Leadership

When I started my career as a computer programmer and systems analyst, I became acutely aware of the power that managers wielded over people and the flow of work.  And I longed to be a manager.

What do managers do?  How did they get their “positions of power”?  What skills do they use to function as managers?

Didn’t take me long to discover the truth.  Managers “manage”.  That is, managers control, guide, direct, administer, and handle — situations, people, and projects.  I knew that managers could use great skill and care in their work. I also knew their emphasis was working with what existed — managing well-defined jobs, using existing skills of experienced workers, and — probably — using the same methods over and over again.

I thought about my work.  After college, my first job was with a 75-year old engineering and manufacturing company with 325 employees.  I was doing things that had never before been done.  I was applying creativity, intelligence, and education to the wishes of users and their projects.  It was up to me to discover new ideas for accomplishing tasks assigned to me. 

I was leading the company along paths never before traveled.  And I liked it!

I did not want to be a Manager. I wanted to be a Leader!

Now, we have defined the basic concepts that THNC will use to grow and develop.  We have decided the kind of company we are creating and the kinds of people we will ask to participate in this grand adventure.

Qualities described in four webpages of this section describe elements of leadership.  These ideas may not appeal to some people. Such an environment may turn them off.  And that’s okay.  What’s important is that everyone knows, before they get involved, where we are going and how we intend to get there.

Deming Quality Management
Byham Zapp Empowerment
Character Ethics – Better Business Bureau
THNC Quality-Empowerment
Ethical Standard Round Table (EStR)

Perhaps you’d like to be part of a national nonprofit, helping millions of people feel better about themselves, and working to bring more technology into their lives.

Perhaps leadership appeals to you, too.

All the Best!