Day One

Today is Day One for this blog post.  As such, it’s probably a good place to start by explaining my intent.

Just over thirty-five years ago I was promoted into a management role.  They called me a “team leader” which was code for keep doing what you’re doing (the real income producing work the company needed) and take on some additional responsibility for a small group of employees.  I was so excited because it meant I had achieved another goal!  Little did I know that being good at “the work” and being good as a manager were two very different jobs.

And so began my journey, one that would span thirty-five years and three companies, to becoming both a manager and a success.  I’ll talk more in later posts about what those two terms mean.  I’m quite certain I didn’t really understand either at the ripe age of 23.

1981 was a much different time with a more limited list of resources for learning about management.  We did have seminars, books, cassette tape programs, bosses, and mentors.  We didn’t have podcasts, blogs, eBooks, You Tube videos, social media, or the ease of communication afforded by the easy access to the internet that most of us enjoy.  One thing hasn’t changed however and that is the idea that if you want to learn to be a success as a manager bad enough, you can find what you need.

I started this blog with the intent of sharing my experience, and the experience of other successful managers, with anyone willing to take the time to learn.  The audience is the newly promoted but if you are beyond that point, I invite you to join in with me in helping these new managers become successes.  Who knows, you too might be reminded of some fundamentals of management that you could improve on.

Joe