New Manager Instruction Manual

If you are a new Manager, Supervisor or Foreman, here are few tips to help you get acclimatized.

1. Keep the Personal Out of Personnel.

   What-what? The job is to be professional so keep your personal opinions and feelings out of it. And not just you, this is a two way street, you don't ask personal questions like; do you have children? Do you smoke? Do you have any health problems? (Unless it interferes directly with the employee's ability to do their job); Do you have a car to get to work with? ; Or the ultimate no-no: How old are you? These questions seem quite harmless in and of themselves, but in the interviewing process local laws, and yes, even one's rights and freedoms could be violated. “I'm sorry we don't hire women with children--they tend not to be as focused on their jobs”. Wow! Could you imagine how much this little blunder cost the company--not to mention the manager's own job. Don't ask them and don't even answer them unless you feel comfortable volunteering the information.
   
   How old am I? “I'm sorry, but I don't tell my age…to anyone.” Yes, I used this line countless times. I was fresh out of college and was directing a ten year veteran. On two prior instances I answered. Both times I regretted it, my credentials were instantly sunk and they couldn't give two cents for my instruction. A senior manager took me under his wing and gave me the line. I never regretted using it. Remember: a two-way street.

2. Am I Needed Here?

   Your time is too valuable. Unless you are instructing an employee on how to do a task, don't get caught up doing them yourself, delegate the task so you can move about the worksite unimpeded. Yes, throw yourself into the fray if you are needed but don't tie yourself up, you might be required to do this repeatedly all over the site. How are you going to help elsewhere if you get tied up doing mundane tasks your staff should be doing. In the quiet times circulate around the site.

3. Just Like Your Local Police, Be Seen!

   Your staff, on average, will have some idea where you are not and will quietly huddle together to talk about "the game" or the latest show. Try as they might, if you are on the move, they won't feel confident gathering and you will have a better chance to stumble upon them. Now what? Well certainly don't go, “Ah-Hah! There you are!” That just makes you look silly.
   
   They will notice your presence like deer caught in headlights, the tension will be visible. Ease on over casually, insert yourself into the topic of conversation adding your own generic tidbits for a minute or two, and then nudge them back to work. You get them back on track, at the same time you come off like the approachable guy you want them to see.
   
   The ones that don't care about you standing there and continue jawing on despite your polite nudges to return to work; Well frankly, they are trouble. Don't bother with subtlety, this variety of employee you follow up on until they cringe at the sight of you. To them you want to be the horrible Iconic Boss - just until the productivity comes up. After that you can ease up, but keep watch, they'll need some surprise visits to keep them on edge.

4. So, When Is It "Me" Time?

   When you go home. Unfortunately, at least at first, you are going to be a busy little puppy. After a while you'll begin to notice a rhythm to the worksite, each and every site is unique, but eventually yours will surface and you'll know, “Okay, I've got 45 minutes before the next burst.” The time is golden, take it -- don't waste it.
   
   I found every time I changed jobs or transferred within the same organization there was an initial period of chaos. I called it "Floundering time" for despite everything done it feels like you can barely manage to keep your head above water. The amount of time varied on the job situation but ranged from a few weeks to a couple of months. We all go through it. Put your head down and plough through.
   
   
   I combated this terrible time by focusing on my employer's most chronic complaint. If the major revenue drain were expenses, I threw all my energy into reducing them. Sales? Get to the sales team and motivate them. Personnel, get on the new hires and make them shine, then start on the problem cases. Basically, give the boss the pill for his current headache in a real way you both can measure. That's basic job security until you can give him the finesse you know you have in you.

5. Trust Has Nothing to Do with It

   I love the show, “The Apprentice”. Trump points a finger at the latest doe-eyed intern on the hot seat and they invariably whine, “I gave that task to Suzy…” and in a flash he's talking to Suzy as to why she didn't complete. I just want to scream, “Did Bozo follow-up on Suzy?”
   
   We are talking about a mover and shaker who juggles millions and is always brokering “The Deal”. You and I aren't playing those kinds of stakes yet.
   
   Reality is, your boss simply isn't going to go down the food chain to properly assign blame - his time is too valuable for that. The bug in the ointment here is, he hired you to complete, let him down and he won't be interested in the reasons why you failed. If he does listen it'll be while he's mentally contemplating the next candidate's name after yours on the job's shortlist.
   
   For the above reason alone, never let anyone convince you they need not be checked on. This isn't about trust, this is just good business. You delegate tasks and give a reasonable amount of time after it's started and check on them before any wrinkle wastes time of your limited payroll budget. If they're on-track, back to them at the halfway point. Still good? Awesome. Get back to them when you feel the job should have been completed. If it's not done, find out why then correct or motivate as the situation demands. Done right, following-up on your staff will keep bosses like Trump from sending you packing.

6. Not Here to Be Liked

   This lightly touches on how to discipline your staff. As the heading suggests, yes you got to have thick skin. Reprehensible is the practice where an employer brings in an unassuming employee and then waylays them with how they are not pulling their weight compared to others in the same position and upright fires them. This is not only unethical, it can be career suicide. Just like you would appreciate a heads-up from your boss if he feels you are starting to get off track, so do the subordinates under you need to be guided and coached as to the acceptable standard for their position.
   
   Of the many hours I trained staff I never had one say, “oh, it's okay, I don't need to know that.” They are completely open so take advantage of it, be clear and tell them the exact standards and expectations of the position. Most importantly, do it before you feel compelled to discipline them. When they drift, tell them. If they socialize on company time too much, tell them. If they seem to be chronically late, tell them it's unacceptable. After all, they have a right to know and you are not there to be liked. You have enough friends, don't expect them at work.
   
   I have laid off people I hated to let go and terminated people I couldn't wait to be rid of, neither scenario was easy. If nothing else, if a person is not suited for the job, then you are doing them a favor by terminating them. Believe it or not, I've had people I cut loose later come back and say it was the best thing to happen. Why? They were forced to look at themselves and re-evaluate just what position is the right fit for them, subsequently they were much happier and sometimes went on to even better employment. Still, don't expect an invitation for Thanks Giving. I can remember the person who first sacked me like it was yesterday - remember follow-up? That was a hard learned lesson, that one.
   
   Check your local laws, in my jurisdiction an employer is able to terminate an employee without reason within the first 90 day probationary period. You better believe the new hires shine and if I so much as have the slightest second thought on keeping them or not, they go. Simply it's WAY easier to get rid of a potential problem at this stage then after the probationary period.
   
   The performance appraisal for seasoned employees needs to be clear and show achievable standards. Where they drop below these standards the employee needs to be coached as to the correct and expected standard, whereupon they are given a formal follow-up date. At that date, if they improved good, if not then the employee is placed on probation for a definite period of time during which they are reassessed.
   
   Times and dates for all infractions should be documented. During this whole process you are communicating clearly to the employee and documenting these discussions with times and dates so they can't later say, “I didn't know.” If you have in-house legal, have them look over any plan for dismissal. A wrongful dismissal suit is death to most executives.

As you can see, dismissal in the first ninety days is a much easier option. As their direct supervisor YOU will be the one with the most input. This is serious stuff.

Better to develop your employees, give the tools and knowledge for them to thrive in the position. Knowledge is power, but its in your best interest to make them so good you could drop dead tomorrow and the plant will just chug along fine because you trained them all so well. Imagine how little stress you'll have when you say, “That report for Regional needs to be pulled together. Could you ... ”

“Its already done,” they reply, shooing you out of the way. “You need to get out of here and find something else to do.”