Life is about being in control. I realised it recently.
Our work is about control - the budget, the progress, which all come down to people & things. Knowledge is power. The more you know, the more control you could obtain.
Someone called our office this morning, said that they've been waiting for someone to open the door. The receptionist came to me, asking me what to do. I told her she should look for the new guy in the office.
He was hired based on his 15-20 years of experience in our field. He is in his 40s. A nice guy. He made me a coffee while talking with me about his trips to China few days ago. He had been on job for one week. Unfortunately the seniors/bosses are taking vacation this week. They did not brief him what was to happen this week.
So when the sub called, he did not know what to do.
The receptionist came to me (since there wasn't anyone else to ask). I told her that I knew nothing about that project, I did not even know the address. He came to my desk, ask me to go there. I looked up and said, I wasn't involved with that project (you are the project manager), give me the address, let me look it up in the map. He gave me the address. I asked him whether he had been there, he said, yes, once, but he couldn't remember how to get there.
I was on the phone when they were talking to me. When I finished, the new CM said he'd drive to deliver the key. The receptionist had given him a map downloaded from the internet.
40 minutes later, the receptionist was on the phone, she told me that man was lost & the sub was still waiting. I told her I'd run there, but ask the CM to come back, dropping me the key.
He came back, I left. 10 minutes later I opened the gates for the people who'd been waiting for 3 hours since morning. The foreman there asked for my number, I told him my extention, told him I wasn't in charge of the project, I would bring someone back.
Driving back to the office, I was thinking, as an experienced CM for 15 years in business, if that is your project, you shall be the first one to meet your guys there. You should know your job location from day one. You should drive there many times just to get familiar with the place. He did not do that. He lost control. He even appeared to be crueless earlier. He lost the respect from the office girl & maybe even me (but I would observe him for little longer).
Walking to him, told him that I've opened up, he should follow me to the site, talk to the guys. He told me his phone was not charged, he was still in the middle of charging the phone. (I lost my patience altogether. It's your job for christ sake! step up!). I looked and said, we had the same model, let me switch the batteries. I switched the batteries, he followed me.
After reaching the job site, I told him. 'I'm sorry I did not know much about this job. The guys are in the front, go talk to them, make a copy of the keys, you know these guys.. they will lose that key.. give them one copy.. if you have any questions, give K (his senior) a call, I just called him, he is still picking up phone calls on the beach..' He said, yeah, I know the guys. He did not even say thanks.
I left.
Control. You got to know what's happening on your project. You got to know who's showing up, doing what, and when. No one else is helping you. In a small company, there is also no one else to blame. Take control, or you lose your job. Or, even if you stayed, you'd lost respect from people around you.
Control. It goes to other espects of life. One shall focus on what he wants to achieve. Being lazy is just a lousy excuse. There should be discipline, to restrain me from doing things that is offtrack from my ultimate goal. I should relax, but at the same time, not to damage my master plan.
What is my plan?
Whatever it is, if I could keep myself healthy & strong, taking better control of my job & people who work with me, and, meantime, acquire more knowledge. I guess, I wouldn't be too far off.
Control, power & discipline - words of today.
a little cold after reading this story. No excuse for that guy. Things that out of controls do happen. It won't hurt much to give a hand. You can always tell him what is the professional way to do it.