Sometimes a Light Bulb Just Turns On

Computerworld - One of the fun things about managing people is that moment when you can actually see them grow. You see the light bulb turn on, and you know it’s the right light that’s burning inside them. I have explained before that my management philosophy includes the idea of setting technical people free to do their jobs. It’s an approach that lets them use creative problem-solving techniques in their own styles.

It’s rewarding to see this approach work, but sometimes it makes you feel as if you’re taking the slow boat, since you can’t interject how you think something should be done. Patience is required, especially when you think you know the right way to accomplish something. But if you want the best possible solution to a problem, you have to let go of the reins and let the smart people figure it out. It’s how you end up with the best ideas, which may be better than your own, for tackling a situation.

When I came to this state agency about a year and a half ago, I was disappointed to realize that my new staff didn’t want to think outside the box. I have heard that this is a cultural phenomenon that’s common in government and military jobs, but I don’t know if it’s true across the board, since this is my first job in the public sector.

In past columns, I have talked about this culture and what I have done to try to change it, and I have received some hate mail in return stating that I hate government employees. Nothing could be further from the truth. After all, I am one. What I hate is seeing creativity being stomped on, attitudes that say “That ain’t my job,” and a general lack of accountability. When I got here, I saw people pass the buck and lay blame, possibly for fear of reprisal. I didn’t see people stepping up to the plate, taking risks and laying out their ideas for making government a better place to be. That’s wrong. It stunts progress if people are afraid to step outside of their comfort zones, suggest ideas because they will be shunned, or make a mistake because they know they will pay for it.

We all want progress and innovation, and to get them, we must have synergy. Synergy, from Greek synergos, means “working together.” One Merriam-Webster definition is “a mutually advantageous conjunction or compatibility of distinct business participants or elements (as resources or efforts).” When you have a group of people who are working together as a true team, with no one worried about making a mistake or having a dumb idea, you end up with lots of creative options to choose from. It happened here recently.