by Brad Closson

Managers face numerous types of situations every day.  Much of what we classify as “management” is actually “situation management.”  Since nearly all of these situations involve other people, the complexity of the managers decision-making ability is drastically increased.  Moods, health, amount of sleep, stress levels, politics, and feelings are some of the elements that managers must handle each day.  Many of these things are out of the manager’s direct control, but the manager’s attitude and the way in which they approach each situation is completely up to them.

If a manager saw the world through a camera lens, the goal would be to keep this lens shiny and clean.  This can be hard work.  There are many opportunities to get this lens dirty.  Stress at home, problems at work, unexpected roadblocks or team drama are just a few of the things that may make it difficult to see the good things in life.  Attitude is the lens.  If a manager’s attitude is positive, supportive and proactive, every situation will look better to them.  A good outlook allows a manager to see options and creative solutions to the issues at hand.

If the picture doesn’t look good, a manager should wipe off their lens.  A shiny lens keeps the world in focus and the picture sharp.