than not having a solid relationship with your directs. Maybe giving negative feedback risks stinging your directs' feelings a bit...but it's better than the risk of them not changing their ineffective behaviors. (This is in part why status quo is always one of the options in our decision briefing guidance - you have to analyze what you're already doing too.)


Sometimes, you have to take risks. Sometimes risks are the right thing to do, despite your fear.


I read something recently about the huge U.S. oil spill that really impressed me. Read carefully and see if you can see the tremendous risk:


The day the Deepwater Horizon exploded, TMT CEO Nobu Su ordered the A Whale, a brand-new $160 million cargo hauler, to start sailing west from China, while he commissioned Hyundai engineers to devise a plan to convert it into a skimmer. The plans were worked out by the time the ship made it to a Portugal shipyard, where it was modified. (You can read the full article at the Wall Street Journal)


Maybe you're not a CEO, but I can assure you, this was an enormous risk. That CEO had gone to his board and gotten approval for capital spending on a cargo ship, which he then built - and in one day, changed everything. But what's more, he didn't have a plan for the change - he just sent it west. Not knowing. Not sure.


Mind you, as I write this, this ship still isn't approved for service in the Gulf (though it arrived 30 June). That couldn't happen until the retrofitting occurred and they could test the retrofit (which they say has worked), and then and only then get approval from the U.S. government to help.



Next time you're not sure what to do, we'd bet that there are options you considered but ruled out because of risk.



Reconsider them.



Manager Tools 5th Birthday


As some of you mentioned on the forums, it was recently Manager Tool's 5th anniversary. Just over 5 years ago, Mike and Mark went to Best Buy, bought a microphone, and recorded a podcast. That one was never released :-)


The second podcast was Solution To A Stalled Technical Career and it's as relevant now as it was then. (I still remember where I was when I heard that cast, which shows how much impact it had on me - Wendii).


Over the time, the style has changed a little, but Manager Tools (and now Career Tools) have never strayed from the commitment to give you simple, actionable guidance, which can be used by anyone in any company, in any industry and in any country.


Every week, we get emails from listeners who have implemented that advice, and (often surprisingly to them, but not to us) have found it works. Whilst we have added products in the last five years, the commitment Mark makes in the comments of that first podcast has also never changed. Rishikesh says: "I really appreciate that it is free because I could not afford it otherwise", and Mark says: "There will always be free content on Manager Tools...for situations just like yours, and because we like being helpful". The notes we get telling us how helpful the guidance is, are valuable beyond measure.


We're happy to be celebrating our 5th birthday with you. We're thankful for the gifts you've sent to mark our celebration. And, we're excited to serve you in the next 5 years and beyond!.



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