An un-romantic philosophy

I have come to a bit of a turning point in my philosophical history. Or perhaps turning point is wrong. Mountain? Bridge? Brick wall? Anyhow, I have come to a stage where I need to think deeply about certain things, and try to determine my position. Or at least have some vague position to reach for.

Unfortunately the cause of this philosophical crossroads (?) is terribly un-romantic. I am not pondering existence or being. I am not exploring religion or belief. I am not contemplating aesthetics or beauty or art.

My soul-searching is originating from becoming a line-manager.

Bleugh.

Somehow it is both romantic and easy to be philosophical on the grander scale. Politics. Left or Right? Economics. Keynesiasm/Neo-liberalism. etc etc etc.

In the confines of an organisation, I am finding that being philosophical is tricky. And yet, in my life right now, this is where I need it the most.

I am new to this whole managing game. Or rather, the managing of people (I guess we are all managers in some way from an early age). But being a manager of people, a “line-manager”, is a lot harder and a lot more complicated than I ever imagined. You are given power and responsibility. But you are given power OVER other people and responsibility FOR other people. Suddenly I am part of a structure, a hierarchy, a system and I don’t really know how I want to be. In a sense I am in a different “class” in the organisation. And if I am practising power, what values am I exerting on those I am managing?

Hegemony.

It also seems that by being a manager you are opening yourself up for criticism and dissection. Your actions and decisions directly affect people, and therefore they are open to scrutiny. I feel like I am constantly being judged.

When I was sitting at the bottom of a chain it was quite easy to isolated, independent, and individual. I could get on with what I needed to do and not be too bothered with what others were doing. As long as I was doing what I needed to do, I could be content in thinking that I was doing my bit. Contributing what I needed to contribute.

Now I am a team. I am leading a team. I am defending a team. I am controlling a team.

How do I want to do this?
How do I want to be perceived?
What do I want to achieve?
What are the different ways of achieving this?
What are the real priorities?
How do I get the balance between achieving the goals and objectives and making sure that my team are happy and satisfied and motivated etc etc etc…..

Speculation. Dispute. Conflict. Motivation. Leadership.

But of course, there is no need to reinvent the wheel here. I am not the first to have these thoughts. But how can I learn from the great philosophers before me? When I explore the great philosophers, how do I apply their ideas to day to day work in the office?

Is there some way of relating Nietzsche and existentialism to targets and motivation, Descartes to my weekly management meeting? And can Kant input into my performance appraisals? I guess Foucault can help me with understanding power?

It’s just that the last thing I want is some cheesy self-help book which has made millions for some charismatic, touchy-feely MBA graduate who will fill me with buzz-words and make me vomit.

back to blogging

why do i blog? and why do i stop blogging? and what do i get from blogging and what should i get out of it?

anyway, i am back. once again searching for some meaning.

If there is some end of the things we do...will not knowledge of it, have a great influence on life? Shall we not, like archers who have a mark to aim at, be more likely to hit upon what we should? If so, we must try, in outline at least, to determine what it is. —Aristotle