Management is a tough job. A manager often gets all of the blame for a failed project and none of the credit for a successful project. A manager is responsible for the preparation and performance of his workforce.
First and foremost, a manager’s job is workforce management. It is up to the manager to obtain and maintain the perfect workforce. This is an immensely complicated job because a workforce is composed of many different people, each of which has different strengths and weaknesses, different wants and needs. A manager must seek to understand his workforce and adapt his leadership to that workforce.
Workforce management begins with selecting the right workforce, and it also includes motivating the workforce, recognizing and healing conflict, and building relationships with employees. Workforce management is not a task that is completed but rather an ongoing responsibility.
In many ways, a company is like a machine, and a well-managed workforce is a well-oiled machine, and the manager provides the oil. The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “A good manager is best when people barely know that he exists.” A great manager must be humble enough to be satisfied when he doesn’t receive the glory, as long as his team is excelling.