MANAGEMENT IS ACTION NOT JUST A BUNCH OF ACTIVITIES

We often mistake activities and movement for concrete action. When we get busy with quotidian, repetitive tasks, we also pile up a series of prosaic and not so important tasks that buries our calendar. Time Management principles are popular and we have some very interesting frameworks including that of ‘7 Habits’ by the late Stephen Covey. But, what is useful is also a mental frame which helps you guide you work life.

- Rajesh Nair

When I began my career as a young graduate engineer, one of my first assignments was to lead a maintenance team at Tata Motors, working diligently to upkeep the slew of CNC machines we had to manufacture gears for excavators. While the job was exciting and plenty to learn about, one of the things which remained with me was a serious advice from a very experienced workman in my team. Since it was a high tech area with significant investments, we had a lot of senior management visiting the machine shop and there was always senior management oversight. So, this senior workman advised – ‘ Raghu Babu (as, he called me fondly), when these serious fellows come, WALK FAST AND LOOK WORRIED!’ I smiled it out and still have a hearty laugh many years later remembering his grave countenance when he said this. But, over the years, I have also seen a remarkable trend around this.

We often mistake activities and movement for concrete action. When we get busy with quotidian, repetitive tasks, we also pile up a series of prosaic and not so important tasks that buries our calendar. Time Management principles are popular and we have some very interesting frameworks including that of ‘7 Habits’ by the late Stephen Covey. But, what is useful is also a mental frame which helps you guide you work life.