The Little Book of Big Management Wisdom

CONCLUSION

I’ve selected Quotation 75, with its two quotations, as my Top Ten entry because combined they offer a warning to managers about how easy it is to lose power.

Power is the ability to get things done.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter

However, any reticence or failure on a manager’s part to use their power will lead to it withering away to such an extent that when they try exercise it people will just ignore them.

Sophocles reminds managers that they should:

Never command what you cannot enforce.

Sophocles

An inability to implement your instructions or commands kills a manager’s credibility stone-dead with both staff and colleagues. So, never issue any order or instruction if there is any doubt at all about your ability to enforce it.

Margaret ...