What It Means to Manage, What It Means to Become a Manager

The only thing a ruler does is make decisions. A ruler who listens well to his subjects' opinions is not a wise ruler. A ruler who makes excellent decisions is a wise ruler. A ruler whose resolve weakens with every opinion he hears, who hesitates, delays decisions, tries to compromise, or takes the path of least risk is a foolish ruler." (219p)

(This is my article published in the March issue of Luxmen, Maeil Business Newspaper's economic monthly.)

 

What does it mean to become a manager? Am I properly fulfilling my role as a manager right now? This is the question that most troubles current CEOs and those who aspire to become managers. Whether the organization is large or small, whether it's a corporation or a public institution, managers and leaders feel great satisfaction but also carry just as many worries. Employees can burn your heart to cinders, and customers and markets can leave a heaviness in your chest. 

Itami Hiroyuki, Professor Emeritus of Business Administration at Hitotsubashi University. A renowned scholar known in both Japan and the United States, he said, "Becoming a manager is like becoming the captain of a ship navigating the vast open sea." It's an expression that resonates deeply. It brings to mind captains of the Age of Exploration or those who pioneered the oceans in the early to mid-20th century.

"The captain must read the stars. He must understand the demands of cargo owners and passengers, the mood of the crew, and the characteristics of the ship. Making comprehensive judgments after considering everything -- that is the captain's duty.

Beyond merely adapting to the weather, one must also think of ways to use it in reverse. Rather than just riding the ocean currents, one must know how to actively harness the flow of the sea. There are captains who, even in headwinds, find ways to use the rough wind to move forward. One must harness the dynamics of nature.

In complex sea routes and ports, one must guide the ship while considering not only one's own vessel but also the characteristics of other ships passing by. When routes overlap with other ships, one must decide one's own movements while anticipating which direction the other will go. In cramped ports, one must even analyze the effect of the waves created by one's own ship on other vessels. Even after cutting the engine, it takes time for the ship to come to a complete stop. Because movement continues due to inertia. Large ships are especially sluggish. One must steer while thinking of the physical dynamics of both one's own ship and other vessels." (20p)

The captain must also consider the human factors related to the ship. To meet cargo owners' expectations, the ship must arrive at the designated port on schedule regardless of whether the weather is good or bad. The crew cannot be neglected either. Without earning the crew's trust, a smooth voyage is hard to expect. Especially when typhoons blow, one must make decisions by comprehensively weighing the cargo owners' hopes, the crew's safety, and more. Sometimes cargo must be thrown overboard. That too is one of the captain's essential duties. There are also times when the crew must be pushed into harsh working conditions. Throughout the voyage, especially during typhoons, both cargo owners and crew look only to the captain. The captain is the one who commands the ship at the center of diverse human dynamics. Amid the dynamics of nature, the dynamics of the ship, and the dynamics of people, the captain must make decisions.

Indeed. The most important thing a manager must do is make 'decisions.' Managers must make final decisions under their own responsibility. The lonely final decision is the manager's lot. Because making those decisions is difficult, being a manager is a hard position. The problems that reach a manager are, without exception, all complex and difficult. That's why one is tempted to postpone decisions. But postponing decisions is the greatest sin a manager can commit.

"The only thing a ruler does is make decisions. A ruler who listens well to his subjects' opinions is not a wise ruler. A ruler who makes excellent decisions is a wise ruler. A ruler whose resolve weakens with every opinion he hears, who hesitates, delays decisions, tries to compromise, or takes the path of least risk is a foolish ruler." (219p)

Ultimately, a manager is someone who must navigate the vast ocean and make the decisions an organization needs, alone and under their own responsibility. In this world, there is no such thing as the 'best judgment' that is clear-cut and flawless. There are only decisions that look somewhat better than others. Yet a manager must make decisions regardless -- that is what makes it such a difficult and heavy position.