Dharmendra Satapathy

Friday, February 13, 2009

The differenece between man and machine


Often we say that we could not do this because of that problem or because we did not get cooperation or because it is not my job. I have view and strong one. Achivement is always against odds. Hence a task should be viewed likewise. At the easiest level it can be replaced by a machine at some point in time. For example if my job was to wash utensils I will be in a position to do so day in and day out without saying that I could not do it for this or that reason. Of course we are assuming that washing powder would be there at all times and the number of dishes would be a reasonable and acceptable at all times. Otherwise this kind of job is in the hands of the worker. No coordination with some other person etc is even needed. However in due course such jobs are eventually taken over by automation. Thus production jobs in factories are over a period of time taken over by obedient machines. Just lubricate them and inject energy and they are at your command day after day tirelessly contributing to output. Hence if the job that you are doing is simple and repetative and you are not willing to outgrow your job of yesterday, be sure to be conquered by the robots. Thus if you seriously want to outsmart machinery and see yourself different from the inanimate metals, you will have to inculcate skills like leadership, diplomacy, patience, understanding, communication, empathy etc which sets you apart from the mechanical tools that lie around. Managers have life. They can accept challenges and can think of multiple ways to tackle them. Challenges most of the times are tackled using soft skills and emotions. The heart plays a key managerial role and should never be discounted. A good manager leaves the best computing machines far behind. And only a good manager experiences success by overcoming hurdles and challenges all the time. Machines at best wll overcome the same hurdle in a better way tirelessly but will fail when the nature of the challenge varies. This is where a true manager steps in and finds all sorts of ways to beat the challenge time after time using both the expected as well as the unexpected method. Resistance to change, in my view, is a desease contracted from inanimate and efficient mechanical tools. Resistacne to change, remember, will also ensure that your status too remains unchanged. You remain where you are till you are replaced by a low cost substitute.

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