Comments on: 5 dumb ways bosses lose A players http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/ Headlines and advice for the practicing recruiter Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:03:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: DD http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-14399 DD Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:34:46 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-14399 Part of being a successful as a manager is having "good" people to manage. I have seen managers who struggle for varioius reasons. Obviously part of it is their own weaknesses, such as those mentioned above, but part of it is they are dealing with very difficult people to manage. If you have a complaint about your manager, maybe you should look in the mirror and ask yourself- What can I do to make my manager's job easier? If you make your manager happy by making them look good or helping them be successful, you may be surprised at the perceived level of success of that manager...not to mention, they may treat you a whole lot better. It is sometimes very easy for people who have not managed to criticize those that do, but once you have walked a mile in their shoes, not only will you be a mile away with their shoes on, but you will also have understood how difficult it truly is. Part of being a successful as a manager is having “good” people to manage. I have seen managers who struggle for varioius reasons. Obviously part of it is their own weaknesses, such as those mentioned above, but part of it is they are dealing with very difficult people to manage.

If you have a complaint about your manager, maybe you should look in the mirror and ask yourself- What can I do to make my manager’s job easier? If you make your manager happy by making them look good or helping them be successful, you may be surprised at the perceived level of success of that manager…not to mention, they may treat you a whole lot better.

It is sometimes very easy for people who have not managed to criticize those that do, but once you have walked a mile in their shoes, not only will you be a mile away with their shoes on, but you will also have understood how difficult it truly is.

]]> By: JS http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-14010 JS Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:50:34 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-14010 To Mike - I never knew anyone to be perfect. As a matter of fact your A players are A players due to learning from their mistakes. That is where wisdom and experience come from! I would be worried if I had a boss or employee that had the impression they never made a mistake . That is egotistical and unrealistic! Jenn To Mike – I never knew anyone to be perfect. As a matter of fact your A players are A players due to learning from their mistakes. That is where wisdom and experience come from! I would be worried if I had a boss or employee that had the impression they never made a mistake . That is egotistical and unrealistic!

Jenn

]]> By: Carl http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-13902 Carl Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:46:24 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-13902 Josey- Have you tried to get your boss turned around? Maybe you can enlighten him to the failures in his style in such a way that you don't jeopardize your employment. It sounds like there are at least three issues: Morale, customer complaints and possibly lost revenue that can't be attributed to the downturn. You should try to fight him with the facts. Bottom line the morale situation and if you have written complaints from customers and revenue figures by month showing a downward trend, show them to him. I would give him the shot to turn it around before going over his head. Start this as a one on one conversation. Don't bring up names of your co-workers in the process. And if he presses, tell him it doesn't matter who they are it does matter how we respond to make it better. Remind him that this is about making the company a better and more profitable place. If this doesn't work, then go to the owner. At least you gave the son the opportunity to change the situation. Josey- Have you tried to get your boss turned around? Maybe you can enlighten him to the failures in his style in such a way that you don’t jeopardize your employment. It sounds like there are at least three issues: Morale, customer complaints and possibly lost revenue that can’t be attributed to the downturn. You should try to fight him with the facts. Bottom line the morale situation and if you have written complaints from customers and revenue figures by month showing a downward trend, show them to him. I would give him the shot to turn it around before going over his head. Start this as a one on one conversation. Don’t bring up names of your co-workers in the process. And if he presses, tell him it doesn’t matter who they are it does matter how we respond to make it better. Remind him that this is about making the company a better and more profitable place. If this doesn’t work, then go to the owner. At least you gave the son the opportunity to change the situation.

]]> By: Josey http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-13901 Josey Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:17:59 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-13901 I am in a similar situation. I am "second" in command for a very small family run business. First in command is the bosses son. 4 out of the 6 employees are getting ready to quit due to the son's lack of management skills. I don't think his father, the owner, has any idea how bad morale has become and all the customer complaints regarding his son, the manager. How do you approach the owner with the information regarding customers and employees? I don't want to lose my job, but if something isn't done I lose it because the business will eventually fall. HELP I am in a similar situation. I am “second” in command for a very small family run business. First in command is the bosses son. 4 out of the 6 employees are getting ready to quit due to the son’s lack of management skills. I don’t think his father, the owner, has any idea how bad morale has become and all the customer complaints regarding his son, the manager. How do you approach the owner with the information regarding customers and employees? I don’t want to lose my job, but if something isn’t done I lose it because the business will eventually fall. HELP

]]> By: Carl http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-13900 Carl Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:25:51 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-13900 Al- He is the owner of the company. In my opinion, there isn't anyway to address it head on without Recruiter compromising his/her employment. If every employee sits down at the table with the boss and makes it known that his boorish behavior is unprofessional and creates a bad environment, there may be an opening for change. But it would have to be an "all-in" situation. Recruiter may be able to take the fight underground and attempt to work through the boss' spouse. I wouldn't recommend this strategy unless Recruiter has a good relationship with the spouse. Either way, not speaking on it will only allow the boss to think and feel like his actions/behavior are justified. If there is an employee that is especially close to the boss, they may be able to broach the topic without fear of being let go. There are no easy solutions in this situation and a change of scenery may be necessary if it is or becomes unbearable. If Recruiter goes it alone and is terminated for speaking out, there are legal questions that the Boss will need to have answers for. Al- He is the owner of the company. In my opinion, there isn’t anyway to address it head on without Recruiter compromising his/her employment. If every employee sits down at the table with the boss and makes it known that his boorish behavior is unprofessional and creates a bad environment, there may be an opening for change. But it would have to be an “all-in” situation. Recruiter may be able to take the fight underground and attempt to work through the boss’ spouse. I wouldn’t recommend this strategy unless Recruiter has a good relationship with the spouse. Either way, not speaking on it will only allow the boss to think and feel like his actions/behavior are justified. If there is an employee that is especially close to the boss, they may be able to broach the topic without fear of being let go.

There are no easy solutions in this situation and a change of scenery may be necessary if it is or becomes unbearable. If Recruiter goes it alone and is terminated for speaking out, there are legal questions that the Boss will need to have answers for.

]]> By: AL http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-13890 AL Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:20:47 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-13890 Recruiter, that is horrible! Definitely a hostile work environment. Anyone know what can be done in that situation short of quitting? Recruiter, that is horrible! Definitely a hostile work environment. Anyone know what can be done in that situation short of quitting?

]]> By: Rose http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-13767 Rose Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:59:48 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-13767 How about a female boss who always talks about the "best girlfriends club?" The club is made up of incomepetant directors and female employees who were put into their roles because of tenure and not skillsets. It's a nightmare handling ee relations issues because the boss can't seperate personal and professional relationships. How about a female boss who always talks about the “best girlfriends club?” The club is made up of incomepetant directors and female employees who were put into their roles because of tenure and not skillsets. It’s a nightmare handling ee relations issues because the boss can’t seperate personal and professional relationships.

]]> By: Carl http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-13766 Carl Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:56:56 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-13766 Pat- The answer is to start our own small businesses and leave the Rat Race behind. The solution is so easy it is actually hard to do. Pat- The answer is to start our own small businesses and leave the Rat Race behind. The solution is so easy it is actually hard to do.

]]> By: Pat Perrouna http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-13643 Pat Perrouna Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:59:42 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-13643 I have witness just about everything said above. Does anyone have any doubts why the economy is in such a mess. These type of bosses are running them. What I would like to know is what should we do about it? Leaving current employment is not the answer because you are going to find the same characters in just about every type of company there is. I have witness just about everything said above. Does anyone have any doubts why the economy is in such a mess. These type of bosses are running them. What I would like to know is what should we do about it? Leaving current employment is not the answer because you are going to find the same characters in just about every type of company there is.

]]> By: JT http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/5-dumb-ways-bosses-lose-a-players/comment-page-1/#comment-13288 JT Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:33:46 +0000 http://www.hrrecruitingalert.com/?p=1955#comment-13288 Many "bosses" are promoted to those positions because they were outstanding performers as single contributors, but were never offered (or even told they needed) any training on how to be an effective manager of "people", not just "projects" and "tasks". Just because you're a great widget maker, doesn't make you a good manager of other widget makers...on the other hand, employees who have managed people can tell you that it is the toughest job in any organization, so for those who've never done that, well, let's just say get back to me when you do....bottom line, the organization is responsible for insuring that employees are not promoted above their level of competency; or if they are, they should receive coaching and training to insure that they are not a walking lawsuit waiting to happen. A required competency that you can't teach: common sense and decency...either you have it or you don't. Many “bosses” are promoted to those positions because they were outstanding performers as single contributors, but were never offered (or even told they needed) any training on how to be an effective manager of “people”, not just “projects” and “tasks”. Just because you’re a great widget maker, doesn’t make you a good manager of other widget makers…on the other hand, employees who have managed people can tell you that it is the toughest job in any organization, so for those who’ve never done that, well, let’s just say get back to me when you do….bottom line, the organization is responsible for insuring that employees are not promoted above their level of competency; or if they are, they should receive coaching and training to insure that they are not a walking lawsuit waiting to happen. A required competency that you can’t teach: common sense and decency…either you have it or you don’t.

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