Help / advice needed!

Submitted by Philip Surtees
in
Management and Leadership
Hi all, I have been reading through the posts on this forum and really enjoying the discussions going on. I really need some help here on how to become a better manager and thought this would be the best place to come. I have recently taken over a team of fairly experienced staff after spending a lot of time managing a group of Agency Staff. I do try to be the "good guy" a lot of the time but am also aware of the policies and procedures the company requires "enforcing". I do try to be fair to all members of staff in which ever work we are concentrating on at that time but I also feel as though some DR are taking a lend. Don't get me wrong I have a great boss who I truly respect and feel as though I can approach with any issues at all but I also feel as though I need to start turning this team around to be one of the best teams in the department whilst also keeping morale high and giving each of them a fair crack of the whip. Work wise - I have learnt a lot from the effective use of outlook thread that is currently running as this has worked wonders for my workload I just need to toughen up (stop being so nice) but also produce results. Any ideas on how I would go about this. Thanks
Submitted by Mark Horstman on Tuesday June 5th, 2007 5:49 pm

Well, I'm not sure what you're asking, but if I read you right, you're shooting too high.

And leave out the bit about the whip. How would you feel if your boss said that about you?

One on ones for 30-60 days, then feedback, the coaching in maybe 6 months.

Mark

Submitted by Julia Havener on Wednesday June 6th, 2007 12:11 am

The only thing I will add that I've done to good effect is to set the expectation for my team's performance clearly and consistently.

I do not hold them to a standard that they don't know about. If I move the bar, I tell them about it repeatedly until I know they hear it (I think Mark says if you say it seven times, they might hear it once).

Submitted by Mark Horstman on Friday June 8th, 2007 10:29 am

Mary-

Thank you! What a boneheaded move on my part. Thanks for the heads up.

Mark

Submitted by Bill Gallagher on Friday June 8th, 2007 12:01 pm

Mary -- thank you so much for the idiom link. I'm going to bookmark that site.