Re: New Manager Needs Help!

Subject: Re: New Manager Needs Help!
From: Paul Tenison <lawman -at- ALASKA -dot- NET>
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 11:35:48 -0800

John Kohl wrote:
>
> <JGREY -at- MADE2MANAGE -dot- COM> writes:
> |> Pandora, you have a power struggle brewing. Sounds like this woman
> |> resents you. As Barney Fife would say, it's time for some serious
> |> bud-nippin'.
> [...]
> |>
> |> This will get uglier unless you immediately set behavioral
> |> expectations for her, communicate them clearly, and begin
> |> enforcing them.
> [...]
> |> Peace,
> |> jim
>
> This sounds like something out of a Dilbert cartoon: First,
> immediately assume that your employees are just rotten people who are
> out to do you in. Then, come down hard on the jerks and show them
> who's boss! Thank God this management style is not used by all
> documentation managers!
> [...]
> The woman whom Pandora supervises probably can't help herself: she is
> not used to taking direction from someone regarding responsibilities
> that she feels perfectly capable of assuming herself. (I found
> myself behaving passive-aggressively toward a supervisor once. I
> didn't WANT to give the poor guy a hard time; I just couldn't help
> myself!)
> [...]
> John Kohl
> (speaking for myself only, not my employer)

I have to agree with Jim, and I've never been a manager. I have,
however, worked for all kinds of supervisors, from the best to the
worst. IMHO, the worst managers generally fall into 2 categories, those
who are autocratic, dictatorial bullies, and those who are so sensitive
to their subordinates' feelings that they can never bring themselves to
make a decision that might offend someone. Although I had a minimal
level of respect for the former, I had absolutely none for the latter.
They did nothing to earn my respect.

Pandora's employee does have a problem, and it will not go away without
firm, positive, ACTION on the part of Pandora. As it now stands, it
appears that the problem child has no respect for her superior. Only
Pandora can change that.

The notion that a disrespectful, insubordinate employee "can't help
herself" is utter nonsense. I suspect that she was never required to
obey her parents during her formative years, and thus now does have a
real problem submitting to the legitimate authority of her direct
supervisor. But, she can either grow up, get with the program, or take a
hike. Never underestimate the capacity of a human being to learn what
is, and what is not, appropriate behavior.

Paul Tenison




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