Management and the no-nonsense manager
Kevin_L
Member Posts: 2,011 ✭✭✭✭
Beginning of April this year, I started a new job. Really new. No longer writing software but now designing solutions and managing the people writing the software.
I have one ace on my team, my lead developer. The guy gets things done and knows what he's doing. A true professional that I can rely on. He interacts with me multiple times a day, asks questions, gives answers, thinks about the big picture, and doesn't get rattled when plans change.
I have one problem child on my team. He doesn't feel the need to interact with anyone and simply declares his work to be done on the last day of our development cycles. He goes around me, talks to others about me and my lead developer, writes bad code, and is so unproductive people have asked if he's a part-timer.
I want people who are willing to dive in and get work done. Integrity, collaboration, openness, and accountability are key. One guy on my team has those qualities in spades so I'm recommending him for a pay raise. And one will get to try to fool a different manager at a different company.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
Comments
Been there done that for many years... Glad to be retired and do not miss any of the above. Good luck to you Kevin.
At least it's an easy choice for you. It's tough when the really good one's are the trouble makers.
A very wise man once told me do the hard things like fire people first thing in the morning. You have all day to get over it. I let a lot of people go over the years for many reasons. Never stopped agonizing over it. Good luck sounds like you are on the right track.
May I ask if your team is remote?
I think we’re putting alot of new leaders in a tough spot expecting them to assume leadership roles and work in a remote environment.
Communication is critically important.
When you were an individual contributor, success was about growing yourself. In leadership , success is all about growing others.
I haven't had to deal with a lot of "managing" with my group....we all have our various parts to deal with, so it is impossible to leave your task undone here without it being BLATANTLY obvious that you dropped the ball.
Yep, all remote. Across all USA timezones, too.
I've noticed that the younger employees struggle the most even though they've spent a lifetime communicating remotely with people. Even more interesting is that the experienced employees have no problem whatsoever pinging people to have quick Zoom meeting or IMS session.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
I think the younger people are constantly in a "well, that is impossible....so why try" state of mind whereas the older people have a "I have to figure this out or I'll die" mode most of the time. I don't see a 20-30ish person being intimidated with a job loss or having a huge expectation of building a bright future in most companies, so they just don't try hard at all in most cases. The older generation has been trying so hard for so long they don't know what its like to pump the breaks or face change without it being completely necessary......most of the time. There are some amazing young people and very fluid, successful older guys....but they are rare.
Spot on, Kasey.
In ten years as a supervisor, I learned that clear expectations were paramount to performance management.
That is something I never got from my immediate superiors.
One old time supervisor once told me " If I'd come here to make friends, I'd have brought a jug of Kool Aid."
In my line of work there were 2 kinds of supervisors: Micro managers or managers that came to help.
Micro managers were asked if they wanted to take over the call. Telling me what they thought I should do. I simply repeated if they wanted to handle the call and I would go back in service. Foceing the point by picking up the microphone. They got the point.
The other kind of manager simply asked "where can I help?" Answer: Everything is under control, we are all good.
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain
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