Growing up: taking a management course

During my years as a CERN staff physicist there was one returning issue in my annual interview: the recommendation to take a management course (the sentence prior to that was once: “… Frank’s lack of diplomacy is not always appreciated by all his colleagues …”).

Until 23 November 2005 I succeeded to avoid a management course. November 24-25 I took the first part of my management course, together with three other NIKHEF colleagues, two KVI colleagues, one colleague from Rijnhuizen and one from FOM. The main topic these two days was “Communication Styles”. I knew my communication style up-front: directive-expressive. Most (all?) NIKHEF colleagues also know that! Now I learned about the other styles, and yes I feel bad about how I have confronted those who do not share my communication style!

During the course we all have to embark on realistic case studies. I did very badly on my first case. I am sure the others had lots of fun. After that it gradually improved and I for sure learned a lot. The popular thing at home (my wife also read the instruction material) and at work is for people to tell me: “submit less” and “receive more” i.e. I have to learn to listen! Really tough.

Luckily I take this course with Marcel Merk. Always a pleasure and every evening I spend with Marcel I strangely enough find myself with a headache the following morning. How come? (The use of the bar is not included in the fee, nor can one get reimbursed for the use of the bar ……)

The next two-day session is December 15-16. Looking forward to learn and practice more!