The New Art of Managing People

Discussion A: Building Productive Managerial Relationships
Welcome to the first discussion. In this course you will be introduced to a topic in the discussion. The first week of the module you will write about your initial thoughts after reviewing the resources. The initial post should be at least 300 words.

During the following week you will reply to at least two of your classmates. The replies should be at least 100 words. See the discussion rubric for more details on grading.

Discussions should always be completed prior to “class.” If you are in an online class or an on ground course this is prior to the lesson portion of the week. Are you ready to begin?

1. Consider the following:
In Chapter One of The New Art of Managing People, the authors describe the interactive management philosophy: “[Interactive Management] is based on the philosophy that it is neither healthy nor profitable to manipulate or exploit other people. This philosophy incorporates the belief that people perform effectively because they understand and feel understood by the supervisor, not because they are forced to comply by a mandate from above. It revolves around helping people understand procedures rather than forcing them to comply. The entire process is built around trust-bond relationships that require openness and honesty” (Alessandra, 2008).

Alessandra, Tony. The New Art of Managing People: Person-to-Person Skills, Guidelines, and Techniques Every Manager Needs to Guide, Direct, and Motivate the Team (p. 6). Free Press. Kindle Edition.
2. Initial Post (300 words)
How does the interactive management approach differ from a regular day-to-day technical management approach? As a manager, which approach would you utilize to encourage the highest level of employee performance? Why? Please describe in detail the support of your position.