Manage Your Team
Alright, New Manager, this is going to sound strange but it has to be said: You have to manage your team.
Seem obvious? You’d be surprised at how often this common sense item is ignored – even by veteran managers. Managers often get into a rut of doing the same old things sometimes. They stop thinking and just repeat what they’ve been doing, even when the evidence indicates that it isn’t working.
Complaining About Employees
Countless times a manager has walked into my office to complain about what one of their team members is doing, or not doing. They’ll rant and rave about how the subordinate talked back to them, or set up their machine too slow, or took an early lunch and didn’t report it ahead of time, etc. One manager in particular likes to complain about the employees from other shifts that work overtime on his shift and how they don’t do what he says.
I just want to scream at them to MANAGE THEIR PEOPLE! That’s the job! Talk their team members in private. Write them up. Do whatever needs to be done, but don’t sit around complaining about them. Get active.
Directing Employee Assignments
Another manager complains about the speed of one of her workers on difficult jobs. Then continues to put this employee on difficult assignments… thus ensuring failure. And more complaining. One aspect of a manager’s job is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their team members, and then put them in a position where they can succeed.
Sometimes a difficult employee, or slow worker just can’t be made successful no matter how hard you try. Don’t waste time trying to make someone something they are not. But if you want to manage your own team, you’ve got to DO IT. People management skills are the name of the game.
Take care of that employee who slips off to take a break early. Re-train that employee that is constantly screwing up. Address that employee who is always talking back and being disrespectful to you.
Whatever you do, don’t just complain about your employees. Manage them!
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