Entrepreneur vs Manager vs Technician
In The E-Myth Revisited, Gerber talks about three selves:
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The Entrepreneur dreams of the future, imagining possibilities, and attempting to shape (exercise control over) the world according to that vision.
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The Manager attempts to impose order. Perhaps also to understand?
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The Technician lives for the work, the flow, the present, the building, the joy of craft.
It's easy to see elements of all these in myself. At times in my life, I've emphasised one or other, depending on the world and the people around me.
I suppose I get the least personal satisfaction from The Manager. That self eventually emerges as a necessary response to a high level of chaos, or sometimes when trying to impose structure on a team. But I find it takes enormous work to be the Manager for myself.
I've learned to be a Technician, mostly with programming. Indeed it's a tremendous source of satisfaction, and I feel an urge tugging me towards it at all times. I know I'm not the best Technician at anything, but I'm good enough.
The Entrepreneur comes and goes, and it's very forceful when present.
I'm only a few pages into the book. Perhaps no one likes being a Manager? Or perhaps some people do, and it's necessary in at least small doses?
I have a hunch that his book is aimed at Technicians, whose urge is to focus on that. I'd imagine his point will be that you need a little of all of them...? It's going to be hard. I wonder if I can outsource some of them, or carve out time for each to some degree. I wonder what ratios he will advocate.
UPDATE on 2024-Sept-28 - I first wrote this for myself many years ago. It still feels largely true for me - though I hadn't considered that there is enormous satisfaction to be found as a Manager in helping others to develop.