Knowledge and Action: The Management Path of Technicians - Reading#
There are many books on management available, but there may only be this one that specifically discusses how technicians transition into management. The author previously worked in technology at Baidu and later moved into IT management consulting. The book is characterized by its clear structure; the author first explains the overall framework of management and then fills in the content layer by layer. Almost all issues encountered in daily management can be found within this framework.
Before explaining the management framework, the author discusses common confusions faced by technicians transitioning to management, one typical issue being how to reconcile the relationship between technology and management. Should one continue to delve deeper into technology? How to balance "technology" and "management"? For technical managers, it is essential to maintain "technical judgment" without necessarily implementing the technology. This essentially refers to the ability to assess technology, including: What exactly is this task? What technology should be used to accomplish it? Is it worth doing?
Regarding the management framework, the author explains the following diagram throughout the book:
Figure 1. Overview of the Management Framework
Role Awareness#
Role awareness refers to whether we, as managers, clearly understand our roles, allowing us to act and speak in accordance with the role's requirements.
To be a "professional" manager, recognizing one's role is the most basic and important prerequisite. As discussed earlier, role awareness is present in every word and action of a manager's work; it is ubiquitous and constant, much like air, permeating daily management. When making management plans, building teams, managing tasks, or communicating, if a manager cannot properly understand their role, it may lead to inappropriate actions and create unnecessary management difficulties, even resulting in avoidable management incidents.
Figure 2. Role Awareness
Management Planning#
- In terms of meaning, management planning is the management vision constructed in your mind, representing the future direction of management.
- In terms of form, management planning is a "contract" that reflects the consensus reached between you and your superiors regarding future management work.
- In terms of content, management planning aims to answer the question: What resources will your team invest to achieve what goals next? If you have a clear understanding of the term "strategy," management planning is essentially your "management strategic planning."
Figure 3. Management Planning
Team Building#
Team building, in a broad sense, means "leading a team."
Figure 4. Team Building
Task Management#
Getting things done and achieving results is the focal point of management work, and it is also the most important standard and basis for verifying whether management planning is reasonable and team building is effective. As managers, we often need to "speak with results." So, what can we do to help us achieve the expected results smoothly? We refer to these topics collectively as "task management." Since most work exists in the form of "projects," task management is largely project management; however, we use the term "task management" to encompass non-project-based work.
Figure 5. Team Building
Management Communication#
Management typically refers to managing a team, which means that collaboration among people is inevitable, and collaboration among multiple people cannot be separated from communication. As the overall coordinator of collaboration, almost all management work is achieved through communication. Management communication runs through every aspect of management work and keeps all management activities operational; it is the vehicle of management work.
Figure 6. Team Building
Thank you for reading, and I hope this article brings you help!