I am a person who loves to live and keep my activities/things in order. At home and at the workplace, I am OCD. I used to take care of all the things which are associated with my daily routine with at most care and diligence. Can bracket the items like my pen, my backpack, my laptop, my electronic gadgets, my shoe, my books/files, my vehicle….etc all as materialistic. In a way, how I see is that these items can’t speak up like humans, hence the person who handles/manages these should be logically a step ahead of a people management expert. Take the case of people who have pets at home, they take care of them quite nicely by providing all the comfort before they demand (it's like ordinary people think futuristic and act accordingly). Thus, for a discussion purpose, I bracket a Machinist as one who manages everything (ie, who can’t speak up) except humans.
I understand, to manage people in an organization is the most difficult part, as people have different views and it’s the people mindset that takes the maximum time to change when compared to systems and process change. In my experience, whether it's machine or people, one can effectively manage with good subject knowledge, logical approach, being genuine, transparent, trust, and relatedness with which others could connect. It is not rocket science. My moot point here is, a person in his work life of 30 years of which he dealt managing machines for 28 years and only 2 years into people management, could be pardoned and bracketed that he could miss out on the nuances and nitty-gritty involved in managing people and not for a people-oriented person who is into 30 years in man-management. Is a Machinist live in silos, does he not communicate with the community (people). He is a machinist only as part of his work. A child growing to man, it’s the environment which contributes 80% towards character formation and only 20% is through parenting/genes. I have also seen people who are very effective in managing everything and anything at home and in the extended family and project themselves as a disaster when it comes to the workplace.
A Mechanist or a People Manager, both are leaders even though one manages the non-speak ups and the other manages the speak-ups. A person who manages the non-speak ups, is intellect, intuitive, strategist, empathizer, reflective, and above all does things up front, in short, I would say he is a mind reader, fixer, keen observer, and executioner at the same time. Many times I have come across hearing that people management is an art and a soft skill that everyone does not possess. There are people at the workplace, who project as ‘not capable’ in handling people, but the moment they see an opportunity, they do all and above which is prescribed under the people management realm. At times I got surprised by these types of people reaching out to others and convincing colleagues in line with their thought process. Many a time, it is also observed that these subtle characters at the workplace, show exemplary persona in effectively managing, especially the monthly home chores without any guidance and support single headedly.
Would conclude by saying that ‘if you are born as a human (IQ wise not a challenged individual), then the mere statement of one saying that I perhaps could not meet the expectation of people, in the first place was definitely not genuinely interested to do anything for the people around, irrespective of he being a mechanist or a people’s person. A man lives as a leader and a follower same time, it is like two sides of a coin, empathy is the key, ignorance of not understanding can only be looked upon as deliberate!!!
