I think I default into thinking about management as delegation and load balancing. This is, at least, very incomplete and certainly something to be reworked and redefined in anyone with “delegation” and “load balancing” as the dominant activities behind management.

My basic reason for seeking a redefinition is because I realized the two main activities I strongly associate with management involve, essentially, pushing this out and down. Effective management, I have learned, however, must involve “pushing up.” “Pushing up” is what happens when you inspire people and empower them to do their best to solve a problem. This is way the best results are a achieved in the shortest amount of time.

Purely “pushing out” activities like delegation fail to effectively do this.

So yes, delegation and load balancing have to be a part of management but I think the conceptual framework for the word has to be less of a pyramid of pushing out and pushing and down and more a sphere that involves a lot of pushing up. I think if you become a master of pushing up as a manager you end up have a much easier job as everyone around you is happily, faithfully applying themselves to find the best solutions.