Penny‐wise, pound‐foolish managers: the syndrome affecting productivity and efficiency

Purpose – Outlines the importance of senior management focusing on strategic and value‐creating activities rather than on issues that could be handled by subordinate staff. Design/methodology/approach – Draws on information gathered from the authors' industry knowledge and experience, plus the HR literature. Findings – Argues that senior managers sometimes get side‐tracked by lack of proper teamwork and dynamics, organizational politics, ego and lack of confidence. Underlines the importance of setting clear and attainable objectives and introducing good communication systems with a supportive and professional organizational culture. Practical implications – Draws attention to a common and concerning pattern of management in which senior managers get bogged down with minor matters instead of making significant issues a priority. Originality/value – Deals with organizational performance in the context of penny‐wise pound‐foolish thinking.