Lessons from my career: synthesizing managementtheory with practice Part 7Fitting into a New CultureThere was a massive contrast in the managerial style at the Tyre Corporation compared with my experience at State Engineering Corporation. At Tyre, the top management was more elitist, many of whom had come from the private sector at the start of the Corporation. Most of them were bridge players and would engage in bridge during the lunch break.
Even the middle management was more polite and disciplined and would greet each other politely every morning. Phrases such as “please,” “thank you,” and “may I” were frequently used.In contrast, I recall the time at State Engineering when we would send notes to others and often to the Administration.
I would use very polite language; it was seen as unusual behaviour. Once, the Chief Clerk told me, “Your notes are so polite, your language so kind”. So, in a way, I was more at “home” at the Tyre Corporation.
I wasn’t a bridge player and hated card games, so getting “accepted” to the elite group took me a while. This was a good lesson on how culture differs vastly from organisation to organisation and how one needs to fit in.Everything at this Corporation ran smoothly, and the management was more relaxed.
In contrast, at State Engineering, it was always a crisis or fire fighting. Initially, while studying each factory unit to understand the process, I also wanted to collect statistics for the past 10 years. Natura.
