Management feedback needed
Discussion
Last year I was asked by a publisher to write a book called "Things They Never Taught Me At Management School". Basically, as the title suggests, it's about managing business in the 'real world'. I'm about half way through it at the moment and I'm keen to lighten it up with some more humorous anecdotes. What I'm looking for are any interesting stories relating to managing a company - but there must be a 'lesson' of some sort in there. I'm not just interested in feedback from 'managers', I'm also very interested in feedback from 'the managed' (or otherwise). Essentially, I'm looking for real life incidences of both good and bad management from all perspectives. If people are willing they can have their name acredited in the book, or, if they prefer, they can maintain anonymity (for obvious reasons!)
I look forward to hearing from fellow PHers!
I look forward to hearing from fellow PHers!
How about; watching the office for the first time and realising how close my (now previous) boss was to David Brent.
My first boss's boss hauling me into his office for 15minutes giving me the 3rd degree claiming i was fiddling expenses (over a 50p mistake on a £220 claim) and then me having to point out it was actually a mistake in the company's favour.
I have plenty of being on the receiving end of bad management (and some good ones) but I'm not too sure naming names would go down well...
My first boss's boss hauling me into his office for 15minutes giving me the 3rd degree claiming i was fiddling expenses (over a 50p mistake on a £220 claim) and then me having to point out it was actually a mistake in the company's favour.
I have plenty of being on the receiving end of bad management (and some good ones) but I'm not too sure naming names would go down well...
Having a blazing row with a boss when I claimed expenses for driving oop north to fix a problem with a certain sweet manufacturer's sales system (a problem that we never told them about 
).
When I pointed out that I'd worked 7 days a week, 12+ hours a day for 7 weeks and that it was no wonder that I'd introduced a bug or two... and that they never paid bonuses... that they had no right to insist that I pay my own expenses to travel up there.
Still makes my blood boil now, 12 years on.
). When I pointed out that I'd worked 7 days a week, 12+ hours a day for 7 weeks and that it was no wonder that I'd introduced a bug or two... and that they never paid bonuses... that they had no right to insist that I pay my own expenses to travel up there.
Still makes my blood boil now, 12 years on.
You mean like where I used to work in engineering. Whenever the order books were slack, the management would do something to piss the workforce off.... With an inevitable strike and no need to pay the staff.
As soon as an order arrived, management miraculously backed down.
You could tell if we would strike or not by simply looking out of the window. Sunny day = strike
As soon as an order arrived, management miraculously backed down.
You could tell if we would strike or not by simply looking out of the window. Sunny day = strike
I told the story on here a while back about the manager that came to he a meeting with my staff and I here in Newcastle.
He kept going on about work and reports that needed to be completed, and he said to me about some reports I needed to write that
“ I Could knock one out later”.
Of course we all just burst out laughing as that meant something totally different to us!
He kept going on about work and reports that needed to be completed, and he said to me about some reports I needed to write that
“ I Could knock one out later”.
Of course we all just burst out laughing as that meant something totally different to us!
A company I was working for had major managerial problems, and could fill a book all on their own. Eventually we agreed to part company and I had to arrange to meet the boss for a final payment.
When I went into the office the secretary was looking at me really strangely. She showed me into the boss' office and we chatted and signed and all the things you do when you're leaving. When I came out, I said goodbye to various people and finally the secretary.
"Was it you?" she asked
"Me what?", hey I'm articulate
She went on to explain how that morning a large jiffy bag had arrived in the post for my boss. They had suddenly noticed that it was leaking. Further investigation revealed it was full of horse s**t.
The strange thing was that the way the company was run, this was seen as so normal that they had assumed it was from me and just delayed delivering it until after I'd met the boss.
The lessons to be learned? Firstly, company secretaries deserve a lot of respect - be nice to them. Secondly, don't end up the last in the line to deliver horse s**t.
For the record, it wasn't me who sent it. The management really had no understanding of managing people and had a lot of folk inside and outside of the company who either didn't like, didn't trust or didn't respect them. They employed a lot of people who (like me at the time) were technically clever, but had little or no experience of maintaining good working environments. Unfortunately there was no-one around to teach the people skills needed within the company. Horse s**t really was the least of their worries. Luckily I've since worked for a couple of managers who've taught me a hell of a lot, and strangely in their companies there is rarely secrecy, back stabbing or shorse s**t heading in either direction.
When I went into the office the secretary was looking at me really strangely. She showed me into the boss' office and we chatted and signed and all the things you do when you're leaving. When I came out, I said goodbye to various people and finally the secretary.
"Was it you?" she asked
"Me what?", hey I'm articulate
She went on to explain how that morning a large jiffy bag had arrived in the post for my boss. They had suddenly noticed that it was leaking. Further investigation revealed it was full of horse s**t.
The strange thing was that the way the company was run, this was seen as so normal that they had assumed it was from me and just delayed delivering it until after I'd met the boss.
The lessons to be learned? Firstly, company secretaries deserve a lot of respect - be nice to them. Secondly, don't end up the last in the line to deliver horse s**t.
For the record, it wasn't me who sent it. The management really had no understanding of managing people and had a lot of folk inside and outside of the company who either didn't like, didn't trust or didn't respect them. They employed a lot of people who (like me at the time) were technically clever, but had little or no experience of maintaining good working environments. Unfortunately there was no-one around to teach the people skills needed within the company. Horse s**t really was the least of their worries. Luckily I've since worked for a couple of managers who've taught me a hell of a lot, and strangely in their companies there is rarely secrecy, back stabbing or shorse s**t heading in either direction.
Along with the 'Don't F
k the Staff' gem there is the particularly important one of 'Don't Fk the secretary you have a crush on in your office unless the door is locked.'
You leave yourself open to the other secretary, who has worked for you of 10years + and had a crush on you all that time, walking in on you both. Que two divorces and an office scandel of epic proportions.
I'm happy to say I broke the first rule as a trainee and she's the best thing that ever happened to me.
The second was the mistake made by a Partner I know at another firm.
Oh and if you have someone who works their nuts off for you and unexpectedly tell them that there'll be an extra £2k gross in their next wage slip as a thank you for their hard work you will engender very strong loyalty and a continued determination to do their very best. (Until they find out about a website called 'PistonHeads' when their productivity will suffer massively!)
k the Staff' gem there is the particularly important one of 'Don't Fk the secretary you have a crush on in your office unless the door is locked.' You leave yourself open to the other secretary, who has worked for you of 10years + and had a crush on you all that time, walking in on you both. Que two divorces and an office scandel of epic proportions.
I'm happy to say I broke the first rule as a trainee and she's the best thing that ever happened to me.
The second was the mistake made by a Partner I know at another firm.
Oh and if you have someone who works their nuts off for you and unexpectedly tell them that there'll be an extra £2k gross in their next wage slip as a thank you for their hard work you will engender very strong loyalty and a continued determination to do their very best. (Until they find out about a website called 'PistonHeads' when their productivity will suffer massively!)
PetrolTed said:
Having a blazing row with a boss when I claimed expenses for driving oop north to fix a problem with a certain sweet manufacturer's sales system (a problem that we never told them about
When I pointed out that I'd worked 7 days a week, 12+ hours a day for 7 weeks and that it was no wonder that I'd introduced a bug or two... and that they never paid bonuses... that they had no right to insist that I pay my own expenses to travel up there.
Still makes my blood boil now, 12 years on.
Seems to me Ted, that you now work 24 hours a day, butit tends to be bad manners which irritate you.
srebbe64 said:
Seems to me Ted, that you now work 24 hours a day, butit tends to be bad manners which irritate you.
Bad manners and incompetance! I've several examples of each in the last week!
As for working 24 hours a day - I now do it for fun rather than being naieve to think that my boss will make it worth my while (that's still true!
).Oh having read another post I would agree with the thing about Secs and add receptionists to that list.
Be nice, smile, flirt if that appears acceptable and they are of the same sexual persuasion as you.
You'd be amazed how many doors this can open when the person you are trying to call is difficult to get hold of.
Always, with your own sec. make a suitable compliment from time to time and always remember a card for birthdays and Christmas, even if you are too tight to get a small prezie/flowers.
NEVER be downright rude to a Secretary they will not forget. Only one person has ever done this to my sec. and after a brief, pointed lesson in manners from me they sent her a card appologising and a bunch of flowers! (yes they are still a very good client!)
A ditty for you from my past was on the day I signed my Traning Contract in the Senior Partner's office. After a short talk he summoned two secretaries into the office, the float and his senior secretary. We signing the document whilst we waited for them to arrive. When they came in he said to me:-
"Now one of the most important things you must remember is that for your first year you are worth less to this Firm than her," pointing at the float, "And if you work hard and learn well by the end of this contract you might be worth as much as her." Pointing to his senior secretary. "Remember that, and also remember that I receieve at least two applications from people wanting Training Contracts every week whereas it takes at least 2 months to find a decent secretary."
(These might not have been his exact words but they were almost identical!)
Illustrated a point nicely I felt.
PS - I took the "float" with me when I left at the end of the two years - she is Mrs Rude-boy - see earlier comment!
Be nice, smile, flirt if that appears acceptable and they are of the same sexual persuasion as you.
You'd be amazed how many doors this can open when the person you are trying to call is difficult to get hold of.
Always, with your own sec. make a suitable compliment from time to time and always remember a card for birthdays and Christmas, even if you are too tight to get a small prezie/flowers.
NEVER be downright rude to a Secretary they will not forget. Only one person has ever done this to my sec. and after a brief, pointed lesson in manners from me they sent her a card appologising and a bunch of flowers! (yes they are still a very good client!)
A ditty for you from my past was on the day I signed my Traning Contract in the Senior Partner's office. After a short talk he summoned two secretaries into the office, the float and his senior secretary. We signing the document whilst we waited for them to arrive. When they came in he said to me:-
"Now one of the most important things you must remember is that for your first year you are worth less to this Firm than her," pointing at the float, "And if you work hard and learn well by the end of this contract you might be worth as much as her." Pointing to his senior secretary. "Remember that, and also remember that I receieve at least two applications from people wanting Training Contracts every week whereas it takes at least 2 months to find a decent secretary."
(These might not have been his exact words but they were almost identical!)
Illustrated a point nicely I felt.
PS - I took the "float" with me when I left at the end of the two years - she is Mrs Rude-boy - see earlier comment!
Mrs The stag works at a small market research company with about 8 employees. Recent staff rules are as follows.
No chit chat at all, if you are good then you may have a short coffee break.
If you need to discuss a work matter please move to the kitchen area so as not to disturb others in the office.
A toilet cleaning rota was stuck up on the wall so that the boss could lay off the cleaner and afford his all exp skiing trip
On top of all this Mrs Thestag often has to work several nights at the end of each months rationising the accounts down to the very last penny.
I'd have told em where to shove the job!!
No chit chat at all, if you are good then you may have a short coffee break.
If you need to discuss a work matter please move to the kitchen area so as not to disturb others in the office.
A toilet cleaning rota was stuck up on the wall so that the boss could lay off the cleaner and afford his all exp skiing trip
On top of all this Mrs Thestag often has to work several nights at the end of each months rationising the accounts down to the very last penny.
I'd have told em where to shove the job!!
I don’t know What They Teach at Management School, and thus I don’t know if my little anecdotes were Never Taught or not. I’m guessing that staff motivation is probably covered in some shape or form though.
I can relate 2 examples of just how badly you can piss your staff off with an Incentive Scheme!
The first relates to the business of appraisal processes, performance ratings and associated pay schemes. I once worked for a large IT company where such a scheme was operated. In a non-commissioned role it was basically your only chance to earn yourself any more money the following year. You have your appraisal where your achievements of the previous 12 months are analysed, your performance rating (PR) established, and on that your salary for the next 12 months based. During the appraisal, my then manager wrote words on the appraisal form which totally paraphrased the definition a PR3. He then announced that I was going to be graded as a PR4. How so(?) I enquired. What he and I both knew, of course, was that there was a finite budget for pay rises, it only allowed for so many of each rating to be dished out and, whatever my efforts of the past year, it wasn’t my turn for one of the bigger ones. The whole scheme was a sham. If he’d had the bollocks to admit this to my face, I’d have retained some respect or him and resigned myself to the situation. He argued that black was blue, however, that this was not the case. I told him that I would be leaving, and I did.
The second story has different mechanics, involves more money but utlitmately again illustrates how a mis-managed incentive scheme will backfire entirely. Back at a pre-IPO company in the dot.com era the plans were laid out as to how we would float 3-4 years hence, and what our stock options would be. The plan was based on a given turnover (to be achieved organically), a modest Price/Earnings ratio and a fixed number of shares. Each employee was allocated a number of shares based on seniority, length of service, etc. The plan was heavily dependent on growing UK revenues and I was one of a VERY small number of UK salespeople (which was not going to be increased). Making the whole thing happen therefore fundamentally depended on our efforts. In the course of one particular sale, I needed to provide financial details of our company to a prospective customer. These, I discovered, contained details of all the Directors’ shareholdings. I thus learned that whilst the sales guys’ rewards for their graft, if we made it happen, would be £60k each and a lifetime working, the MD had allocated himself £20M and a nice comfy retirement. Strangely enough the “incentive” wasn't from that point on.
I can relate 2 examples of just how badly you can piss your staff off with an Incentive Scheme!
The first relates to the business of appraisal processes, performance ratings and associated pay schemes. I once worked for a large IT company where such a scheme was operated. In a non-commissioned role it was basically your only chance to earn yourself any more money the following year. You have your appraisal where your achievements of the previous 12 months are analysed, your performance rating (PR) established, and on that your salary for the next 12 months based. During the appraisal, my then manager wrote words on the appraisal form which totally paraphrased the definition a PR3. He then announced that I was going to be graded as a PR4. How so(?) I enquired. What he and I both knew, of course, was that there was a finite budget for pay rises, it only allowed for so many of each rating to be dished out and, whatever my efforts of the past year, it wasn’t my turn for one of the bigger ones. The whole scheme was a sham. If he’d had the bollocks to admit this to my face, I’d have retained some respect or him and resigned myself to the situation. He argued that black was blue, however, that this was not the case. I told him that I would be leaving, and I did.
The second story has different mechanics, involves more money but utlitmately again illustrates how a mis-managed incentive scheme will backfire entirely. Back at a pre-IPO company in the dot.com era the plans were laid out as to how we would float 3-4 years hence, and what our stock options would be. The plan was based on a given turnover (to be achieved organically), a modest Price/Earnings ratio and a fixed number of shares. Each employee was allocated a number of shares based on seniority, length of service, etc. The plan was heavily dependent on growing UK revenues and I was one of a VERY small number of UK salespeople (which was not going to be increased). Making the whole thing happen therefore fundamentally depended on our efforts. In the course of one particular sale, I needed to provide financial details of our company to a prospective customer. These, I discovered, contained details of all the Directors’ shareholdings. I thus learned that whilst the sales guys’ rewards for their graft, if we made it happen, would be £60k each and a lifetime working, the MD had allocated himself £20M and a nice comfy retirement. Strangely enough the “incentive” wasn't from that point on.
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