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.

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. Plausible story, you might say.

While it may have been a believable substitution for sneaking out Mr. Happy, one of the witnesses’ testimony was so powerful, it makes it hard to defend against. It went something like this:

“Ms. Appalled, Mr. Happypants (names changed to protect their identity) states that he did dance around the lobby in his boxer shorts, but insists that he never showed his penis. He simply reached down the front of his shorts and extended his thumb through the opening to simulate the act. Is this how you saw it?”

Ms Appalled, dressed in a conservative business suit, her graying hair pulled back in a tight little bun, leans forward to the microphone. With her horned rim bifocals on the end of her nose, she peeks over the top of them and firmly states, “I am 52 years old. I have been married to the same man for 30 years. We have four sons, no daughters. We have three grandsons, no granddaughters. I know what a thumb looks like and that was no thumb!”

Game, set, match. Mr. Happypants did not get his job back. Rumor has it he is working on a finger puppet video he hopes to put on YouTube where he may find a new market for his thumb!

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.

This quote lit a fire under my butt and put me back on the track I jumped off of several years ago. Now, with a renewed interest, and clearly defined goals, we are moving forward with this new look. Not only will changes be made to this blog site, but changes are occurring in my personal and work life as well. Some of these changes will be referred to in future posts, while others are personal, but hopefully evident by the renewed passion for achieving my higher purpose.

Come along with me for the ride as we share our “Manager Musings.”

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.

Whether it be in personal life with a significant other or work life with our boss, it can sometimes be difficult to say ‘no’. However, the more well-organized you become; you will likely have more work put upon you. Allowing yourself to become over committed lends opportunity for added stress and a much better chance of becoming sick, tired, or just plain irritable, which doesn’t benefit you or those around you. Therefore, it is important to say no, in a polite and courteous way. In doing so, you are not just saying no, but instead, are freeing up valuable time to spend on things you have already said yes to.

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.”

]]> http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/time-stealers-part-i/feed/ http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/im-back/ http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/im-back/#comments Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:54:35 +0000 Larry Poyner Uncategorized hiatus blog month track busy managing back life http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/2008/01/20/im-back/ 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 beginning of a short series on time “stealers” and how to manage them…..

1. Do I heckle my subordinates or strengthen and encourage them?
2. Do I use moral courage in getting rid of subordinates who have proved themselves beyond doubt to be unfit?
3. Have I done all in my power by encouragement, incentive and spur to salvage the weak and erring?
4. Do I know by NAME and CHARACTER a maximum number of subordinates for whom I am responsible? Do I know them intimately?
5. Am I thoroughly familiar with the technique, necessities, objectives and administration of the job?
6. Do I lose my temper at individuals?
7. Do I act in such a way as to make my individuals want to follow me?
8. Do I delegate tasks that should be mine?
9. Do I arrogate everything to myself and delegate nothing?
10. Do I develop my subordinates by placing on each one as much responsibility as he can stand?
11. Am I interested in the personal welfare of each of my subordinates, as if he were a member of my own family?
12. Have I the calmness of voice and manner to inspire confidence, or am I inclined to irascibility and excitability?
13. Am I inclined to be nice to my superiors and mean to my subordinates?
14. Am I a constant example to my subordinates in character, dress, deportment and courtesy?
15. Is my door open to my subordinates?
16. Do I think more of POSITION (STATUS) than JOB?
17. Do I correct a subordinate in front of others?

(Source: “The West Point Way Of Leadership” by Colonel Larry R Donnithorne)

I found this quote from 2003 and it still rings true today. Many experts say that it is a lack of communication that sparks rumors, particularly about the direction a company may be going. I recently went on a cruise to the Bahamas. When I returned, I learned that the General Manager at my company was recently said to have moved on to other opportunities. However, the acting GM that replaced him is well known as the man who transitions companies in a totally new direction or prepares them for a sell-off or shutdown. So, needless to say the rumor mill is in full swing.

Very swiftly, the rumors reached executive levels of management, and senior leaders and their direct reports were given their ‘talking points’. However accurate these talking points may be, the absence of more specific information invites people to make up their own versions of reality. So what do us in middle management do?

Whether or not the rumors are true, the affect of rumors on companies, employees and clients and customers are negative. Productivity drops, people loose interest in their jobs, and if rumors are not addressed, morale drops off. If management tells you one thing, and then another happens, faith in management is lost and some will begin to look for new jobs.

Experts say that the best way to handle rumors, even if the rumor is true, is to communicate as much information as possible. People are naturally resilient and are adept at handling news, even if it is bad. If you do not have any information to share, then do not engage in the speculation with subordinates.

Regardless of the rumors, our personal integrity should rule the day. As middle managers we may not be on the inside track to what is going on in the executive conference room, but if we continue to work as hard and demonstrate worth by continuing to do our best, then we very well may be noticed as the type of employees that would be valuable to keep through any transition. I’ll let you know where I land, but until then, it is business as usual.

First, you may ask, “What the heck do you mean-the religion of secular humanism?” In my view, secular humanism is cynical about God and the supernatural and believes that these are not of use for addressing problems. Generally, secularist beliefs emphasize limits on the role of religious or supernatural considerations in the affairs of society or government. Secular humanism may add to these views a broad perspective on life, which includes human dignity and the value of ethics. While these perspectives may have merit, does the suppression of religion, religious symbols, or traditions in the workplace advance another belief system by default? For another viewpoint of secular humanism, I suggest further reading by Dr. Paul Kurtz at this link: Secular Humanism

Now, back to the question at hand:What is the viability of religion or overt references to ones faith in the workplace? Many precedents have been set in the courts with regard to this subject. The common thread in many of the cases deal with whether or not there was religious harassment. If evidence bore out harassment, the law comes down on the side of complainants. However, for the past several years, many companies such as Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, as well as subsidiaries of Wal-Mart Stores are hiring chaplains, similar to those in the military, and come in a variety of religions to choose from. Members of these 24-hour “God squads”, as they have become known, visit employees in hospitals, and deal with a host of personal issues. They are even equipped to say the vows for a worker’s wedding day or deliver the eulogy at ones’ funeral.

So, is it really necessary for people of faith to compromise their faith in order to get along in a diverse workplace? Absolutely not. People are becoming open about their spirituality. According to the Gallup Organization , 95% of Americans say they believe in God or a universal spirit, and 48% say they talked about their religious faith at work that day. Therefore, it makes sense that, along with their laptops and lunch bags, people would start bringing their faith back to work. We must be tolerant of different cultures and beliefs, but if we are truly being productive, there should not be time for proselytizing from the secular or religious humanists in the workplace. The balance comes when we understand there is freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.

In summary, it does not seem like we have to square or beliefs with anything. We just need to understand that it is our behavior that needs to be checked when we come through the office doors; not our faith.