Management styles at WORK...........

[redgtxdi]

So as the "manager" (modestly respected would be an overstatement) I've tried every which way to work the system to create an environment where people want to work.

I'm convinced that people simply do not want to work.

Yesterday I had to write up an employee who's convinced he can simply do what he wants, whenever he wants. He decides to take his ex back to court over the weekend & simply calls Monday morning to explain he's not coming in because of it. Next, he comes in late because he took his kids to school and simply calls to say he'll be in at 9. He has health issues and those have interfered in the past too and that's always a sensitive issue 'cuz his defense is....."Hey, I'm sick, I can't help it!".

Of course on the other side of the coin I have the business owner (lives out of state) who looks to me to have things running perfectly all the time (and when they don't, feels obligated to fly in and swing the baseball bat of "his way" with little regard for damage control) and I'm juggling all of this as delicately as possible.

Anyway..................all that to say this.........

Today, when I called him to give him the "state of the biz" address, he accuses me of trying to be everyone's buddy. (true to a point, but I still run a good ship). I took some offense to that and would just as soon reached thru the phone and choke him.

Is it best to simply manage cut & dry, or is there simply every version I learned in college (basically arbitrary bullsh!t from one extreme to the other) about a zillion ways to manage??

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

What do you do? Who are you managing?

It does matter. blue collar managment vs white ollar managemnet.

f typos, drinking beers

 

[redgtxdi]

I work for an industrial supply distributor. We supply industry with almost anything, however, unlike a Manhattan Supply (huuuuge version of us) we are a few small satellite locations.

Another EDIT.......As for the "who", I'm basically managing the order desk. I manage 3 employees inside with myself, one outside and a driver.

It's a half office/half warehouse environment. (we push tons of product and even more paper).

I typically employ a grey collar environment so as never to project a condescending image (golf shirt attire is fine) and I want employees to be very open at work. Basically a "tell us your problem if you have one but remember, we're still a business" and a "go ahead & talk just don't go into a half-hour dissertation about your Saturday night".


EDIT---------> Sorry, just had ta' bust up at your 'handle'. Why stop at 2004?

 

[Whitecloak]

From my experience, dont try to change your style to suit something theoretical. Be your natural self - if you are obnoxious or you are pleasant, it doesnt make a difference. All that matters is that your team members respect you and do their work. If they dont, do what comes naturally to you - a confrontation or a friendly chat.

 

[bctbct]

I have been having the same problem, lead people are coasting and not getting the job done. I am currently trying to get some employee evaluations together in hopes of raising awareness of job expectations. If that doesnt work, some coasters may get demoted.

 

[redgtxdi]

Whitcloak,

I agree very much with what you just said.

My theory is that if you create an environment so cut/dry that you have ZERO personnel "attitude" problems, then you'll have a personnel problem of the opposite magnitude..................you simply won't have personnel because you'll create such a flippin' miserable environment that nobody will want to work for you.

The other side is that if you make it toooo friendly, then people will simply abuse you.

I *think* I create a good balance but sometimes when I'm taking criticism from the top and getting flack from the bottom (Yes, the employee actually had the balls to be pissed when I wrote him up) I seriously feel like going black/white and letting the pins fall where they may.

 

[ATLien247]

If you've minimized any work-related obstacles that would prevent him from doing his job, then you've done your job as his manager.

Personally, I would work around his health problems and family problems. However, I would be sure to be equally as flexible with other subordinates, just so nobody thought I was playing favorites.

If I felt that he was taking advantage of the situation, and that he was still not getting the job done, I would have a serious problem with him. I'd even go so far as taking disciplinary/corrective action against him.

If he didn't shape up after that, then I would have no qualms about dismissing him.

 

[redgtxdi]

Well, there are definitely no work related obstacles........(though there's always the grey area of "how much/many resources do I have available to me to do my job?").........but for the most part, that's just not much of a problem.

He's actually good at his job............when he's at work.

And, if we were a larger company, I would be inclined to simply judge whether he's OK/disciplined/fired based on how much time he has left.

(Then again, there's my wife who works for a huuuge company and they even have pee-ons who still have their jobs after being extended past their sick/vacation hours multiple times)

Peter Gibbons was right...........work simply sucks!