Managing expectations

Today there was a new employee joining the team of Art Burshy.
The young man had trembled when entering Art's office... what would this day look like...who is this bearded guy wearing this hat throughout the day...is this really my manager...
At the same time, in awe... so this guy Art Burshy is a real MANAGER, wow

Art Burshy observed the impression his office and presence had on the youngster.
His direct reaction was to lower expectations and destroy the admiration part:
"I am part of the lowest scoring 5% of managers, just to manage your expectations..."
I was a bit puzzled when Art Burshy told me today, although hardly anything surprises me anymore coming from this eccentric guy...

Art explained me that:
- it is known from psychology that some people increasingly 'admire' their bosses
- they develop a dependency-relationship, meaning
(a) the employee does everything for his boss and
(b) the boss protects his employee from anything negative
And this often only ends with a big implosion of trust, (i) when the manager leaves or (ii) when he has to take actions that hurt the employee in some way or (iii) when he for once does not live up to the employee's carefully built expectation level...
That's why Art manages expectations from the start.

Another thing you see is the psychological desire for the manager to be recognised by his team as the 'hero'.
To maintain this hero-status he will ensure to be owner of all successes.
And whenever he does not get things done - he just blames the rest of the organisation or even the clients.
He blames other locations, politics, incompetence of others etc.
Basically he steps away from the table where all decisions are taken and projects himself and his teams as victim of the angry outside world.
It is better as a manager to manage expectations, and admit where you can influence and share success, rather than claim it. And to participate constructively in decisions accepting it might impact your team.

In the end also a manager should make a choice how he wants to manage and how he sees his relationship with his team. How much does he share personal information, how often does he join them for drinks.
Art's guideline is:
- treat all employees equal and with respect
- avoid favouritism
- and when employees get too positive > point out that you are just doing your job, and success only comes as a result of a good collaboration.

Sure, short term it brings you less adoration and ego-satisfaction, but those things you should invest much energy in; you better invest time at home with family and friends ;)

God was here

I was walking outside with Art Burshy and we were passing by a graffiti decoration of the wall.
Art halted and pointed to the drawing that stated "God was here".
"Do you like it?" he asked while checking out my reaction.
"Sure" I said, not even looking carefully.

That was a mistake...it was a graffiti tag that Art himself had sprayed on the wall just last night.
To me it seemed just a 'normal' tag, but Art Burshy of course was ready to give me his views:
- tags in general are a waste of space; it is like dogs pissing on each corner to mark their territory
- in some cases it is creative incontinence - they just can't help themselves
- if you want to practise graffiti you should find your own surface, not ruin walls in public space
- graffiti or any street art should decorate the world and leave a message that makes people reflect
- if you have no message to bring, you should not make any art. And in general, when you have nothing to say you should shut up... seems this reflex is not working anymore for many people.

So I asked Art what the message was in this graffiti expression.

Art frowned and gave me a suspicious look...
"Well, like a joke you should never explain an art work.
If people do not get it, explaining it takes away the magic, it has a risk of making them look stupid, or of making the artist look stupid.
But as a background I have some observations that I can share:
- since people believe less and less in a God they do no longer accept their misery as part of fate.
- people used to accept many things as "this is apparently what God had in mind for me".
- so they have to identify a new way to deal with the shit that happens to them. But they can not blame yourself...
- so they find new remote 'institutions' to blame for anything happening
- they blame the government, or government institutions
- but in democratic countries it is actually really silly...you have voted all for your government yourself
- or they blame immigrants, as if their ancestors were indigenous people still owning the land and the economy on top of it.
So, since God has left it seems the way is open for individualism and people are less and less tolerant and lose their solidarity."

So I asked him if he was religious then?
"What does that have to do with it?" he replied all indignant.
So he left, leaving me all puzzled once again.

Who should manage our banks

A business man was looking at buying an art works from Art Burshy today, visiting Art in his atelier. The man was at the point of buying a piece of art when Art Burshy exploded.

By itself Art Burshy never invites people in his atelier, and especially not when he is working on an art work. It distracts him, takes him out of his creative flow by making him focus on his painting and making it beautiful.
This potential client was a banker and very interested in art, asking loads of questions. At the start Art was in a good mood, even liking to explain someone the basics of modern and conceptual art.
Art explained him the critical elements of true art:
- it requires skills so that the brush and materials become part of your senses, e\and nothing takes your mind away from expressing your deepest feelings.
- it has to be part of a meaningful journey; it needs to touch the artist so the art work becomes the consolidation of an authentic story. And then it can touch others.
- it has to be beautiful and discomforting at the same time. Beautiful to tempt the viewer to get involved, and it has to be uneasy and confronting to move people towards introspection. A famous artist once said: Art is beauty and pity. Without pity it is just design.

The banker was listening to all Art's stories, and asking more and more questions.
Then, while Art was working to add final touches to the art work, the man said:
"well, I still do not fully understand your art...but that's like you would not really understand my banking".

This hit a nerve and Art exploded.
- who says that bankers understand their own business?
- what should be the real drive of managers running a bank; money or the drive to be part of a meaningful journey?
- what is so unique about the skills that bankers require...creative skills are very close to mathematical skills and a key requirement to be successful in both art and banking.
The banker was looking to avoid further escalation by asking if there are no other options or ways to look at it.
But Art Burshy's eruption could not be stopped, it came from deeper layers of agony pushing up the lava of anger.

It ended with the banker leaving.
It will not surprise you that he did not buy an art piece, but it seemed that Art did not really care...