Office managers, I need you opinion

[Anglewannabe]

I have posted before about this girl at work ‘Sally’ that is driving me nutso. I am really fed up with spending my time at home, fretting about what happens at the office. I want to come up with a positive solution and this is what I am thinking of doing Monday. Please tell me how this will come across.

Background: I was hired with 2 other people to 9 months ago to work on a project they estimated would take 6 months. We were constantly being pulled off the project to help with day to day work. One guy found a better opportunity elsewhere (yes I am jealous) and I have NO idea what the other guys has been doing. (In my mind I suspect not a lot but that is another story).

My boss’s boss has decide enough is enough and this project is to be finished ASAP. Consequently, I have had to train 6 people in 3 weeks. They are all at different stages and need individual attention. I can not walk even walk to the washroom without some pulling me aside to ask something. I feel like I have 7 toddlers pulling at my pant leg all day long disturbing me with things that can wait. I have had to sit for 3 weeks at a computer with at least 1 other person all day long and all the twisting and reaching is killing my back, neck and now I have a headache.

I was told Friday afternoon that Monday morning that there will be another new girl will be starting and I will need to train her as well. The good news is ‘Helen’ will be available to help.

So, this is my suggestions

Monday I will ask to speak to the manager with Helen. I will start by thanking Helen to agree to help (even though I know she has been ordered to by higher ups) Then I will say, there has been a lot of disorganization lately and this is my suggest plan of attack. I would appreciate if we could try it until the new year (which is essence is 7 working days due to the holidays) And then state that in the new year after new people have gained more experience we can revisit the plan.

Basically my idea is to match Helen with 1 lady and let Helen decide how she wants to go about training the new girl. Then, since some people have been there longer (even if it is only 2 weeks), take a junior person and match that person with a senior person. I will assign each Junior person some files to work on. They will do steps 1 to 3 (which is all they have been trained on so far), they pass it on to their senior partner to finish the work. After the senior person has reviewed the work, I will check it. This will reduce the amount of training I will have to do. Then, I will make myself available to sit with everyone to allow them an opportunity to ask me questions. Then in the New Year, management can look at the process and tell me if they wish to continue or if they wish to train everyone on everything (since once the work is done there is no intent on keeping these people).

Then if the manager and Helen agrees to the idea, I will ask if we could please pull everyone in to a meeting to have it explained to them. In the meeting I will tell everyone I know things have been hectic and thank them for all their patience and hard work and explain the plan.

My concern is: ‘How will I come across to management?’ Will I look like I am trying to run the show and disregard their authority (which yes, deep down I am trying to set some boundaries since I am going crazy, but I want to do it in a win-win manner). Also, I am concerned because management will see how I interact with others and 'will I come across as a team player or a military sergeant?

Thanks

Angie

 

[1ke]

There is no way to answer this question.

“Management” is not a thing that can be spoken of in abstract or in a uniform manner. “Management” is made up of people. People all react differently.

I have been a manager over 20 years, and I don’t micromanage my people. If they come up with a better mousetrap and implement it, great. Other managers don’t operate that way.

So those of us in management who answer your question can only tell you how we would do things. We cannot predict how your manager will react or what your manager will think.

How would I handle it? I would say, “Angel, here are 10 people, organize them however you see fit and get the work done by X date.” Ready, set, go.

 

[twf]

I agree with 1Ke. I personally would be thrilled if someone on my staff took initiative and suggested improvements to an existing process or structure, but some managers don’t take that well as they see it as a junior employee “overstepping” their boundaries. Do you feel you know Helen well?

 

[PaulinVA]

First, stoopid idea to add six more people and bring the project to a halt while training takes place. Adding people at the middle of a project normally just slows things down.

If I was trying to integrate/train 7 new people, I would consider forming teams, as suggested, and augment that with two meetings a day for the entire project staff to ask questions, talk about progress, and ensure everyone was getting the same instruction/training.

This is not an easy thing to do. Initiative is good.

 

[on_the_hill]

I have been a manager over 20 years, and I don’t micromanage my people. If they come up with a better mousetrap and implement it, great.

I’ve been a manager for 2 1/2 years, and this is the only way I get anything done.

Otherwise, it’s hard to answer your questions, not knowing what the project is, etc.

 

[Anglewannabe]

Do you feel you know Helen well?

First, Helen, is not my manager. She is the person that will start helping me train. The reason I would like to assign 1 person to Helen and have them work things out between them is Helen’s style is different than mine and rather than but heads with Helen, I would prefer letting her do things her way

Angie

 

[Anglewannabe]

How would I handle it? I would say, “Angel, here are 10 people, organize them however you see fit and get the work done by X date.” Ready, set, go.

Well, I would love to have you as a manager. Unfortunately, I have been given the responsibility of training 7 people and absolutely no authority to give them orders.

 

[Anglewannabe]

First, stoopid idea to add six more people and bring the project to a halt while training takes place. Adding people at the middle of a project normally just slows things down.

I agree. I asked if we could wait until the new year to bring in the next person to give me time to ensure others are up and running and I was told ‘no’, so I will have to live with this

If I was trying to integrate/train 7 new people, I would consider forming teams, as suggested, and augment that with two meetings a day for the entire project staff to ask questions, talk about progress, and ensure everyone was getting the same instruction/training.

Two meetings a day would just be a waste of time. The reason people have so many questions is they have very little computer skills. They are not willing to pay a lot so they are not getting qualified candidates. 95% of the work is done in Excel, they are hiring people with minimal Excel skills and I am being told to work with their level How can I show them what the project is about when I have to stop and show them how to cut and paste?

Sally is coming to me at least twice a day, acting like the building is on fire because she saved her data and it disappeared into thin air. Or she is looking at the wrong column and the work all of a sudden is all wrong. I gave her a list of important dates. I have had to repeat at least 4 times it is month/day/year and she keeps entering things a day/ month/year. Two meetings a day would not solve those problems

This is not an easy thing to do. Initiative is good.

Sadly, this is a place of micro management, where the boss says to do it one way with no consideration that in practice it does not work

 

[Anglewannabe]

I’ve been a manager for 2 1/2 years, and this is the only way I get anything done.

Otherwise, it’s hard to answer your questions, not knowing what the project is, etc.

These people have been hired to compile data into a certain format. I broke the process down into 6 steps. The first steps are the easiest. The latter steps are harder. Well… let me rephrase… they are hiring people with poor math skills so this is like rocket science to them. A person who is good with numbers would need 1 days maximum to learn the job. The goal is to get these people to compile the data and then thank them for their work. There is no plan to keep them after the data is compiled. Which is why IMO if 3 people can do the harder steps, let the newbies do the easier steps (and not bother training them to do anything else.)

 

[twf]

Let me rephrase my original question…how well do you know your boss?

If they are trying to save money by hiring 7 unqualified people at a low rate, it would have made a lot more sense to hire say 3 qualified people at twice the hourly rate…

 

[Allegra]

Sadly, this is a place of micro management, where the boss says to do it one way with no consideration that in practice it does not work

If this is the case, then I wouldn’t go in and say, “Here’s my idea and here is why it’s better than the one you came up with.” I would just gradually start insinuating your system into action and play dumb if the management complains. (Which they probably won’t if you hand them a finished project in a week.)

 

[Anglewannabe]

Let me rephrase my original question…how well do you know your boss?

Ok, there is my actually boss, and there is a manager who reports to the same boss. My boss has asked the manager to oversee what I am doing. I am grateful for that since my boss is narrow minded and very snippy. The manager will hear me out and if she likes my idea I suspect that behind the scenes, she knows better how to ‘get the boss to co-operate’. So I thank my lucky stars that I have somewhat of an ally

If they are trying to save money by hiring 7 unqualified people at a low rate, it would have made a lot more sense to hire say 3 qualified people at twice the hourly rate…

Sadly, as much as I agree with you, I have learnt to keep such opinions to myself because they will never go over well. Also, I know what they are paying me and if they were to pay someone at the level of skill they want, I would definitely insist on a raise.

 

[Anglewannabe]

If this is the case, then I wouldn’t go in and say, “Here’s my idea and here is why it’s better than the one you came up with.” I would just gradually start insinuating your system into action and play dumb if the management complains. (Which they probably won’t if you hand them a finished project in a week.)

I would *really * have to play dumb because they know what they have told me.

 

[on_the_hill]

Which is why IMO if 3 people can do the harder steps, let the newbies do the easier steps (and not bother training them to do anything else.)

Sounds like a plan to me.

 

[on_the_hill]

Which is why IMO if 3 people can do the harder steps, let the newbies do the easier steps (and not bother training them to do anything else.)

Sounds like a plan to me. Especially since you were given unqualified people to hurry up and complete a project on time after it had been misdirected up until now.

Sounds like the higher-ups are out of touch. That’s typical, but it also gives you the greenlight to get the job done according to your own terms.

 

[Anglewannabe]

Sounds like a plan to me. Especially since you were given unqualified people to hurry up and complete a project on time after it had been misdirected up until now.

Sounds like the higher-ups are out of touch. That’s typical, but it also gives you the greenlight to get the job done according to your own terms.

Thanks for telling me I have a good plan. It is nice to know I have good ideas. I will present it as politely as possible and then pray to God to accept the outcome.

As for the higher ups being out of touch… I think they see how the bottom line is being affected but they are clueless as to how to fix it. Yet, they insist their way will work (oblivious to the fact it isn’t). I suppose that is the corporate world

 

[on_the_hill]

Just be willing to re-evaluate and modify it as time goes on.

 

[Anglewannabe]

Just be willing to re-evaluate and modify it as time goes on.

Definitely ! I am hoping that at least my way, for the next few days, I will have less interruptions and a little break. Then if they want to change things, I will agree to give the impression I am willing to listen to others

Angie

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

My concern is: ‘How will I come across to management?’ Will I look like I am trying to run the show and disregard their authority (which yes, deep down I am trying to set some boundaries since I am going crazy, but I want to do it in a win-win manner). Also, I am concerned because management will see how I interact with others and 'will I come across as a team player or a military sergeant?

Short answer: No.

At worst, it looks more like you’re micro-managing but given what you’ve described, that’s necessary when you’re essentially training rookies in your organization. I’ve been in one or two leadership positions myself and nobody ever thought I was ‘disregarding authority’ when I took the sort of initiative you’re talking about. Correct me if I’m wrong but it only looks like you’re doing what you’ve been paid to do in the first place: Manage.

 

[Anglewannabe]

Correct me if I’m wrong but it only looks like you’re doing what you’ve been paid to do in the first place: Manage.

No I am not being paid to managed. I had a job, and I was told out of the blue I would be training lots of new people