Manager Musings

Does diversity in the workplace really make a difference? This author agrees that it does. Evidence abounds that when diversity is leveraged, positive results will occur. Measuring diversity’s impact is not easy, and it is not just a matter of dollars and cents. However, the challenge is to figure out how best to use the varied perspectives that people bring to the office. Some workplaces are still trying to recruit a more diverse staff. Others may look diverse but have an undercurrent of cynicism because employees liken diversity with yearly being held hostage for a boring seminar that shoves one person’s values down another person’s throat. Nevertheless, where there is a top-down commitment to diversity, it is becoming much more intertwined with other aspects of employee improvement and responsibility. (Racial Diversity Reconsidered)

According to ABC News, racial and gender diversity
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Does Diversity in the Workplace Really Work?

The Internet Article, Management that Leads , clearly addresses issues between leadership and management that are not often described in this manner. The co-dependency on both characteristics of leadership and management are discussed in a light that shows one quality works best with the presence of the other. Oftentimes, we try to express that one is a leader and not a manager, and vice-versa. However, when the two talents are merged we can begin to see how interdependent they really are. As a result, we are then more likely to improve the quality of our work at getting work done through others.

Leaders must learn to manage, and managers must learn to lead. When we see the two as interdependent we are more apt to
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Management That Leads

Throughout my lifetime, the common thread that seems to tie everything together with regard to ethics is the general definition that it is doing the right thing when no one else is looking. In Do the Right Thing, (Salopek) Frank Navran says, “Values are our fundamental beliefs or principles. They define what we think is right, good, fair, and just. Ethics are behaviors and tell people how to act in ways that meet the standard our values set for us.” Bringing ones’ own value system into the equation is the in which way most answer the question “What is/are ethics.”
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True Diversity: Ethics Development, Understanding, and Application

Leaders are not leaders simply because they have a title that says they are. Certain sets of behaviors that people depend on and look to will be evident in a true leader. This is because leadership is a behavior, not a title. One of the main objectives of a good leader in the workplace is to remove obstacles and barriers that would prevent employees from being able to do their jobs.
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Leadership 101

Saying “No” is Not a Crime

Another top time stealer is the inability to say “No”. Over the years I have seen efficient employees become overwhelmed with additional duties, simply because of their inability to say no. Sometimes we, as managers, are guilty of putting more on our overachievers than we should, as well as taking on more ourselves. We need to learn that in order to remain efficient and keep an efficient team, we must allow an atmosphere that permits polite use of the word “No.” I would not suggest saying no regularly. Abusing the “say no” practice could give one the reputation of being obstructive. That could be counter-productive.
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Time Stealers Part II

Procrastination is an area many of us have to battle. Oftentimes it is the easiest path to take when needing relief from the pressure of certain tasks. Simply telling ourselves that we will catch up tomorrow may relieve the immediate pressure, but we may end up feeling guilty for under-achieving. If we are never feeling remorse in this way then we have an even more serious problem!

Making “To Do” lists is one of the most basic ways to attack the issue of procrastination. This way your day has a plan, and it is easier to remain focused on a path to achieve each task. This does not mean you will complete each task every day, but with practice, it becomes easier to win the battle of procrastination.

Keep practicing in order to advance. I suggest filing your completed “To Do” lists. You can go back in a month and measure your own performance to see how you are progressing.

For further reading on “To Do” lists, Brian Benzinger wrote a very informative piece on Solutionwatch.com titled “25 To Do Lists to Stay Productive.”

Have you ever had one of your employees fill out an internal application for a position in another department only to discover their position could not be easily back filled if they were selected? If the answer to that question is “yes”, SHAME ON YOU! Yes, I shouted that. Shame on you for being in a position of leadership and not ensuring you have a pool of talent to choose from when this, very likely, situation occurs!We oftentimes become so comfortable with the people we have in place, that the thought of them leaving to seek another position does not factor in to our narrow view of the day to day happenings in the workplace. When they do accept another position, the challenge that comes with back filling their position is more costly than if we had properly invested in training associates to prepare them for such an opportunity!A lack of leadership is the reason for this vacuum that occurs when talent leaves a department. If Directors and Managers do not have developmental training in place to maintain a pool of applicants for this reason, they show how short sighted and possibly threatened they, themselves may be by sharing information and training. This author has always been of a mind set that if I “work myself out of a job”, that will make me more promotable for additional responsibility and opportunity.

Weak managers are those that feel they must withhold training, development and sharing of the vision they want the department take. This is because they fear they may not be able to find the same level of talent to back fill the position.What this really exposes is the reality the managers have a lack of confidence in their ability or their trainer’s ability to develop the talent pool. If this is the case, the trainer or the manager should be replaced, or both! A company’s lack of commitment and leadership with regard to ongoing training and development will eventually catch up with them. It may not be exposed until tough times come, and people start to jump ship and leave key positions open.

So, you find yourself or your department in this position, what do you do? The answer is quite simple. Train, train, train. Utilize the key talent already in place to mentor those team members who show an interest in upward mobility. Continually inspect the ongoing training in departments and not just in the new hire training classes. Do not put yourself in the position of not being able to release your associates to other positions they have accepted in. The bitter taste in their mouth will not be soon forgotten. Overcoming their poor perception of your management style and lack of leadership is not a problem you can afford to have.

One company I worked with for a few years had an annual meeting where all the sales and unit managers from around the country were flown in for the event. These events are generally to announce things such as the state of the business, the goals and direction for the New Year, and to give out awards for exceptional performance.

As with many of these types of events, there are social events planned as well. Many of these have included open bars. Yes, an invitation for normally professional people to get really stupid and make poor judgments. This particular event was no different.

An open bar in the hotel lobby was the “after dinner cocktail party.” As the drinks flowed freely and the evening wore on, the behavior became more rambunctious. One gentleman, and I use the term loosely, disappeared to his room and later re-appeared in the lobby in his boxer shorts and a t-shirt. He proceeded to entertain the “troops” by dancing around and showing his, ahem, “assets” to various onlookers. At one point he felt the need to show his “member” to some of the women nearby. Some had a good laugh, perhaps for his shortcomings. Others were not so amused.

Eventually, the situation resulted in an HR investigation resulting from a complaint from one of the ladies in attendance. The flasher was terminated for his action. However, that was not the end of it. He counter filed for wrongful termination. His reasoning? It was not his penis he revealed to the ladies. So, you might ask, “If it was not his penis, whose was it?” According to him, it was not a penis at all, but he had simply reached his hand down the front of his shorts and extended his thumb through the opening.
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Mr. Happypants Gets Fired!

After a long hiatus, I am back on track. While away from the blog, I have still been busy. However, it has been more about managing my personal life instead of the business and blog site. Looking forward to writing again and hearing your comments. My next post will be the funny little story based loosely on actual events, followed by a short series on time “stealers” and how to manage them…..

Have you ever had a day in the life as a manager when you wondered “Why did they feel they had to share that with me?” What I am talking about is employees who feel they must give you the intimate details of what physical reason they have for needing to leave work early, or call off from work that day. Trust me, I really didn’t need to know all they felt they needed to share!

For example, I stepped outside my office one morning, only to be greeted by one of my supervisors. She had a very distressed look on her face as she made a beeline toward me. Granted, I already knew I was in for a treat as this particular supervisor had always been a piece of work. Few managers could tolerate her, so I was her last chance. Anyway, I digress. In her typical gruff, booming voice, she announces to me that she needs to go home. I replied, “Okay.” She then proceeded to tell me why, as if I really needed to know the details. “I popped a ‘roid and bloodied my pants. I can show you if you like?” I quickly replied, “Not necessary.” and retreated to my office. Too much information!

And then there was the time one of my associates could not reach her supervisor, so she graced me with her phone call. Rather than just call to tell me she was not feeling well, and would need to use a personal day, she proceeded to tell me how she had gotten her period and was cramping really bad. She stated that on top of that she was bleeding very heavy and had diarrhea and had soiled the pants she was going to wear to work. TMI!

I could go on and on, and will likely add a part two to this post with some other gross or funny examples For each of these examples, I held it together and showed no surprise or emotion of any kind. I simply said to the last one, that I would let her supervisor know she will be out that day and thanked her for calling. But what I would like to know, is “What the heck possesses these people to share this sort of detail?”If anyone out there can enlighten me, please do.

Additionally, if you have a story of your own like this, please feel free to share it along with how you responded or handled the issue.