Friday 1 June 2007

Back On the Wagon

I went back to work yesterday for the first time since February, I had a mad day trying to get to know people and their jobs, it was strange to be back in the working environment but great at the same time.

I have managed to introduce myself to most of the staff I am going to be controlling and got a brief feel of what they do and what they want to do.

I am a hands on manager always have been, I am not one for sitting in an office and shouting demands I need to know the job inside out, I won't ask anyone to do something I wouldn't do.

I have one girl who I can see a problem with already, very highly strung and the whole world revolves around her and what she does, newsflash, no it doesn't, I am treading carefully with her but she is aware that I know what she is like. She sat and moaned she was too busy to cope today and then proceeded to have a 20 minute private telephone conversation, I left her to it whilst she was on the phone and when she finished I casually asked her if she thought what she had just done was professional or not and she got a bit flustered and said we are allowed to make personal calls, I added yes you probably are but not straight after you have moaned to me you are too busy to cope.

To start the day she arrived 15 minutes late and then asked if she could leave early, I had said we will see how it goes so she went above my head and got it agreed, good start, but to be fair having discussed it with my boss he wasn't aware of what I had said....so this one is a schemer and a player by the looks of it so I can see we are going to have great fun.

She won't get the better of me though and I think she is beginning to realise it already, I overheard her telling her friend this afternoon that I wasn't to be messed with, because I have a very subtle way of bollocking people but you will still feel bollocked all the same. Oh good I have got through to her already. I don't doubt that she will still try my patience from time to time though because this is the type of person she is.

I had been warned I might have a problem with another girl who would have to show me her job, her comment last week when asked to do this was she wasn't showing a manager her job because it wasn't her place...

So me being me, she was my first port of call yesterday to introduce myself and listen to what she had to say, I did feel a thaw quite quickly yesterday but today she has been great and we have got on like a house on fire.

A lot of them just wanted someone to listen to their moans and groans I think because they haven't really had anyone listen to them for a long time, just had instructions barked at them instead.

It has been a real eye opener because the company has been in a restructuring period for the last 18 months which has at times resulted in loss of jobs, so to say the morale is pretty low is an understatement....oooo I relish a challenge it won't be for long.

The first guy I met yesterday had been there for years and made no bones about the fact if he could get another job he wouldn't be there.

I always judge people by their own merits and never take notice of what others say, therefore drawing my own conclusions. I have though met some lovely people who I am really looking forward to getting to know.

Out tonight so just wanted to give you an update on the start of my next phase of life and we won a cup at darts last night, first one this season...

Catch you laters

xx

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like it went well... I want a boss like you!

SIMON said...

You can come and be my boss if you want! Sounds really good though and I hope it's good for you.
There's always people that don't get on with others in the work place just don't let them get to you. It's their loss if they don't like you.
A unique way of bollocking people hey, tell me more....
Well done with the arrows as well it's coming good for you all at once.
good stuff!

Dark Side said...

Ali - Yes I am have always been classed as firm but fair..

Wilko - It is a little bit of mind games get them onside with a little playing out then it them with the problems gradually..xx

Too Fat To Fly... said...

Hi Emma,

I'm glad to hear that everything went pretty well by the sounds of things!

I'm certain that you are just the person to raise morale and to get everyone pulling together ;-)

All the best....

Lins

xx

Cat said...

I have a great manager who I really like and respect. I hate feeling like I've let him down or disappointed him, so I try to do well all the time. In my last job, I hated my boss, who managed by fear - she was a nightmare due to her own insecurities. Sounds like you're going to be great to work with!

Anonymous said...

Awwwww, why can't I have a boss like you! I am seriously considering leaving my job & even taking a lower wage maybe purely becaue my boss is awful, if I didn't have colleagues like I do I would have gone long ago but even they aren't enough to keep me there now, I'm losing interest all because he isn't being the manager he should be!
Emma, let me know if you have any vacancies! ;) lol

Elaine Denning said...

I'm glad it went well for you.

I worked alongside some great girls for over a year, and then got promoted to manager. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do...try to be their boss!

Anonymous said...

well, lots of common ground her, sounds like we all work in the same place, boss not doing his job properly, staff taking libertys, no one doing anything about it. Manager/ess not caring. Sounds like you are switched on, be interesting to see how you get people who have been there a long to stay, and not want to hop off on the next job oppertunity, because thats where most of us reading are I think.
Good luck, you sound like you know what your doing. x

Dark Side said...

Wayne - I am not around to make friends or enemies either but if the person concerned decides to jump and I have tried to motivate her then that's her loss not mine...harsh I know but you can't have morals in business, come to the party or don't but don't moan you haven't been invited when you clearly have...xx

CrazySpanishGirl said...

good for you. You seem to be pretty good at managing people. That's a rare ability, and a very good one I must say.