A book about buses...

If I were to write a book or leave a set of instructions for work, managing others, or anything professional in nature, I would probably start with getting hit by a bus. I don't know why but the concept of a bus fills in my analogies from time to time.

When managing others I firmly believe that you have to anticipate the worst and ensure your employees are prepared to fill in or take your place. I call this the hit by the bus theory. Of course the name is not original and for some it means something else. Some even call the same theory or style of management something different. I believe you should always be training 2 to take your place. I also think that most managers are scared of a concept like this. I think they are scared that their company will fire them and have one of their subordinates take their place. If this actually happened I think it would be the result of one of two occurrences: 1 - your company has bad morals and ideals or 2 - you did something wrong not related to someone being able to replace you. If you play the situation out properly, how would one ever get promoted if there is no one to take their place. That's one of the main reasons why I believe in the hit by the bus theory. The other main reason is that you should always be advancing others. No questions asked. It will come back to you. I promise; one way or another. And why should you be training up 2 people to take your spot? Because they need some competition to keep motivated. And what if one of them get's hit by a bus too?

My other bus fascination I tag with is get on the bus or watch it go by. This concept is about you and your career going places. I believe there are opportunities all over. Most of the time you have to find them, create them, or make the best what you have been presented. But my point here is that you can either get going places by your own choice or pass up potential opportunities up and then complain about it later.

I guess my message is to get on the bus because you don't want to get hit by the bus or watch it go by. Laugh or not, I think they are pretty solid. No original but professional styles to stick by.