Apply Goldilocks principle

    There is one thing universal about successful managers. They keep increasing the performance benchmark every time. It applies to an athletic coach who wants to make his trainee globally competitive.

I have worked under cruelly kind managers who are very ruthless in getting the tasks done. They push you to improve your competency and skills every day. You may have had a tough time working under this manager, and still, it is not something to be resented.

Weathers the pressures work? We start looking for ways to do things better when the competitive edge is so narrow, and even a marginal improvement in something will give you an edge over your competitors.

I had my dilemmas over if harsh managers are good or bad. A good manager sets difficult but attainable benchmarks and allows members to execute tasks with relative autonomy.

There is no use flogging a dead horse. Spend time grooming the people who are motivated to do their best. I have spent time with people who do not have enough motivation. They keep pulling excuses without ever trying to do their best. Focus on the people who can deliver results.

Apply the Goldilocks principle for the tasks. The task must be adequately challenging for the competency level of an engineer. Too easy will not motivate, and too hard will discourage.

Several progressive schools are also experimenting with the Goldilocks principle. Customize the learning curriculum depending on the learning abilities of the student. It ensures that the student neither finds it too easy nor too hard and helps reduce the dropout ratio. The idea is to make it more motivating and challenging without making it overwhelmingly hard.

Related articles:

• Shiny object syndrome in technical writing
• Appreciate others is more profitable than criticism
• Lessons from Mahabharata
• Ask better questions
• Need for intrinsic motivation
• Talent has many dimensions

The ability to learn is the key to survival. We can learn faster by learning from each other.