"How to manage the slaves." Tips of the ancient top manager

The Roman Guide to Human Resources
Between control slaves and subordinates do not have such a big difference - so says Cambridge professor of Gerry Toner, who prepared the Roman handbook for work with personnel

. In his book, "How to manage the slaves", he leads the narration on behalf of the Roman patrician Marcus Sidonia Falksa aristocrat tells how to choose the right slaves and take them all

. We chose from the book of tips that fit the modern managers.




From the author

Some Western readers nervously react to the book, saying that owning slaves and manage subordinates - are completely different things. In general sense, they are right.

But at a deeper considering we find much in common between two different situations. This inconvenient truth, but the truth of it this does not cease to be: like the ancient slave-owners, and today's corporations seek to make maximum use of their human resources

. No matter how we tried to mask the harsh realities of wage labor lush rhetoric of mutual cooperation and friendly relations in the conditions of "work as a team", it will be useful to listen to the rectilinear honest statements of the ancient Romans.

I expect that the Russian reading public will be able to appreciate the qualities that are inherent to Mark Sidonia Falksu. This decisive manager who is not natural to the weakness of today's Western leaders. He is well aware of what to do to subordinates respected him, how to maintain order in the house and on the farm. If to achieve these goals will have someone to do hard, well - this is a harsh necessity of life

. Do not be carried away by the construction team

It is necessary to warn about this: do not buy too many slaves of the same medium or of the same nationality. Although at first glance it may seem tempting to have employees who are able to co-operate, easy to find a common language with each other (because they speak the same language), in the future it may create a very big problem. At best, they will incite each other to rest, sit and chat, to steal anything, at worst - will argue and argue, resist, conspire: either to escape or even kill you

. Pay attention to the nature, not only on the skills

It is necessary to pay attention to the nature of a servant, which you intend to buy. Does he think you are indecisive and weak-willed or, alternatively, reckless and defiant? For the most suitable are those that are neither extremely clogged or too bold: both and then you NAMA. Those who are too quiet and zatyukali, are unlikely to be active and perseverance in work, and those who do not have brakes, and demonstrates his prowess, is difficult to manage.

Avoid slaves, who are constantly in a state of sadness and longing. Being a servant - not the most enviable share, and those who are prone to depression, will only aggravate such,

. Remember that there are things that you can do yourself

Avoid showing off and boasting. There is nothing more vulgar than a social parvenu, using a host of entirely unnecessary slaves employed all sorts of nonsense, just to demonstrate his exorbitant wealth. A wealthy freedman, familiar to me, held a slave, whose function was to remind Mr names of people whom he receives.

Make servants love you

Many of the novice slave owners fall into the trap of thinking that you can do a whip. Those of us whose families had slaves for generations, know that this treatment is exhausting and exhausting slaves, ending with their complete unsuitability for further use.

If you resort to violence, going beyond your reasonable duties, you finish that will make your wards shutting confidence and unguided. Such slaves - not slaves, and hell torments. Cruelty - a double-edged sword, and it hits hardest not a slave, and for the owner

. Hard work should be rewarded. Good slaves very demoralizing, if they see that all the hard work they do and the food to be divided in half with those who shirked. It is also important that each slave was clearly a certain long-term goal.

Organization of the important

Each slave must have clear responsibilities. This creates a clear system of accountability and provides strenuous work, because the slaves know that, if some of the work will not be completed, for it will respond quite certain employee.

You have to beat the slaves into groups of ten people (for groups of this size is most easily observed, larger associations create problems for supervisors).

These groups, you must distribute to all the names, and the work should be organized in such a way that workers are not left alone or in pairs: do not keep track of them if they are so scattered

. Another problem with large groups is that people do not feel personal responsibility: it dissolves in the total mass of workers. The team also correctly matched the size of forces to compete with each other, and also identifies those who work in a slipshod manner.

Pay attention to the education chiefs

I teach their new managers the following things, which, I believe, will help them to become more moral. I forbid them to use slaves for other cases than those associated with the owner's interests. Otherwise, you may find that the new leaders use their position, forcing slaves to perform their individual assignments, while slaves must work for the benefit of the estate as a whole.

Managers do not have to eat separately from subordinates; let them eat the same food as the workers. Nothing is more annoying tired servant, as the contemplation of the chief works, absorbing a tasty and luxury food, a slave when he will receive only the usual meager rations.

Relax with slaves

What it will take part in the festivities you, it depends on you. I have a friend, a terrible bore and a scientist biscuit - so it is in the midst of the celebration is removed in a quiet room, so as not to hear the noise house party. He says he finds it delightful - Saturnalia sit there and wait until all off raging (all the others in the house are covered by a riot of fun, everywhere cries of joy could be heard celebrating folk). He argues that the best way: it does not interfere with their fun and anything they are not limited. And besides, they do not distract him from training scientists. That idiot!

No, I think it's better to share with people their attitude. You'll be surprised how much changing for the better relationship you slaves, if you are taking part in the festival. Personally, I'm getting drunk, shout, play games and toss the bones, stripping, erotic dances execute, and sometimes - with a face smeared with soot - rush headlong into the cold water. A home like this.

What is important is that the day after the holiday to prevent its continuation. I advise you in the morning to take the most severe expression. This is the time to put in place a slacker - perhaps just someone who is too carried away by the benefits of freedom provided by a holiday, and somehow offended you. However, when everything went back to normal, it is useful to stay on friendly terms with your slaves - as far as possible, of course, to the extent required for maintaining the authority and respect

. Do not become a slave of his slaves

There are a number of things that your servants can do to win a small victory over you in everyday life. It is with this small disobedience you will meet constantly.

They will lie to you about how much food they ate, or cheat on little things, saying if anything is worth ten sesterces, when in fact it is eight.

They will pretend to be sick, not to work, emitting moans such that you will be concerned if they survive at all, but they are just satisfied with an idea to get rid of difficult tasks.

They will stand in the kitchen by the stove, to sweat, and then show you the drops of sweat as a sign of severe fever.

And if you believe this lie, soon every job will require twice as much time than you need really. This is how are the slaves. They constantly feel you peering, what and where you can grab. And you have to constantly cut back on your power, until it is completely eaten slaves, who will treat you with all the great contempt.

Do not think that all this does not concern you

Today, no one argues similarly Falksu that slavery is acceptable or justifiable. But before you congratulate yourself on how far we have come, to be aware of the tragic fact that although slavery in all countries is illegal, it is still widely

. According to the NGO Free the Slaves (Engl. "The freedom of the slaves"), today, 27 million people are forced to work under threat of violence, without pay and without hope of redemption. In today's world, more slaves than it was in the Roman Empire at any time of its existence.