Cumulative powers

I believe in the cumulative power of actions, whether positive or negative. The more consistently you do something, the more experienced and efficient you become at that activity. It can be a consistent activity like exercise, for example, where the muscles grow and fat melts, gradually but surely.

On the other end of the spectrum, we can talk about snacking every night and leaving crumbs all over the floor and counters, you sloppy bastard. Over time, those crumbs build up, calories accumulate, love handles jiggle and stairs take your breath away.

Exercise and weight gain aside, we see the cumulative power of actions in the workplace and our personal lives. It goes without saying that the more you put into your marriage or personal relationships, the more you gain as a participant.

I was thinking the other day about a professional hurdle at my last job - management. That's something they don't teach in journalism school. I had my share of failures in that department, and those failures added up to a master class.

Management requires a cumulative approach. Day by day, you shape the staff to follow your direction. Most of the time, they already know the road map. Managers must connect with staff on a deeper level, and it can be done without being all buddy-buddy. Employees who are not in charge will always look for the person in charge. They want to follow a leader and will be receptive to a leader's vision if trusted to follow autonomously.

In simpler terms: Either you're on the bus, or your not. If everyone's on the bus, then you're golden. In order to get everyone on the bus, a manager must accumulate trust and compliance over a period of time. Think of each interaction with the staff as a coin in a jar. How long before the jar is full - and it's time for another?