High Output Management - a book review
I was introduced to the book from a YouTube video (recommended to me by a colleague), basically saying that this book contains the source ideas of many other works. My colleague also ensured me that it was an easy read.
Filled with applicable, hands-on advice, the book starts off by teaching you about The Basics of Production: Delivering a Breakfast (or a Colleague Graduate, or a Compiler, or a Convicted Criminal...), introducing concepts such as limiting steps, optimizations (and their constraint on flexibility), using indicators, trends/forecasts, and so much more.
Have you heard of OKRs before? The book discusses paired indicators early, stating that "a measurement - any measurement - is better than none" and goes on to say "a genuinely effective indicator will cover the output of the work unit and not simply the activity involved." The pairing? "Their paired counterparts should stress the quality of work". "Such indicators ... spell out very clearly what the objectives ... are ... [and] provide a degree of objectivity when measuring an administrative function".
Where do I want to go? The answer provides the objective.
How will I pace myself to see if I'm getting there? The answer gives us milestones, or key results.
Leverages: Getting a lot of value (affecting a lot of people, or a few people a lot).
I was once asked by a middle manager at Intel how I could teach in-plant courses, visit manufacturing plants, concern myself with the problems of people several levels removed from me in the organization, and still have the time to do my job. I asked him what he thought my job was.
The book further goes into how (and how frequent) to conduct 1:1s and discusses efficient decision making.
I have seen far too many people who upon recognizing today's gap try very hard to determine what decision has to be made to close it. But today's gap represents a failure of planning sometime in the past.
By saying "yes" to projects or a course of action, you are implicitly saying "no" to something else. People who plan have to have the guts, honesty and discipline to drop projects as well as initiate them.
How should we act in our team vs. a community of practice; as a member of a board or interest group? The book explains that in its Dual Reporting segment.
How can motivate people to do their best? Help people see the importance in their work.
We tend to see ourselves more as communicators and delegators than we really are, certainly much more than our subordinates. "Some 90% of the supervisors saw their style as more communicating or delegating than their subordinates' view. ... sometimes a mangers throws out suggestions to a subordinate who receives them as marching orders." I've experienced this last part myself.
Imagine yourself delivering a tough performance review to your friend. Do you cringe at the thought? If so, don't make friends at work. If your stomach remains unaffected, you are likely to be someone whose personal relationships will strengthen work relationships.
How do we conduct good interviews, and how much can they really help us in assessing a future colleague or subordinate?
How should we react - and act - when a subordinate stops us in the corridor, saying that they'd like to quit?
Finally, the book discusses Compensation; and training being the manager's job.
The book did turn out to be an easy and engaging read, just as my colleague had said. I found it well worth my time!
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