Watching for the signals : the foundation of management

Title

Language

English

Source

Philippine Armed Forces Journal Volume IX (No. 6) October 1956

Year

1956

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

l AVE you en•1· heard of the the "signal" for an attack In card word "signal"! Other than playing, a player ;ndicates to his the words "Signill Corps"? partner a desire fo1· a cehain lead 01·, seen one? l\Iaybe yeo,;. Very from him with the aid of some sort likely, however, there are a few of of "sign." us who really understand what signal~ mean in OUl' daily lives. One kind of sign may be a symbol represPnting an idea, as a worrl, Webster•;18d~~ti~~:~~ing:ays signal ~:~:~;~. 0 : ,:~::~ orA;~~~~;e 1::~ve~~ (: is some sign, event, or watchwoJ·d ing an irlea, command ot· wish. Still that sern!s to start some action as other sign:s may be the more !amiin the ('ase of :1 man'~ words heing liar publicly-displayecl notice on a building, office, etc., to advertise a ing for her some soccor was a "sigfirm's business done there, the firm's nal" to you to help. With you bename and so on. lieving, among others, that knightIndication of the existence or pre- hood is still in flower, you responded sence of a thing may be called signs, to the signal without her formal reas signs of a storm. On the street, quest. signals for motorists passing at in- Another illustration is the case of tersections indicate green for go, a bright officer, the head of a comyellow for caution and red for stop. mand. He went by as formal as can In atronomy, a sign indicates a be with no hello, no smile, no nod division of the ecliptiC' or sodia. or what have you, notwithstanding Grammarwise, it means mood, tense, the greetings of his subordinates. number and case. And in mathe- He soon noticed that the individuals matics, a sign shows the relation- who should be very close to him ships between quantities or an op- were very far. eration performed on them, as the A group of his officers would signs for addition, substruction, mul- break up suddenly, or there would tiplication and division. be silence as if everyone were in the cemetery, whenever his presence Signal Without Words around was noticed. "There is reThere are numbuless signals: in luctant cooperation," he noted. our homes, in the offices, in busi- "Why?" he asked himself. ''"What nesses, in the sidewalks, transports- are my characteristics that others lic-n facilities, classrooms - every- abhor?" He examined himself. Soon where. Some are formal statements he found out that he was a high hat. like the educated remark "I thought He regarded others as though they you already left" from a superior were non-existent. If ever he officer who reail)' meant "You dumn thought that they existed, he consifool I do not want you to hang dere1 ! himself as the best among around here a minute more." Other them so much so that he felt they signals, however, are without bene- ought to worship him like a demifit of the spoken word. god. To i\Justrate, there is the girl who was walking on a sidewalk holding The officer found out moreover so many things, let us ..;ay. You as that his subordinates in the cornan acquaintance happened to be mand were not mere followers tickwalking behind her in the same di- ing like robots. Most important, rection. You noticed her plight. he realized that they are people Your help was not solicited. And with five senses like himself. "Could you may be huJTying to your des- it be possible to have a more cortination. But you offered to help dial working relationship with { he~~~s; the same. th~~!" 0~~ic::ke~ h!~:el~ase noticed Common sense dictates that your the signal: the adverse attitude of noticing her carrying a load merit- his subordinates. This opened his <?yes to the need for a change in his come of a consultation with an exbehador and he acted accordingly. pert, one who can be depended upon Signals And T heir Implications in the planning of office layouts, Still another type of "watching conformable with good systems nnd fo1· the signals" may be seen in the procedures, and consistent with the case of an employee who had often fiscal resources a,·ailable as well as ) hcen absent. He had not explained the convenience of the personnel. ::~c;~·h:~dan:o \\::r~~-::es b~~-l:~s ;~~ of T,~:s:~g::l tir::~e~t:~e~~:~d b:r::~~ '? I left and right by his superior. Con- Shall there be an "office managesidering the side of the superior, it ment" expert at all in the Armed would have been better if on hear. Forces? Shall the military be beting any explanation from hi~ sub- ter off in hiring one who knows !'iS ordinate, he refrained from harsh business on a consultative basis? language before ascertaining the Shall if suffice to have just any ofreason for the absences. In care- ficer assigned to this or that posifully-expressed language and in a tion? ~~-~:~rta~~n;o s:!ordi:~~=: t:::e;~~~ . The case. of a habitual drun~acd ~ ~:~:ina~il;:: l~!t::;:s. of Tt:: :~:eo:t~i~ :~n;_ l~s~T o;s u~:~~~~; ~~~:ple_w1:er: ( •' could have probably recognized his looklllg for the ~1gnnls IS a~I"ISabl~. mistakes, and, instead of naturally Naturally, the s1gnal here IS . obvldefending himself, could have ofou~~t t:.~/~~t t~!r:r~ncka~~:n:~s d~~~~~ fered to make good henceforth. en ness in the command? Is d1·unk. Off_ and on, ther~ are alterations enness rampant 1 Who are the ofm th1s or that off1ce. It seems a ficers and men affected? How ofg~od si~n of progress .. The step in- ten does it happen? And when? d1cates Improvements mtended to be What is the situation in each rase 1 made. E1·en an office is supposed What does it mean? Why? to be a living thing. that must come Questions abound. What can be up to moder~ requlfements. . done to prevent or minimize drinkBut what Signal do the alteratiOns ing? What are the alternatives to of the office. present? drinking 1 What are the procedures The alterations mean, to mos~ of to these alternatives if theY are prous, that some lumber, nails, pamts, posed? How timely are the proand _labor are nece~sary. Com~trol- posals? Who should implement the lerw1se, the altera:wns are a Signal steps to be taken? There are alfor money expenditures. The mean- ways signals suggesting the answers ing can further be spelled out by to the questions. ~~:::~~:ns~~ nt:w th:r n~~es:~?' ;~tut;e~ The World of Signals d Still further, it can be spelled out Signals are not only everywhere. by inquiring whether the alterations They also occur e\·erytime. RegardWf're the result of a stud~·, the out- less of circumstances, in war or in peace, ~uggest or "-hut are necessary to be done. Sig- i\"e" ways of making requit·ements. nals, may be non-directh·e or direct- Of course, there are occasions wh~n ive. When non-diredive, there is a spade must be called a spade. But persuasion, suggestion, and a sort of considering that all men can be COI'diplomat's way of making a require- rected in a pleasant manner, harshment as subtle as possible. When ness and undue language are mere directive, there is force, authority or signals of abuse. dictation being brought to bear Watching for the signals is not upon the subject. everything in management. It i~ When a non-directive way of sig- only a part of a big picture in the nailing is made, the subject is hap· process of getting results from the p)' and very glad to respond. He efforts of others especially in the 1 may even think that he has been militar)'. Specifically, it can mean extended an honor, an opportunity promotion or appreciation from our to perform what has been requested superiors or cOoperation from our for him. In contrast, a direciive subordinates. It depends, in a great manner of signalling may be taken measure, of course, on the viewpoint as an affront notwithstanding the taken on the challenge of the signals justness of an action intended to be beamed to us achieved. "Try watching for the signals, act In a civilian installation, grudges accordingly, and relax," the human and grumblings, if not actual or relations specialist often states. To open defiance by disgruntled person- that stat~onent it is well to add: "so nel are almost certain to happen. that you will be happy, so your orResulting compliance are at most ganization will be managed be~ter. without enthusiasm. Worst still, an and so that the public will o.,nefit under-current of distrust can he born mor~>."

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