Balance and Control

Balance and Control is the book that I would have welcomed at the start of my professional career. But because it didn't exist, after I retired, I felt compelled to write it for the benefit of all others responsible for managing people. Balance and Control is a guide to managing people at many different levels of technical and psychological maturities and at different hierarchical ranks (subordinates, peers, and superiors). It takes the theories of management and leadership and puts them into practical strategies and actions that have been proven to actually work. It takes an unvarnished look at the interface between the manager and those they manage or interact with and helps the manager to get a better appreciation of the human dynamics that are likely at play. My intent is to help the individual reader grow as a manager and help them avoid the majority of the professional and political pitfalls that are always present when any attempt is made to manage the competitive, narcissistic, and un-contented animal that is man. The book was designed to provide the manager a window into their own basic nature in order to give them a better understanding of the nature of man. In addition, the book's design brings together many of the same standard operational management strategies and tools, found elsewhere, but I have put them into situational context so the manager can see how their actions (or lack thereof) might be being interpreted on a psychological and emotional level by those directly affected by what they do. The book takes the reader on a blue collar journey through the white collar challenges of management. It will walk you through many of the human interactions a manager is likely to encounter while keeping you mindful of man's natural motivational drivers (his desires and fears), his pursuit of higher hierarchical status, individual recognition, pride, and personal respect. I have constructed the book in a cumulative fashion, allowing each new section to build upon the last, and I have chosen to take a holistic approach to the information provided. Therefore, the subject matter is interrelated, wide-ranging, and somewhat detailed. You will also find demonstrative examples, scenarios, and actual case studies to provide you with added clarity. Man is presented to the reader as a compartmentalized being so that each of the three separate and distinct levels of his being can be examined individually (the aspirational being, the competitive being, and the primordial being). The book was written for the sole purpose of helping you (the reader (the manager)) become skilled at managing and leading man at all three of those levels - not just the aspirational man. You shouldn't expect to find any gimmicks or short cuts in this book because there are none in Human Sociology or Psychology. Consequently, there won't be any "Magic Formulas" to instantly becoming a better manager, and there won't be any "5 Simple Steps to Superior Leadership" or a "60 Second Solution" to anything. What you should expect is to be able to learn the actual tools of human management and to be able to take control and become an effective manager and leader of people. You should also expect to develop an insight into man's nature which will allow you to avoid unintended consequences while facilitating cooperation and compliance with your leadership; your requests, recommendations, or dictates. While I have made no attempt to make the book's contents sufficiently comprehensive or all inclusive, the information presented should provide you a solid foundation upon which you can start to build, or continue to build, your managerial acumen and career success. Marvin Dixon