Easier Said Than Done

Management is not a task designed for every one. Even with the proper education and training, some people will discover that they have little knack for the task of leading others. It requires a measure of trust in others and the ability to step back, let go, and allow others to do the work.

The thought to keep in mind is that a manager’s job is not to do the work, but to help others do theirs. This will allow a manager to keep tabs on all aspects of a project or on several smaller projects, enabling him to concentrate on the primary concerns of efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency is the ability to get the right things accomplished by selecting the most suitable goals and select the proper steps, people, and physical resources to achieve them.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, classical management activities focused on the production of goods. Two strong examples from this period include Adam Smith and Fredrick Taylor. Smith used his talents to the specialization of labor in the pin making industry. The result was an amazing increase in production from 200 pins per day to 48,000 pins per day. Taylor, considered the father of scientific management, turned his attention to discovering “the best way to do a job.” His innovations tripled the amount of pig iron that could be loaded in a single day.

The basic principle behind scientific management is that the object of management should be to secure the maximum prosperity for the employer, coupled with the maximum prosperity for each employee. This state of excellence is particularly one of efficiency. Ideally each employee’s skills would be developed to the point that they reach their maximum efficiency, and that he would be given a task to perform that best fits his natural abilities.

The social, psychological, and physiological needs of the employees have become very important. Providing employees with work they are equipped to do, as well as a supportive attitude and environment, will go a long way towards increasing morale and productivity. The employee needs to be proud of his work and domain.


Remaining alert is key to discovering and heading off problems before they can develop into disasters, or putting an errant employee back on the proper track. Since employees are often unwilling or daunted by coming forward and speaking to their manager about certain problems, the monitor role can also be important in detecting workplace disruptions and discontentment that may compromise productivity.


Clearly the tasks of a manager are many and varied, beyond even those mentioned above. It is a job that requires one to not only lead people, but connect with them. No measure to improve one’s business or the success of one’s firm will account for much if the employees cannot be counted on to support these efforts. These ideas and the scientific management theory’s concept of ‘maximum prosperity’ may seem simple and straightforward, but with the increasing complexity of the office environment today, the simple is often the first that is lost. We must remember that a firm’s employees are the first and most important step towards ultimate success.