If you are an Information technology Manager, to your squad, you lot are the head of the fish.

Giving credit where it'south due, the expression "A fish rots from the head downward" is an old proverb of unknown origin, but claimed past various countries and cultures.  As well, my express research into the biological accuracy of the expression leads me to believe that information technology's the fish's inner organs, rather than its head, that actually rot first.  All that said, this is neither a history lesson nor a biology class and then let'due south go to the management implications of this great proverb.

If your department is having issues related to poor morale, low productivity, depression quality, high compunction, or other similar and undesirable predicaments, a practiced place to begin your analysis is with some personal soul searching.  Notation that, by this argument, I am by no means saying you are the problem, I'm simply proverb that you may exist the problem or yous are potentially contributing to the problem.

The reason I'g asking you lot to consider the possibility that y'all may exist the cause or a contributing cistron to your squad'south difficulty is for the following reasons:

  • Every bit a manager, or simply equally a human being, self circumspection can aid you acquire more virtually yourself, which can help you abound as a person and equally a professional.
  • Knowing is the first pace toward correcting. That is to say, that if later on personal assay you conclude that you are the cause of your team'south distress, you can brainstorm making the needed changes.
  • If y'all are the problem and everyone knows it but you, information technology puts you in a position to unilaterally correct your shortcomings without boosted damage to your professional reputation and career potential at the company.
  • If the bug within your department are in fact caused past external forces or circumstances, yous can move frontward trying to correct the problems with the conviction that y'all are not the root crusade of the issue.

This expression likewise has a potentially more troublesome implication for yous as a managing director. That said, y'all are in adept company.  This expression has also been used as a style to express business organization and dissatisfaction with CEOs of large corporations, leaders of well known religious and civic organizations, and even toward various presidents of our state.  When used in this way, this single expression says two things at in one case; beginning, that there are pregnant problems inside the system and second, the leader (or in your case as manager) is specifically the cause.  In short, if you hear people speaking this mode about you and your department, know that the wolves are at the door and your job may be in jeopardy.

The upside of being personally connected with your team's performance and well-being is that the pendulum swings in both directions. That is to say, yes, you will be looked at poorly if your department is having significant issues, but y'all nearly probable will also be looked at with praise if your section is doing well.

Accept note, however, that while this upside is true, it is not guaranteed.  Remember, equally a manager, you are the fellow member of two teams, namely, of the department you manage, and too a fellow member of your director's squad.  To truly have this pendulum fully swing in the positive direction too requires being positively viewed past your manager and peers.

Until adjacent fourth dimension, lead well, always communicate, and think business showtime and engineering science 2nd.