More management lessons - Looking Up, Down, Left, Right, Centre

All my life I have been taught to LOOK UP...

1) Look up, reach for the stars, so that you wont end up with a handful of sand...
2) Look up to people and respect them....,
3) Look up to role models, follow their footsteps to success...
4) Look up, heads up, look ahead and think ahead...
5) even in IT, we have to lookup tables...

However, I now realise, it's equally important to look down as well. Yes, look down and see your people. Look down to see where you came from and learn from both your success and your mistakes. I am in middle management now... so it's equally necessary to look both Up and Down. I have to look up to follow the footsteps of senior management and I have to look down upon my staff to ensure that they are taken care of. I have to ensure that they are comfortable and happy with their environment and with "woman on top". :)

*Note: it's not looking down ON them but looking down TO SEE them....y'know, the "I see you" ala Avatar style...

For example, the working environment have to be kept clean and healthy and functional to ensure staff grousing are kept to the minimal. Staff welfare is utmost important for management because that's their essential job scope, which is to be responsible for your staff. Yes, the responsibility spreads wider than just the daily operational work but also include office ergonomics to ensure everyone has good fit in the working environment which will make work safer, healthier and more productive and eventually lead to happier and more productive staff...

So I learnt that I need to check on whether their cubicles are ergonimical, or if they have enough office supplies, whether the lights are bright enough, whether there's clean water supply, provide a comfortable and convenient pantry (**) , and most of all, ensure a fully functional, hygienic washroom.

** You may be surprised by this research findings but pantry is one of the most important office areas (next to corridors and elevators) as it provides a relaxed avenue for creative ideas exchange and team building. Thus you see Google and Microsoft spending on building nice, comfortable pantries for their staff.

So there...the take home note is ...remember to look up and look down.... and of course, don't forget the age-old lesson which you teach every child....to look left, right and left again... you must look-to, look-for and look-out for your peers as well.. ;) *wink*