Shortly after I began my career as an engineering graduate, I was sent on a management development programme. On the first day a trainer took to the stage and said two things that have stayed with me ever since:
“I’ll never bet on technology but I’ll always bet on human behaviour – the technology always changes in unimaginable ways, but there’s a reason why we keep reading the old books and religious stories.
And the art of management is not in telling people what to do – if you want something doing, ask the right question.”
Bonus: If you want another story…
Seeing the Sofa
Our first daughter was a little over 1 year old. On her wobbly legs she was standing on the cushions of the sofa, with her outstretched arms bracing herself against the sofa’s back. And she was looking. Intently. At the sofa.
The sofa was very old, bought second hand, and it was a coarse woven fabric. She was fascinated.
I went over. And looked closely at the weave. And yes, it was indeed fascinating.
In time I began to realise (re-learn?) that if I stop, and look closely enough, pretty much everything is fascinating.
