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This page has the following sections:

Section 1:  A View of the Top

Section 2:  The Individual Contributor

Section 3:  New to Industry

Section 4:  Management Theorists - for Further Reading

Section 1:  A View of the Top

When I first created this page (Aug. 2009) I was looking for material the process engineer - or, as is sometimes referred to as the individual contributor, can use to conduct herself and to communicate with levels of management.  I first based the page on Swanson's rules.  Then, in Nov. 2009 I found and read David F. D'Alessandro's book "Executive Warfare:  10 Rules of Engagement for Winning Your War for Success".  The ten rules are summarized on the book's web site.  David F. D'Alessandro is a former Chairman and CEO of John Hancock Financial Services. 

D'Alessandro's book is grounded in the reality of the work-place, and maps the terrain as well as the passages to navigate through the mountains, hills, valleys, and precipices one would encounter.  The book is by far much better and more enjoyable to read than any of the translations of Sun Tsu's "The Art of War" - a military strategy book.  The reason being that the translation of a military strategy book and morphing it into a management guide handbook falls short of examples, and taking into account the gestalt of the situation and the characters involved.  Also, a translation may be abstract for someone who has not experienced situations of battle or war, or has not yet been mentored in the art.  In contrast to Peter Drucker's "The Effective Executive" which is more of a self-mentoring book, D'Alessandro's book is filled with real examples for survival in the work place, and throughout the book stresses the realities of human nature.

The process engineer is expected to be cognizant of her role in the group, the value of her deliverables to the organization, and what goes on in the boardroom.  Of course, and to a big extent, the structure and culture of the organization, and personal agenda of mangers are factors that can strengthen or debilitate her efforts that may add value to the organization.  It is a good practice to keep the corporate mission statement of the company in mind at all times.  So, between Swanson's rules for people in the trenches and D'Alessandro's rules for people in the boardroom there still remains the unmapped territories in-between.

My sole criterion for books to read is a topic that relays experiences in the organization; in other words, books that take the role of mentors.  Authors like Tom Peters, Merrill R. (Rick) Chapman, and Jim Collins write books advising executives on how to improve their companies or pitfalls to avoid - books that are the staple of MBA programs, and that is not my intention here.

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Section 2:  The Individual Contributor

The organization rarely has the resources to designate a mentor or mentors for each individual in the organization; that's one of the reasons for the importance of training (refer to the web page on Best Practices).  Three books I enjoyed can take the role of mentors:

1.  G. M. Bellman, "Getting Things Done When You Are Not in Charge", Berret-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2001,

2.  J. R. Katzenbach, and D. K. Smith, "The Wisdom of Teams - Creating the High-Performance Organization", Harper Paperbacks, 2003, and

3.  Susan H. Gebelein, et alia, "Successful Manager's Handbook - Development Strategies for Today's Managers", Personal Decisions International, 2000.

In game theory, the best strategy is cooperation.  A very entertaining book on the topic is William Poundstone's "Prisoner's Dilemma".  The take-home message is this:  cooperate and do not hide information from your colleagues; otherwise, you will look silly.

The other side of the coin that supports productivity and getting the most of the available talents is the Human Resources function.   The HR leadership should have experience with technology focused organizations, with a solid knowledge of Organization Development theories and practices, and this will prove its benefits to the organization.  A good book for both the hiring manager and the HR professional is "Hiring and Keeping the Best People". Another interesting book to read when you have time is "The Mafia Manager : A Guide to the Corporate Machiavelli" by V.  No one knows who V is.

Communication is very important across the group and organization.  Different people take in information when presented one way but not another; understanding the traits of persons or groups well help formulating the message and its delivery.  A good book on the topic is "Type Talk at Work: How the 16 Personality Types Determine Your Success on the Job" by O. Kroeger, J. M. Thuesen, and Hile Rutledge.  The book is based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator school of thought.

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Section 3:  New to Industry

William Swanson, Raytheon's CEO, had published a 3-inch-by-6-inch 76-page spiral-bound booklet entitled "Swanson's UnWritten Rule of Management".  The story goes that Warren Buffet liked it so much that he had purchased dozens of copies for his CEO's, friends and family.  USA Today published an interview with Raytheon's CEO William Swanson in the December 18, 2005 edition (Money section), and listed the 33 rules.  I would like to tie in ethics to these rules, and reference a nice article in the May 2010 issue of Quality Progress entitled "Ethical Excellence" by Russell Westcott.  The article is available free to all readers.

Below, I list the 33-headings of the rules.  The rules, in general, refer to the mannerism and profile of the "knowledge worker" as defined by Peter Drucker. A reader of this page suggested to break the monotony of such a long list; so, I thought of breaking them into four groups:

- Street Smarts,

- Communication,

- Enthusiasm About Tasks, and

- Bringing Experience to Bear. 

The interested reader will find more detailed explanation for each rule on the internet.

There are other things I would have liked to learn from veterans as D'Alessandro or Swanson about running an organization as:

- how does the CEO know that all levels of managers are carrying out her vision down to the trenches,

- how to check and verify the feedback from managers,

- how to plan and mentor the future leadership, and

- how do define the requirements for core and key individuals to the corporation. 

I pose these questions because it is very lonely at the top, and the two most valuable tools a person in that position need are intuition and good judgment of people (Swanson's rule #31).   

Swanson's UnWritten Rule of Management:

Street Smarts

1. Work for a boss with whom you are comfortable telling it like it is.  Remember that you can't pick your relatives, but you can pick your boss.
2. Learn to say, "I don't know." If used when appropriate, it will be used often.
3. It is easier to get into something than it is to get out of it.
4. When something appears in a presentation, assume the world knows about it, and deal with it accordingly.
5. We remember 1/3rd of what we read, 50% of what people tell us, but 100% of what we feel.
6. You can’t polish a sneaker.
7. A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not nice. (This rule never fails.)

Communication

8. Strive for brevity and clarity in oral and written reports.
9. Be extremely careful of the accuracy of your statements.
10. Don't overlook the fact that you are working for a boss.  Keep him or her informed. Avoid surprises!  Whatever the boss wants takes top priority.
11. Promises, schedules, and estimates are important instruments in a well-ordered business.  You must make promises.  Don't lean on the often-used phrase, "I can't estimate it because it depends upon many uncertain factors."
12. Never direct a complaint to the top.  A serious offense is to "cc" a person's boss.
13. When dealing with outsiders, remember that you represent the company.  Be careful of your commitments.
14. Cultivate the habit of "boiling matters down" to the simplest terms.  An elevator speech is the best way.
15. When making decisions, the pros are much easier to deal with than the cons.  Your boss wants to see the cons also.
16. Don't ever lose your sense of humor.
17. Treat the name of your company as if it were your own.

Enthusiasm About Tasks

18. However menial and trivial your early assignments may appear, give them your best efforts.
19. Persistence or tenacity is the disposition to persevere in spite of difficulties, discouragement, or indifference.  Don't be known as a good starter but a poor finisher.
20. In completing a project, don't wait for others; go after them, and make sure it gets done.
21. Practice shows that those who speak the most knowingly and confidently often end up with the assignment to get it done.
22. Have fun at what you do.  It will reflect in your work.  No one likes a grump except another grump.   (I would like to add the words:  pride and passion.  Quality products and reputation of companies are made by the passion of their employees about the products they design or produce.)
23. Never be afraid to try something new.  An amateur built an ark that survived a flood while a group of professionals built the Titanic!

Bringing Your Experience to Bear

24. Cultivate the habit of making quick, clean-cut decisions.
25. Look for what is missing.  Many know how to improve what's there, but few can see what isn't there.
26. Constantly review developments to make sure that the actual benefits are what they are supposed to be.  Avoid Newton's Law.
27. Confirm your instructions and the commitments of others in writing.  Don't assume it will get done!
28. Don't be timid; speak up.  Express yourself, and promote your ideas.
29. Don't get excited in engineering emergencies.  Keep your feet on the ground.
30. Beg for the bad news.
31. When faced with decisions, try to look at them as if you were one level up in the organization.  Your perspective will change quickly.
32. When facing issues or problems that are drawn-out, “short them to ground.”
33. If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.

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Section 4:  Management Theorists - for Further Reading

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