|
How Can I
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Misty Kitty |
Control people.
I am pretty much running a production department and am implimenting new ways of improving the system. However poeple just dont f***ing listen. I ask them to do something months ago, they dont do it and then they blame me for things going wrong in the future. I'm not very used to being in a position of authority and most if not all here are older than me and been in the company longer.
Sucks really, dont feel like I get any positive responce coz everyone is so stuck in their working ways they can't be arsed to try new ones.
*sighs & frustrates, beer at lunch me thinks :( |
|
|
| Freezel |
Just say to them that they have to listen to someone with authority. You are in charge of the department, you take the decisions. If they are ignoring your questions about work, they aren't actually doing their work. Say that to them.
You haven't said it to them for months, so they don't take you serious anymore. The only solution I know (I'm experienced in this kind of problems, I'm working at a company which handles with problems like this at other companies) is that you must do something so they will take you serious like taking the issues to the board. The employees aren't doing your questions about work, so you have 1 good argument to put it on the table.
I hope everything will turn out well :) |
|
|
| Lumps |
I was once in your shoes before, and all I can say is this - Tell them that they better listen or they'll be flipping fries at Burger King.
You MUST put your foot down. Do not let these people step all over you - you must show them who posesses authority there. If someone doesn't listen, rip them a new anus and tell them next time it happens they're gone. When you follow through with that, believe me it won't happen again. You have to learn to be an . People that don't listen will cause you UNNECESSARY stress, and you DON'T NEED THAT. Your employees don't have to like you, but they WILL respect you because you work DAMN HARD to make flow.
Remember - give lots of praise whenever you can, but at the same time (and I cannot stress this enough) YOU MUST LEARN TO BE A PRICK. |
|
|
| Lumps |
| Oh, and it may be hard because like you said you're newer and younger than most, but I was in your EXACT shoes before. Remember, YOU are running it and in the end everything leads back to YOU. It WILL be hard for the first while, but you have to set an example. People will not listen to you if they believe you're a pushover, so you can't show them that you are. You must learn to be a prick - that was the best advice I got from my superiors. Also remember this - no matter what you do your bosses will back you 100%. If you think you made a bad decision, it's experience. We are only human. |
|
|
| moondog |
Awwwwww, poor kitty :(
good advice there IMO from lumps, you have to learn to be a complete bitch if they wont respect you for who you are. If they end up not liking you over it, SO WHAT, they are only your work coleagues, or if they are your friends, they should be grown up enough not to take work issues outside of work.
I've never really been in a position of authority before, but I'd tell them how it is, arrange a meeting with them, find out if there is a reason why they're not pulling their weight, or if they are just being lazy, explain to them you are not prepared to take the flak from the people above you just because they cant be arsed to do their job properly and heads will roll if things don't improve.
feel free to flame me if you think i'm talking e btw, i don't mind 'cos I'm sure its much easier to type what i just did than it is to carry it out |
|
|
| DJ RozzeR |
| I take it that you need to set a few rules, if your the boss or whatever then it is your responsibity to take actions, its hard being a boss and a friend at the same time, but your colleges need to know that you are keen on your job and keen on improving situations, i would ask them into a private meeting, of course they are gonna bitch about you afterwards but thats life, |
|
|
| jdat |
for the ones who misbehave the most try to break them in by being behind their back as often as possible. Let's say you give them a specific task, make sure you check on them regurlaly that they are working on it and if they are not bring them back on track but also remind them that they have to stop wasting your time by making you check on them, cause you have other things to do.
There really is no given "recipe" to manage people. But you surely have to learn how to make quick decisions and not let others dictate the ways you will be treated by the ones above you, or dictate the way the global 'plan' or project has to turn out. |
|
|
| DigiNut |
Alright, I've got some advice for you.
First, Lumps makes a lot of sense, and I would seriously take that into account. Don't be afraid to use the words "because I said so." There are two other things you need to keep in mind though.
The most obvious is that, as the cliché goes, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. It's all about the balance of reward and punishment.
Don't try to "talk things over" in the business world though... those kinds of meetings will turn out to be a waste of time. With no offense intended, many women often like to run business things as personal relationships, and although people may love you for it, it doesn't work (in the sense of producing results).
So the slightly less obvious advice is very specific to talking about a business, and this is the advice you definitely need to hear.
You ready?
COVER YOUR ASS.
I worked for the reporting department in a big company here a while back, and basically, our department was the department that all other departments reported to. We didn't specifically give people orders, but we verified people's sales, hours, employee conduct, etc., and determined how much they got paid, and other important things. Since we were dealing with a bunch of salespeople and sales managers and customer service dorks, the department figured out quickly that these people were lazy. They would slack off, and when the hit the fan, they would try to blame everything on us. The buzzword then became, as it does for many management people, CYA (Cover Your Ass).
Don't just give your team orders. Give them orders in writing. Make them sign on it and keep copies of everything for yourself. Follow up a few days later to confirm that they are on track. If you have the authority, you might want to institute some kind of performance evaluations (you'd be amazed at how productive people get when they hear that you're about to write theirs up). If you find out that they aren't on track, ask them why they are not on track, again in writing (or e-mail). Ad nauseam.
The important thing here is not actually to control them directly. You will control them indirectly with this approach. The reason is that when they slack off, don't do what you tell them, don't do things right, and the finally hits the fan, you can throw down your stack of papers that shows them that you told them what needed to be done, they knew what needed to be done and how to do it, and you reminded them several times to get it done! Once they realize that they can't blame anything on you, they will definitely start getting done because they know that all arrows will point squarely to their fat lazy asses when the big boss gets mad.
CYA. That is all. |
|
|
| whiskers |
| quote: | Originally posted by Misty Kitty
However poeple just dont f***ing listen. |
welcome to the real world.
Ğmonamiğ my boss is okay except for the following scenario that we have to play out four or five times a year :
Ğmonamiğ Act I
Ğmonamiğ BOSS: Do A.
Ğmonamiğ ME: If we do A, B will occur.
Ğmonamiğ BOSS: I don't care, do it anyways.
Ğmonamiğ Act II
Ğmonamiğ BOSS: OH MY GOD, B HAS HAPPENED.
Ğmonamiğ ME: sigh |
|
|
| TeKnoHe@d2025 |
| Most people are not going to like taking orders from somebody who is younger than them and hasn't been there as long or longer than they have. |
|
|
| DigiNut |
| quote: | Originally posted by TeKnoHe@d2025
Most people are not going to like taking orders from somebody who is younger than them and hasn't been there as long or longer than they have. |
Whether or not they "like" it doesn't mean all, if their job is to take orders then they'll bloody well take orders!
CYA, Misty, don't forget! |
|
|
| Orbax |
It sucks if youre a woman, cuz its harder to gain respect/control when youre in a position of authoritah. The best thing to do is to start taking things away from people and giving them to others. Apologize to the others but say its because the dude who isnt doing its gonna be fired potentially. THEN go back and when you tell the guy who you took it from that he no longer has control of that aspect of the project, and he doesnt care, say well you should becaue if I dont see a list of what you have accomplished so far on my desk tomorrow, im putting in your termination paperwork. Have a nice day.
then put up a list on the wall that says "The people who get to keep their job club" and dont have him listed.
THATS office politics.
but the main way I would do it is regular checkups, with absolutely miserable grilling sessions when they havent done much. Make it so that working is infinitely better than having you stop by and not have had anything accomplished. Not only ask why they havent gotten things done, and all the surrounding factors have somehow made it so they cant do their job (you ARE capable of doing this job right? or did we make a mistake in hiring you is a good question); but also start going into exactly what you see as a "good worker" and keep telling them the things they need to do over and over and over again.
Itll be a game after a while. hopefully youll win. Basically the reason they arent working is because they have no respect for you. There isnt really any other reason. Or they hate their job/company and need to be terminated.
"I dont know the key to success, but the key to failure is to please everyone"
-A quote. |
|
|
|
|
