Stewardship of Management

· It is in turbulent times when personal integrity and commitment to vows of loyalty are tested. · It is through turbulent times that relationships are cemented or destroyed, whether in life, in marriage or in organizational experience. · Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

There are always restless seas in one's life. Everyone will encounter stormy seas. Some are more frightening than others. In troubled times, in one's professional and personal life, security is being affected by evil outside forces of heathen competition or decisions of government. Under any turbulent circumstances the one in command must stand resolute in the face of adversity and in the presence of those who report and take charge. This is no time to abandon ship. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The cold hard facts of command: If you are correct someone else will get the credit. If you are wrong, there is no doubt where the blame will land. But any process worth going through will almost always get tougher before it gets easier. One engaged in any worthwhile process must have the will to overcome and persevere. Command is one thing, but responsibility, the duty to those who depend on you, is the greater burden. It is a burden that only a captain can bare, a burden that must be felt not just dealt with. A burden one must take personally. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

In any organization, there is never a question as to whether we should take risks. In order to grow and develop or in order to maintain our present position we must make decisions and take action to make some change that makes something happen. We cannot avoid risks. Avoiding risks is like not making a decision to handle some situation, the lack of a decision is a decision we have no control over. The same is true with risk taking. There are small risks, there are great risks and there are life or death risks. As managers of managers who have responsibility for the health and stability of an organization and the people employed in it we have to know how to take reasonable risks. How the executive handles the risk affects one's career professional and personal growth. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

On high stakes situations, you cannot let the situation get you. You cannot lose your composure. You call on your experience and the experiences of your crew to identify as many possible contingencies as possible. You prepare your crew to handle those contingencies. There is never a guarantee situations will occur as you expect, but if your people are “in the game” they will step up and apply the knowledge and training they have and perform at the level necessary regardless of the actual event. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

In any organization, there is never a question as to whether we should take risks. In order to grow and develop or in order to maintain our present position we must make decisions and take action to make some change that makes something happen. We cannot avoid risks. Avoiding risks is like not making a decision to handle some situation, the lack of a decision is a decision we have no control over. The same is true with risk taking. There are small risks, there are great risks and there are life or death risks. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Mariners have organizations that constantly survey conditions that will affect maritime travel and send Notice to Mariners regularly. Air travel has their own organization that sends constant Notice to Airmen reports. There are many organizations that monitor the conditions of each commercial industry. Executives would do well to subscribe to these reporting agencies and include their information in their strategic and tactical planning. No matter how many safety programs you conduct, somebody is going to do something stupid. Sometimes damage to equipment or an injury occurs even when good people are doing the right thing. There needs to be a well-designed and well-rehearsed action plan for handling those incidents. Specific people should be assigned to specific tasks, for which they have technical ability, and have no operational tethers to prevent them from responding at a minute's notice. Whether a personal injury or unfortunate incident, horrendous or routine, there must be a plan and that plan must be executed without delay. An after-action report should be made and based on that report, future action is to be determined. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Even during peacetime underway cruising there is a potential for bad things to hit you from the blind side. One must always be vigilant and keep a weather eye out for situations that may appear to be mundane at first but if not watched can go dreadfully wrong. We spend more than a third of our lives in the workplace. It should be enjoyable most of the time, if not we are in the wrong job. When a person is in a job for which they are well suited, they can be trained to reach levels of performance that will bring great satisfaction. There are elements of every job that is not enjoyable, but the one who is enjoying a feeling of contribution will step up and do what needs to be done. What is even more remarkable is their ability to see what needs to be done, why, when and how to do it. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Sometimes bad things happen in clusters. At such times, you must have your own experts on board who have been trained, and tested to know how to handle those contingencies, and you must be able to rely on them to do it. Each department head and resident employee experts will mean the difference between defeating the adversaries (Whatever that may be) and being sunk or so critically injured reparations drain time and assists needed to hold your position in the marketplace. When there are too many crucial enemies attacking, you may need more expertise than is available on staff. That means the team needs to be supplemented by contract personnel. Executive management would be well advised to contract with professional consultants, financial experts and the like. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Faith is trust, and that trust must be earned by consistent performance to that standard, whatever that standard may be. Just as a military unit in a combat situation, an organization facing turbulent times faces an enemy. That enemy or enemies are a reality and an intangible, difficult to identify sometimes, unpredictable and potentially hazardous to the organization's existence and the continued employment of those in the organization. The enemy is any force that opposes the efforts of the organization to reach its long, and short-term objectives. The organization exists for specific purpose and an enemy is any deliberate and consistent force that threatens the effective continuation of that purpose. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The normal daily operations of any organization consists of groups of people working together to accomplish worthwhile objectives for the benefit of that organization. Whether unusual major operations or daily routine operations those groups of people must function as a team. An ops team is made up of individuals each with a special set of skills honed to excellence. The effectiveness of those teams depends on how well each individual applies those skills in a team setting. One does not surrender person hood or individual pride in their skills when they become part of a team. On the contrary their personality, their person hood and their skills are employed in concert with others on the team as each individual person and skill is focused on the accomplishment of the objective. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

We explored the S.W.O.T. analysis earlier. It is difficult to identify all the threats before your engagement. You can expect unidentified or newly introduced threats during the engagement. When your executive team discovers a possible threat, pull the team together to determine how each department head should pro-act toward it. Executives make mistakes of course, and sometimes they make several in succession. While those mistakes can cost the company money, lost market share or some other missed opportunity and of course embarrassment to the one who made the error this is not usually the most memorable, or hurtful outcomes of a mistake. Consider those time when you or colleague made a public mistake or failed, either for wrong action or inaction in some way that affected the organization. What was that most difficult issue to bear? Their failure to live up to the obligation to others and filed to meet the expectations of subordinates and peer executives. We should also mention the despair of not performing for their boss. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Other situations will come up in times of turbulence. Some are just minor annoyances, like attendance or discipline problems. Others are major situations such as the loss of essential personnel or materiel. Frustration is usually the emotion of the day and these other unforeseen or blindsided events only add to those frustrations. They must be dealt with dispatch and clear heads. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Senior executives would do well to develop their own systems, their own barometers and their own internal experts who are constantly taking the readings and recommending a proper course. Each department head must have systems for reading the operational climate and make weekly or monthly reports to the senior executive or to an executive committee, with predictions and recommendations based on evidence they can point to, and supported by historical records. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The organization is the entity that provides the jobs for the crew. It is the entity that offers the prospect for a future for all concerned, both now and in the future. The organization must be preserved and must weather the storms and the turbulent times. When the storms are abated the organizations that made it through will once again provide products for customers and jobs for the community. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

There are times when an hourly employee makes a better P.R. person because they can communicate with those who are actually doing the job on the floor. A manufacturing firm was experiencing problems getting the color right on the product. As much as they tried technician and managers were not able to get the supplier to understand the problem they were experiencing. The company flew a team of hourly employees who worked with the product to meet with the hourly personnel who were actually making the color to resolve the issue. They were successful. AGAIN: If hourly employees are well trained and authorized to do what is needed productivity is assured. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Constant training and testing for a successful outcome can be monotonous when a continuous operation is required and or when they must train and test for contingencies that may or may not occur. However, those being trained and tested will appreciate it when they are called on to perform. A plan is a programmed course of action, made to implement programmed decisions. Plans made during times where favorable conditions allow for more careful planning will almost always be more effective than plans made under hostile or turbulent times. A plan is only as good as its effect on a desired outcome. Plans are tested and tweaked under controlled conditions. When the plan works in trial, we have more faith in it, and those implementing it when the time comes to employ it. As far as possible management must be prepared for interruptions in normal operation and not allow Fate to dictate our response. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Pay attention to the meeting the captain had with the officers and chiefs on the mess deck. His analysis was actually a system geared toward the assessment of the probability of the Card's success in the combat exercises. The captain was unofficially conducting a SWOT analysis SWOT is a structured planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats when considering some new or unique business activity. The technique is credited to Albert Humphrey, of the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International). --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The plans for identifying and managing in turbulent times were complete and drills were scheduled to test them. The captain was unofficially conducting a SWOT analysis. SWOT is a structured planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats when considering some new or unique business activity. The technique is credited to Albert Humphrey, of the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International). The SWOT system identifies the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective. SWOT analysis is a powerful model for many different situations. The SWOT tool is not just for business and marketing. It can be used to assess the possibilities or the probabilities of almost any unknown objective.To reiterate - SWOT analysis may be used in any decision-making situation when a desired end-state (objective) has been defined. SWOT analysis may also be used in pre-crisis planning and preventive crises management. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

A plan is a programmed course of action, made for a programmed decision. Plans made for turbulent times during times where favorable conditions allow for more careful planning will almost always be more effective than plans made under hostile or turbulent times. As far as possible management must be prepared for interruptions in normal operation and not allow fate to dictate the response. Plans for managing in turbulent times, or in times of crises should not determine the basic culture of the operation. The organization's leaders (both formal and informal) need to operate in an atmosphere of optimism and innovation, with no fear of taking risks for the benefit of the organization and its people. Abraham Lincoln once said; “We live in the midst of alarms, anxiety beclouds the future; we expect some new disaster with each newspaper we read.” Given the Card's history, one bad situation after another will take some great faith in the ship's executive team to keep a positive attitude, especially at sea. Fate makes demands on flesh and blood and what is most often the demand is flesh and blood. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Chapter 2 Shakedown & Dependent's Cruise Time was now the adversary. If they were to meet the 10 July deadline for being in Guantanamo Bay in time for the exercise they had to activate as many of the ship's company reserves as possible. They had to do a three-day shake-down cruise, to ensure the Card was ship-shape and could survive the long trip to Guantanamo Bay for the combat exercises. ComResDesRon required the Card to report to Little Creek firing range for a one-day test of the ships gun batteries and assess the gun crews. The Captain planned a one-day cruise for the dependents of the ship's company. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Mister Winthrop had been a thorn in the Captain's side from the time he came on board. He was belligerent, independent and bordered on disrespectful but at least he had the good sense to refrain from being insubordinate As for letting Mister Winthrop melt down during the trip through the auxiliary channel It is a risk anytime a leader allows a high level subordinate to make a fool of himself in front of lower level managers and employees, but sometimes it is a risk that needs to be taken. In almost every situation, the senior manager will take steps to protect a high level subordinate from embarrassing the management team but this was not a normal situation. The captain allowed Mr. Winthrop to crash and burn in front of the entire ship's company. He had to allow his credibility to diminish to the point that he would no longer influence the officers and the crew. Circumstances, or a clever plan, put Mr. Winthrop in a situation where only the captain could save him, or let him sink. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The old skipper nodded his head, and then slowly shook his head sideways. “Heavy seas . . . Beauford 8.” He leaned forward. “The ship and her crew need a Captain, Bob. They a need a Captain who can give them back their self-esteem, return them to the Navy. They need a Captain with a unique set of skills, the ability to establish and maintain discipline inculcated with people skills.” --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Captain Mills discovered the ship and the crew were so steeped in a status-quo, don't rock the boat mentality that only a major test of skill, material and equipment would wake them out of their stupor, and that is exactly what Captain Mills did. He took them out and allowed them to fail. They learned from their failure and they took advantage of the opportunity he provided that would prepare them to meet their combat expectations. This time they succeeded, in spite of the unforeseen problem of getting out of channel. Overcoming that obstacle was another test they passed and it added to their self respect. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The Stewardship of Command – Managing in Turbulent Times is the second book in two book executive management series by Lawrence Wade Johnson. The first book The Stewardship of Executive Management – for the Manager who Manages Managers introduced the USS WARREN LYNN CARD (DE 383) as the vehicle for illustrating the executive principles covered in the book. In this first book the case study began when Robert Mills was appointed to command a very dysfunctional organization and how he brought it up to combat readiness. This second book continues where the first book ended. The crew of the Cardtakes the ship to the U.S. Naval base in Guantanamo Bay Cuba to participate in combat readiness exercises. During this cruise the ship and the crew experience not only the rigors of a very realistic combat training exercise, they also experience an onslaught of dangerous do or die situations that test their mettle as managers and maritime professionals. The experiences of the crew are compared with the turbulent times faced by commercial and industrial organizations in the private sector. Like the first book, the author provides expert advice and management axioms for handling those difficult situations drawn from his 40 plus years serving in the executive function and as a professional consultant to management. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

In this episode we witness the chief executive bringing subordinate managers through the processes of Organizational development, training and development, management succession, evaluating the performance of subordinate managers and what to do with executives who are no longer effective. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

A must read for those senior and subordinate executives who have suffered disappoint and defeat. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

In this episode the subordinate managers learn a lesson about assessing the needs of the organization under stressful deadlines and taking action to address the most pertinent conditions. They also learn why, how and when to contract for outside services when there is talent on board. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The captain assists his subordinate executives to understand the realities and effectiveness of real leadership, stewardship, Management and command. We learn about power, authority and politics - what they are, what they are not and how to use them, not for one's own personal grab for position, but for the benefit of the organization. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The new chief executive deals head-on with running a tight ship - attitudes, job satisfaction, compliance and cooperation, morale, motivation and discipline. Techniques used by the "Skipper" uses principles and perceptions not normally taught in basic leadership classes. But they work! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

this chapter deals with challenges to authority, earning respect and status, controlling operations. This episode focuses on methods for handling these situations and reversing courses detrimental to effective operations. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Reserve destroyer squadron commander recruits Commander Robert Mills to command the USS Card a failing organization. The commander assesses the situation and decides to take the job. Commander Mills is a management consultant. The methods he uses to gain control of those who do not want to do their jobs is worth reading. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The USS Card is finally under weigh and they run into trouble. Lt. Winthrop, once again bucks the captain and this time Lt. Winthrop realizes the captain was right all long. The captain saves Mr. Winthrop's career. Situations explored also include: learning at the feet of the masters, handling talent and temperament. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Business economics and organizational responsibility People spend more than a third of their lives in the work place. The work place is more than just a place to go to earn a buck and hang out for eight hours. The work place provides order, structure and meaning to our lives. It is a place with its own culture, its own society a place that offers the opportunity for self fulfillment and self esteem. Effective employees are those who understand why their organization exists, what it is in business to do, and how they participate in its mission. Additionally each employee must realize the part they play in their own professional and self development in the world of work. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Giving orders is so basic that we tend to take it for granted Your people know they are there to do work that is directed toward the accomplishment of specific plans. They also know your job, as the supervisor, is to get work done, and they know that means giving them orders. They recognize that you have the right and obligation to give orders. You should expect your people to carry out those orders Delegating through order giving is a continuous activity. It involves such tasks as leading, guiding, regulating, explaining, informing, training, influencing, and ordering, for the purpose of mission accomplishment. The leader tells or informs subordinates (the delegate) what has to be done. These instructions initiate action, amplifies or modifies previous instructions, or redirects the efforts of subordinates as required by the leader's view of changes in the situation. The key to effective directing lies in the careful supervision of the execution of the plan. By so doing, the manager can determine the extent of additional guidance necessary and can select the appropriate means of communication to achieve desired results --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

When an employee continuously or consistently demonstrates poor performance, makes mistakes, or displays a behavior that is unacceptable, and all previous encouragement and other activities have not brought about improvement, it is time to set up a WIP. The program almost always requires a conversion to probationary status. So HR must be in the loop. If the problem cannot be repaired, the probation will lead to transfer or termination and a return to normal status. We want to save the worker not get rid of him or her. So we set up a program that will bring them along and up to an acceptable level of performance. People want to do a good job. Sometimes things change and a worker can't make the adjustment without some help. This is help. You want to talk about a loyal outstanding worker, that is exactly what you get once you have "saved" them instead of dumping them. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

That commitment to excellence, in work, is necessary. Every one must be worth more than they are paid. When that truism is not evidident in some employee action must be taken to correct that. I want to assure you that there are times when an employee needs to be removed. When a situation becomes apparent and you have decided termination is the proper course of action you need to do it immediately. If you hesitate at the unpleasant task of dealing with an incompetent employee, ask yourself: “How fair am I being to everyone else in the department who are doing their jobs?” “How fair am I being to the employee, who struggles every day, trying to do something they cannot do, and who is wondering when the ax will fall?” --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

We spend more than a third of our lives in the workplace it should be enjoyable most of the time. A good job, and a job well done provides us with personal satisfaction, and self-confidence which contributes to good emotional and physical health. Being needed, the knowledge that one is doing something useful and necessary and that they are good at the job and know they are good is an essential ingredient of human happiness. Most of us have to work to make a living. It rarely occurs to us that something we have to do could actually be enjoyable. Work occupies too much of everyone's time to be spent in dissatisfaction. people who dread to go to work lead tragic lives. Here are seven suggestions for making your life in the workplace more rewarding. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

The boss is not always right but the boss is always the boss. Working in the shadow of your boss is not always easy to do. There are times when you will want to assert your own personality more positively. You may feel the urge to speak out on views that may conflict with those of your boss. Some subordinates resent that in addition to their other duties; they also need to take time and energy to manage the relation­ships with their bosses. Such managers fail to realize the importance of this activity and how it can simplify their jobs by eliminating poten­tially severe problems. While it is seldom (if ever) stated on their job description, effective managers recognize that this is part of their job. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

In this episode we explore the Role of the Senior Manager, your boss. The boss is responsible for the effective operation of the department. The boss carries the burden for its success. The boss has a mission, usually that mission is greater than any one person can accomplish alone. It is axiomatic then the boss must delegate some of the responsibilities to subordinate managers, who have as their primary duty to assist the senior manager in accomplishing that mission. your boss is responsible for the custodianship of certain assigned resources. Your boss is responsible for delivering results set by corporate operating plan. Management has assigned your boss to the position because they believe that he or she can be successful in accomplishing the mission. We examine the role of you, the of the Subordinate Manager. As the subordinate to your boss you are responsible for the effective and efficient operation of assigned section. You are responsible for delivering specific results in support of the departments operating plan. You are expected to assume the responsibility for attaining specific sub-functional short-term objectives. and for keeping the boss informed. Here is a management axiom to keep in mind. The most valuable people in any organization are those who whole-heartedly carry out the boss' decisions. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

An effective senior- subordinate relationship is determined by the manager's ability to secure the respect and trust of subordinates toward you as their boss and the company as their employer. Make it your business to see that they are satisfied with the work they are doing and serving under the conditions that are conducive to their success. Realize that each person who works for you has a family, plans, dreams, desires, and problems, a mortgage and endeavor to treat each person with dignity and respect. Realize that a continuous flow of information and rapport between employees and management is necessary for the simplicity and normal operations. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Leaders are the true minority in this world. If there ever was a minority group leadership is the defining factor. There are few who are willing to shoulder the awesome burden of guiding others to the accomplishment of a worthwhile objective. Leaders are the power that focuses the individual energies of the members of the group toward the accomplishment of the organization's mission. It includes providing direction, encouragement, instruction, refreshment, resources and training. Leaders are visionaries, motivators, and providers of resources. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Personal Power is based on the perception that others have about the power and the belief that it is in the best interest of others to pay attention to the one having this power and following their lead. Personal power is recognized before anyone knows anything about the power's position or connections. In this podcast we explain how one gets and uses personal power. Organizational politics are the tactics used to increase one's personal or agency power, or to have access to resources not under the leader's authority. It is getting things done through others and with the help of others. Politics are an important aspect of managerial leadership in any organized activity because of the interdependence and inherent in the organization. Managers are affected by situations, in which they have little control and by people who don't report to them, suppliers, customers, political groups etc. The manager's job --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Managers are responsible for getting things done. Those things that will contribute to the accomplishment of the organization's mission. The manager's performance is measured by his/her ability to accomplish tasks through the efforts of others. These others are subordinates, peers, seniors and anyone else both inside and outside the organization you can convince to help. Managers utilizes three major managerial methods to carry out the mission: authority, power and politics. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

We explore morale, motivation and discipline, what are they, how are they manifested in an organization and how they work together to create and maintain a productive organization where those employed may experience personal satisfaction and achievement through the accomplishment of a worthwhile task. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Too often intelligent people will behave in a way they think others want them to behave. So often some people will actually pretend to be somebody they really aren't. You would be amazed how people, maybe even you surrender person hood in order to accepted by others. This episode #2 explains why this is and what one can do to be who they want to be and how to own themselves. If you plan to be a manager or a leader you need to be yourself and yourself must be you. Be yourself, everyone is taken. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support

Wade Johnson introduces listeners to himself, his background and who might be interested in his lectures. He also provides a short list of the titles he will be exploring. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wade-johnson/support