The Manager

Here at MATTHEWS Integrity Hub: HEAD OFFICE, we are pleased to have the services of someone who probably does actually qualify for the term MANAGER, in its true organisational sense. He’s a manager rather than a business owner and has been for 20 years, in one of the larger (meaning hierarchical, bureaucratic and technically omniscient) oil and gas integrity empires, with specific responsibly for its integrity operations. He hasn’t got his MBE yet, but his ultimate boss has, as did his predecessor. A degree and background in finance and economics means he possibly understands such things. They say that he is also an advocate of Quality Assurance of Management Systems, and has written papers on it, which says it all.

You can argue for ever about whether management is an art, a science, or just a refuge for those who can’t do anything else. Let’s hear what our contributor says about it; in his own words

About ME

LOOKING BACK on all the managers I have had myself during my career, the best ones seem to be those that make it a pleasant experience to work for them. OK there’s jobs to be done and targets to be met but that shouldn’t override the fact that management is more about managing people than money.

Any organisation is a social enterprise so if you can spread a lightness of approach and good feeling as part of your day-to-day management activity then that has to be a good thing.

I think it’s important for managers not to forget their social responsibility to the people in their charge. Managing people is not easy. However, it can be done successfully and it can be a very rewarding experience.

The integrity industry is project-based, so teamwork is a key point. This is easy to say, but not so easy to do. Giving people responsibility for specific tasks and asking for their input is important. Whatever their position in the organisation, this makes them feel part of the team and, to me, seems to produce better results than a hierarchical target-based approach. Teamwork I believe, is the answer to many of the questions that surround the practice of management.

My view of THE FUTURE of management

In the inspection and integrity industry, things have changed already. Perhaps the biggest challenge is that resulting from the extensive use of freelance workers and contractors rather than permanent staff. Some organisations have still got their head in the sand about this. You can read my views on this in my linked articles: Integrity job roles, what’s new? and from the other side, An Employer’s view of the GIG ECONOMY

Welcome to the MATTHEWS Integrity Hub: HEAD OFFICE website. I hope you enjoy my contributions.

The Manager