Three Management Methods
Aug 10th, 2006 by Phil Dawes
At the risk of becoming a Spolsky link blog I wanted to point people toward a recent series of articles which look at different management styles. Joel disects each with respect to managing high tech, knowledge-oriented teams.
1) The Command and Control method
- Shout at people
- Incentivise people with rewards
3) The Identity Management Method
- get workers to identify with the problem by telling them stuff
I found the arguments entertaining and well thought out and I’d be interested in what others with actual management experience think. Personally I know very little about management but have encountered all three methods from the receiving end and I know which I prefer.
Episodes 1-3 have been on the mark but not earth-shattering. I await further episodes with a little shiver of anticipation - I don’t believe Joel would have started on this without feeling he had something important to say.
From one of the personal development courses I know about, option 3 is known as “enrolment” - ie. getting people excited and interested in the goal / outcome and only then asking them to do stuff.
None of this is new, but the writing style is clear, entertaining and direct. I’ve read several >200-page business books that could so easily have got the point across in a 10 page pamflet…