Labor Day? What Happened To Management Day?
Ever wonder why there is a Labor Day and there is no Management Day? If labor has made contributions "to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country", hasn't management? What has labor done that has earned them such recognition? What has management failed to do?
One thing labor has done to earn a day of recognition, that management hasn't, is to organize. Labor unions were the driving force behind the first labor day, earning official recognition of the event from government, and building it to its current status. I think there is a bigger reason why Labor has a holiday and Management doesn't - they earned it and we didn't.
Too many people see a promotion into management as an opportunity to stop working. They think their job as "the boss" is to sit around and give orders. They feel they are entitled to more money and special treatment because they are "in charge". Even as we gradually move from the hierarchical management style toward a more participative style, from shouting orders toward worker empowerment, the notion persists that managers don't have to work as hard as the people "below" them in order to reap big rewards.
The recent Enron-type financial scandals, the excessive and growing CEO salaries, the off-shoring of living wage jobs all send the wrong message. They tell workers that management considers itself somehow better. It's wrong-headed and we as professional managers need to wake up fast.
By all means, enjoy the Labor Day holiday, but try to focus a little attention this week on the workers in your organization. Give them the respect they deserve and both labor and management will come out ahead.
In spite of our being in different continent, we come up with a fantastic idea. Hoping it will not surprise you, the” Ethiopian Management Professionals Association (EMPA).” Is intending to celebrate its ever first management day on may one (May Day) 2010. The content of the event concentrate on the conflict driving issues b/n management board and labor Association found in every companies reside here and to move toward up with some ideal consensus. We come up with this idea for two reasons. The first is EMPA’s reactivation day was on May 1, 2008 and the other is its necessity on facilitating the continuation of EMPA’s activity. Dear sir let me tell you a short history of EMPA. EMPA was born on January 14, 1992 with objectives of enhancing the managerial skills of its members and to contribute different professional’s development to our nation. Even if it was a vibrant and an active Association since its establishment EMPA fails to lives up to its vision for many problems mainly it was a leadership problem that sets EMPA on the verge of death for almost 8 years since 1998. We the graduates of 2007 tried to reactivate it and now EMPA is on its revival again. Please visit our sit to find EMPA’s brochure I need your feed back on this and to share more information. Besides to make your idea real and illustrative by the event happened in the 3rd world country even in the poorest nation of the world.
Getenet Motle
Administrator and board member
Ethiopian Management professionals Association (EMPA)
E-mail: empa@empa.prof.org.et , motieget@yahoo.com
Phone no: +251-911-92-88-12,
p.o.box: 20579 ,Addis Ababa, Ethiopia