The Briefest of Management Philosophies

Management philosophies abound. There are books on management philosophies, books on how to write your own, and, I am sure, books that analyze other books on management philosophies. There is the Marriott Management Philosophy, Deming's 14 Principles, Panasonic's Founder's 7 Core Principles, and the former Kyocera Chairman's Twelve Management Principles, along with his more than 400 management keywords, just to name a few.

There are blogs, repeated references to football coaches and generals, charts, arrows, pyramids, lists, circle thingies, and so on. The colors used in these graphical presentations are all very impressive. If you don't believe me, just do a Google image search on the phrase "management philosophy."

In other words, there are words upon words upon words on the subject.

A management philosophy in four words

My own management philosophy can be summed up in just four monosyllabic words: life is too short. It is a simple idea, and it applies to virtually every situation in work and in life. For example, life is too short:

• To worry about things you cannot change, or minutia that just does not matter.
• To analyze options without first compiling the facts.
• To hold grudges against people who are really not worth your time.
• To be judgmental (that is, unless you have achieved perfection).
• To sit still when you are in a bad situation and do nothing about it.
• To not seek help or input when you need it.
• To not always try to do the "right" thing, or to not always tell the truth.

And, perhaps most importantly, life is too short to not enjoy a summer's breeze, or to not say "I love you" to your significant other every day.

Why it holds up in a crisis

You may be thinking this is all very nice and sweet, but that it has nothing to do with turnaround situations. Consider the opposite. When the you-know-what hits the fan, do you want anyone helping the fan throw the stuff back on you? And when things are not looking good, being depressed about the situation really does not help. Does any of this suggest that one could actually enjoy a crisis? No. But why make a bad situation worse?

The same logic favors a collaborative approach with stakeholders over a "win at all costs" one. Speaking of football coaches, one of them once said, "Winning isn't everything: it's the only thing." Yes, winning feels good. But if it is the only thing you pursue, then when you get old and no longer have the big title, not too many folks will want to grab a beer with you. Or, even before you get old, you might not be able to find anyone to help you when times get tough. In the middle of a hard turnaround engagement, the relationships you have built are often what carry the outcome.

Simple, and effective

So while "life is too short" may be a simple management philosophy, it is an effective one. It provides clarity in difficult situations, and it makes life and dealing with others more enjoyable.

Obviously, this is not a new idea. There are a lot of great quotes that echo the point: life is not a dress rehearsal, you pass this way but once, and many others. But as we commence yet another year, perhaps we would all do well to think about how we want to spend it, and how we would like to live it.

Because, after all, life is just too short.

By John Lane, CEO of Inglewood. Reprinted with permission from the Ohio Chapter of The Turnaround Management Association's January/February 2014 newsletter, Turnaround Times.