Why Management is Like a GPS

I was in Dallas last week facilitating a workshop. Three of us went to dinner, heading to a restaurant recommended by the hotel front desk personnel. The driver, Terry Starbucker, had a rental car with a Never Lost GPS unit.

As we struggled to find the nearby restaurant, we made several turns that the GPS did not intend for us to make and it had to recalculate the route.

Well, it turns out that the restaurant had closed down, but that is not what dominated our in-car conversation. It was the GPS.

The workshop was about management, so management was top of mind, even as our bellies were wishing we would focus on finding dinner. We started talking about how the GPS says, "recalculating route" when we take a wrong turn. And then it hit us that this is essentially what management is all about.

Every day, our employees, peers and managers travel through their days. Sometimes we take the right turns and sometimes we get off course. Sometimes, because of barriers and breakdowns, a new route is needed even when we are on the correct road.

Great management is the proactive act of recalculating the best route forward for all the people and processes we touch.

I like how the GPS uses the same pleasant tone no matter how many times we veer off track. Managers would be well served to learn from this. Recalculating the route is a normal daily management task, and should not be a source of irritation or frustration. It is why we are here and why we are needed. To be the one to take the initiative and have the foresight to constantly recalculate and help organizations find their way.

Comments

[Terry Starbucker]

Isn't it funny how these kind of analogies and ideas can hit at the strangest times, like when we are just simply trying to find a restaurant for dinner? I won't be able to hear that voice saying "recalculating route" the same way again! :-)

Thanks again for the opportunity to be a part of those two days - it was a blast!

Regards,

Terry

[Lisa Haneberg]

It was fun, wasn't it? I almost think that all we road warriors out there should make listening to the GPS say "recalculating route" a regular part of our stress reduction therapy.

When was the last time you turn the wrong turn on purpose?

[Tom Cunniff]

Fun post. A few more ideas to consider.

Like a GPS system, management needs to keep its maps up to date. It doesn't much matter that "this way used to work" if going in that direction today now sends you over a cliff.

Like a GPS system, management must remain plugged in, or it won't work. When managers are not connected to what's happening in the real world, they quickly become powerless.

Like a GPS system, management must offer consistent and useful feedback in a variety of languages. Not everybody understands the same words.

Like a GPS system, management has an enormous influence on how fun the journey is and whether everyone gets where they intended to go.

[Lisa Haneberg]

Tom - excellent addition to the post. Now I see that management is SOOOOO much like a GPS, thanks.