Decisions
Feb 28, 2016 20:52:35 GMT
Post by mossie on Feb 28, 2016 20:52:35 GMT
Realised while ranting about my hospital problems that modern day people are very constrained when it comes to making decisions. As a result delays and inaction cause problems that should never arise. Everything is too judgemental now and problems are seen, and victims made, where none exist, but are almost fabricated to cause some people to make themselves look important.
Viewers of this most likely remember some of my working life from my boasting, but my jobs meant I had to make decisions often, at times under extreme pressure. I hesitate to say but they could be a matter of life and death, mine included. Some people in my position in fact did just that, and we lost a crew on one squadron I was on in those circumstances
With my asphalt hat on at one time I ran a unit with 13 gangs on the road, a deputy, a contracts manager and 4 agents , let alone an asphalt plant with a laboratory. Every week I held a meeting with my deputy and the contracts manager and the agents, to set up a programme of work for the next week, and quite a bit of my time was spent in seeing that the programme ran smoothly and making adjustments as problems arose. E.g. jobs could be delayed by bad weather or a change required by the employer, and so clients down the line had to be kept informed, material orders adjusted etc., etc.
I would occasionally lecture my staff on decision making when things had gone wrong because somebody didn't make a decision in time. My favourite speech ran on the lines, "for every problem that arises there are usually at least two answers, and either can be correct, what you must do is for Gawds sake make a decision, and get something done pronto. I don't care too much as along as you make a decision. If you then realise that it is not right change it as soon as possible. Do not mess about"
That went back to my flying days when we had to make split second decisions, and counter them immediately if we could see it was not the right one. There was absolutely no time or chance to refer to someone in higher authority. I must admit that this attitude has remained with me and I have found myself recently explaining to people that my middle name is "Impatience".
I suppose what I am trying to say is that delay or prevarication can lead to worse problems, sometimes quite quickly.
Viewers of this most likely remember some of my working life from my boasting, but my jobs meant I had to make decisions often, at times under extreme pressure. I hesitate to say but they could be a matter of life and death, mine included. Some people in my position in fact did just that, and we lost a crew on one squadron I was on in those circumstances
With my asphalt hat on at one time I ran a unit with 13 gangs on the road, a deputy, a contracts manager and 4 agents , let alone an asphalt plant with a laboratory. Every week I held a meeting with my deputy and the contracts manager and the agents, to set up a programme of work for the next week, and quite a bit of my time was spent in seeing that the programme ran smoothly and making adjustments as problems arose. E.g. jobs could be delayed by bad weather or a change required by the employer, and so clients down the line had to be kept informed, material orders adjusted etc., etc.
I would occasionally lecture my staff on decision making when things had gone wrong because somebody didn't make a decision in time. My favourite speech ran on the lines, "for every problem that arises there are usually at least two answers, and either can be correct, what you must do is for Gawds sake make a decision, and get something done pronto. I don't care too much as along as you make a decision. If you then realise that it is not right change it as soon as possible. Do not mess about"
That went back to my flying days when we had to make split second decisions, and counter them immediately if we could see it was not the right one. There was absolutely no time or chance to refer to someone in higher authority. I must admit that this attitude has remained with me and I have found myself recently explaining to people that my middle name is "Impatience".
I suppose what I am trying to say is that delay or prevarication can lead to worse problems, sometimes quite quickly.