Task and relationship focus
You’re Not Crazy - It’s Hard.
If you have ever wondered if you’re crazy because managing people seems harder than it should be, let me assure you, you are not crazy. It is hard.
Here’s the thing, if your career followed the common path (not that you’re not extraordinary, mind you!) you
began early on with some academic knowledge about your field of study, took a job that allowed you to apply that knowledge in “the real world,” had that knowledge severely tested by every day challenges and problems, and managed through hard work and good old Puritan work ethic to develop a growing expertise at it. Then you were promoted based on that expertise into a role with more responsibility and authority. You did so well you were promoted into management. That’s when things got crazy.
The instant…
Thanks for the Ideas But That’s Not What I Asked
Have you ever noticed how frequently someone answers a question that you never asked? I’ve noticed that when I ask someone to help me with something I have wrestled with for a while I commonly get back a bunch of recommendations about how I could proceed on my own were I to continue trying to figure it out.
Recently, I asked a computer expert for help with my computer. I’m no expert in the IT area, nor do I want to be. My request went something like, “Would you help me figure out how to make blahdiblah work? It has been not working for a while and I need to get this handled soon because I’m concerned about suchnsuch.”
What I got back was a) an explanation that I really don’t need…
