School of Mumagement

Have you been to a restaurant, a wedding, a shopping trip or a party and heard parents publicly (loudly and repeatedly might I add) asking their toddlers if they want to go wee-wee? You maybe in the middle of a most interesting conversation when suddenly the person you were talking to, from the corner of their eye, spots their prodigy passing by and without any excuses to you, yells out 'do you want to go to the toilet?'. It used to really bug me! I found it rude, insensitive, annoying and highly irritating...until...it was my turn to potty train my toddler! I have to admit it is a milestone when achieved! Along the way though, I did realise that there is a change management process and theory in action. Just like potty training, managing change isn't easy, it isn't quick, and it isn't without its set of issues. This blog looks at the 'potty training' theory to managing and implementing change. Assess change readiness  Does your child understand what we...

I remember the time when I was teaching my son good dental hygiene. He was always great at wanting to brush his teeth, he just wasn't so keen on using the toothpaste. As he got into the routine for using toothpaste each time he brushed his teeth, I realised that there is indeed a theory that can get you the results you want and bring about positive changes in behaviour. This blog looks at what I call the 'toothpaste tactics' and draws parallels to what can be done in the workplaces. First, tell them what you want them to do  "I want you to brush your teeth with toothpaste." It may sound very obvious, but the very first step in getting the results you want is to tell your audience what you want! Whether that's "X, I want you to come on time everyday"; or "Y, I want you to proof read your documents before circulating them to anyone"; its quintessential to let your audience know what you are after every. It helps in setting the expect...

When was the last time you went to a public swimming pool in spring? Or to a water park with kids? If you were a parent you'd be watching for the number of snotty children and hoping and praying that your child doesn't swallow too much pool water (pre-warning). I can almost bet that after the water time, in changing rooms, the parents would be vigorously scrubbing their kids' hair to make sure it's dry before going out again (prevent). But despite all these efforts, if the child did fall ill, then the parents most certainly have a closet full of remedies ready and they don't shy away from the analgesics, chicken soup, pampering and cuddling their little ones (acceptance and MEDS). So what does this have to do with managing sickness absence?  If you search the web for sickness absence, you will find numerous statistics and management theories that prescribe the way for managing sickness absence. I strongly believe and can prove that the parenting methodology of ...

5 stages of evolution of new managers (and parents) It may be a long time since you were a new manager....or indeed a new parent. But if you look back and think about those early days, you will undoubtedly relate with five common things that happen to most of us. It's almost a cycle that one has to go through before finding one's feet as managers or parents. Stage 1: The labour process...(pun intended) In your workplace, you are excellent at your job, people respect your opinions, you get on brilliantly with your colleagues and have the best career experience but you still aren't a manager. Becoming a manager for the first time isn't easy. First you need the skills and experience, then you need technical knowledge, then you need to demonstrate people skills and get on well with seniors, then you need to find the right opportunity and get  shortlisted, and finally a bit of luck to get it. But once you get that first managerial breakthrough, there is no looki...

Moms make marvelous managers Have you seen a mother on a shopping trip? She usually has an eye on her toddler who is running nearby, while keeping an eye on her shopping, she is directing her children while packing the goods, paying for the purchase, being friendly to the till operator. She breezily walks away with her children, her shopping cart, the buggy, her handbag and most importantly... Her sanity! That is management in action! That simple scenario is an example for how successful mothers have demonstrated key managerial attributes including resource, time, people and financial management.  In this article I explore the key reasons why I think mothers can make excellent managers given the right support mechanisms. There are four main characteristics that are crucial for success as a manager and good mothers naturally demonstrate these as mentioned below: Keeping sight of the big picture: Any good manager or leader will know that long term success lies kee...

Motherhood and Management....there are hundreds of books on each of the topics but until you start practicing it yourself and apply it in real life, you can't really know it all.  I am a parent and a manager and constantly discover that there are numerous parallels between the two. Hence this blog... School of Mumagement was born! It became my way of documenting my journey as a manager and a mum, what I learnt along the way, and perhaps an unique perspective on how I dealt with things! In this blog, I talk about common management issues and parental problems and how wearing the "mum hat" in work context and vice versa can bring fruitful results!  So if you are a great parent taking on a management role or if you are fab manager about to become a parent, this blog will help you make the links between the two and use your strengths and experience in one field to enhance the effectiveness in other!  If you are neither, well...this is a perfect blog to find out the rea...