I asked the water company engineer why his company was digging up the street in front of my family’s house for the second time in a few years. He answered my question with a frown and a sigh. “I have to install new pipes because of that new building,” he replied as he pointed atContinue reading “A Guide to City Zoning; an Example of Management Organising”
Author Archives: Ellery
Burning Platforms and How to Prevent Them
A proprietor who sells electrical products was experiencing a dramatic drop in sales. He hires a consultant who comes from a large multinational corporation and asks him what can be done. The consultant suggests that the proprietor develop a vision, mission, objectives, and strategies (VMOS) for his business. The consultant conducts a team-building session withContinue reading “Burning Platforms and How to Prevent Them”
Building Track Records of Trust
My mechanic, Diony, recommended I change the power steering fluid of my car. I use automatic transmission fluid (ATF) for the power steering because another mechanic said it was okay. But when Diony checked my car the other day, he said I shouldn’t use ATF for power steering. ATF is for automatic transmissions; power steeringContinue reading “Building Track Records of Trust”
Non-Moving Inventories: The Supply Chain’s Elephant in the Room
The phrase, “elephant in the room,” is said to have originated from a fable by Ivan Krylov that tells about “a man who goes to a museum and notices all sorts of tiny things, but fails to notice an elephant.” It has become a favourite expression for an obvious problem or issue that for someContinue reading “Non-Moving Inventories: The Supply Chain’s Elephant in the Room”
What Organising Really Means
There are four (4) basic functions to management: planning, organising, directing, and controlling. We can picture what planning, directing, and controlling are. They’re kind of straightforward and self-explanatory. Organising, however, is not. When we “organise,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? We perhaps think of putting our stuff in order, like filing awayContinue reading “What Organising Really Means”
Owning versus Managing: What’s the Difference?
Do you own the business or do you manage the business?* A senior member of the board of trustees of a high-rise building walked into its administration office and asked the accountant there to order parts for a diesel generator set. The senior board member believed that the generator needed a minor repair and notContinue reading “Owning versus Managing: What’s the Difference?”
Management is Not Leading, and It Isn’t Staffing Either
First thing I was taught as a management trainee at a large multinational corporation in 1985 was that there are four (4) basic functions to managing. These are: Planning, Organising, Directing, Controlling. In 2021, when I search for “management functions” on the Internet, the results mostly are: Planning. Organising, Leading, Controlling, and Staffing. Leading hadContinue reading “Management is Not Leading, and It Isn’t Staffing Either”
Twenty-Five Questions We May Find Ourselves Asking Everyday
Some of us ask very profound questions when we go to bed at night or wake up in the morning: “Why are we here?” “Where are we going?” “What happens when we die?” For many who work long hours and experience the daily adventures of hand-to-mouth jobs, however, these questions are quickly overtaken by moreContinue reading “Twenty-Five Questions We May Find Ourselves Asking Everyday”
The Case of the Half-Cut Tree; How We View Accountability
There’s a tree across the street from where I live that looks like it’s half of what it should be. The tree’s trunk is rooted on an empty lot. Its leafy side hangs over a street intersection. The tree’s leafy branches press down on telephone & internet cables. Over the years, especially when the windContinue reading “The Case of the Half-Cut Tree; How We View Accountability”
A Letter to a Life Insurance Company
The following is a letter I want to send to a life insurance company regarding their service. Identities are anonymous to avoid complications. Dear Chief Executive Officer of Life Insurance Company, I received your letter dated August 25, 2020 which arrived February 16, 2021. Your letter stated that you did not receive payment for pastContinue reading “A Letter to a Life Insurance Company”
Ellery's Essays 