Personal Philosophy; Revised November 26, 2019

Managers: How do You Manage a Cat?

That skill keeps you from losing some of your best people. You will surely be frustrated. Knowing that someone has a cat personality helps.

Photo by Lukas from Pexels, Photo by Nathan Riley on Unsplash, Author’s text.

Synopsis

• My poor managers learned about cats. I built an app without their knowledge — I let them know after it was installed. I committed their department to a specific date. I was even fired for precisely following procedures.
• They had to put up with me because everybody else was ecstatic with my temperament and work. I intentionally avoided being a manager. I wouldn’t be able to behave like a cat and have fun at work. This article shows managers what to watch for and everybody else can laugh about it.
• Cats manage themselves

What is a cat like?

The conference speaker asked: “Which are you more like — a dog or a cat?”

It was obvious to me. Cats rarely do what you expect. Based on the famous saying, “Dogs have masters. Cats have staff” (anonymous), I am like a cat!

I was not a manager and never wanted to be. I was as independent as a cat and generally managed myself, mostly with permission from my managers.

The cat stereotype:

• Casual, Laidback, Aloof, Indifferent
• Independent, Obstinate, Opinionated, Self-sufficient
• Willful, Spunky, Deliberate
• Focused, Single-minded, Persistent, Tenacious, Meticulous
• Playful, Curious
• Cunning, Sneaky, Conniving, Manipulative, Startling, A hunter
• Imaginative, Inventive, Resourceful
• Clever, Confident, Self-assured
• Lazy

This summary was combined from many internet sites, suggestions from the writers group, and personal experience from living with a cat.

Managing a cat is not an easy task