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Dick is a bad manager

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Re: Dick is a bad manager

#31

Post by shade »

tsuraan wrote: post #13
unexpected wrote: post #12

This is a related tangent that I'd like some input on: One of the characteristics of "bad management" that's shown here is Dick constantly hovering. At my company, we've arranged the cubicles so that they still offer privacy (walls are about 6 feet high), but that anyone walking by can see what's on the computer screen. Would you qualify this as hovering? We generally have no issues with casual gchatting, facebooking…

I'm not sure about that 45 degree guy, but for turning your cube so that you face out, that's sort of natural. For some people (me...) sitting with your back to a door or an area where people are generally walking is really uncomfortable. I don't like having people behind me without knowing they're there. It's not about slacking, it's just about comfort.

Agreed -- I'm the same way.

I can't speak for all the deaf people out there, but personally, I find it uncomfortable to leave my hearing aid in all day, which means I'll often remove it if I'm just working at my desk, and won't hear someone come up behind me.

My last job had an environment where everyone had their backs to the entrance of their cube and I would constantly be startled by people walking up behind me without me hearing or seeing that they were there. It's very unpleasant and actually started making me a little neurotic. It didn't help that the floor in that office was kind of shaky, so you'd also feel it whenever someone walked by.

My current job still has cubes, but the desks aren't attached to the cube walls (we mostly use IKEA Galants) and pretty much everyone has their cube set up so they face out. It's a much more pleasant environment to work in, and since we work in a converted factory it means I look up to a fantastic view of downtown Akron through a bank of windows. I'm much less neurotic now (at least about this... ;)) and all the natural light has actually done a lot to help my sleeping patterns, too.

Re: Dick is a bad manager

#32

Post by Tyrannosaurs »

endtime wrote: post #20

I'm not Dick. But I've occasionally had employees who would have done better if I were. Anyone have any suggestions for how to manage a team where some employees need me to be Dick and some don't? The obvious solution is to replace the employees who need Dick's management, but that's not always feasible.

Seriously no-one needs Dick management.

Some may need more support, more monitoring and so on but no-one needs to be spied on.

Give them the freedom but have five minute chats with each one each morning so you can see if they're making progress. These aren't heavy things, they're quick informal updates, what are the problems, what's done that wasn't, can I see a quick demo and so on. Outside of that you leave them alone.

If you can't do this yourself because you don't have time then get each of your seniors to do a couple of the more junior guys.

If they're not making progress then they have a case to answer and ultimately moving towards a position where if they don't improve you are looking at getting rid of them (legally, even in the UK this is possible if you show they aren't performing given reasonable chances).

Monitoring progress is fine, that's management. Insisting on watching what someone is doing all the time is something else.

Re: Dick is a bad manager

#33

Post by unexpected »

logicalmind wrote: post #18
unexpected wrote: post #12

This is a related tangent that I'd like some input on: One of the characteristics of "bad management" that's shown here is Dick constantly hovering. At my company, we've arranged the cubicles so that they still offer privacy (walls are about 6 feet high), but that anyone walking by can see what's on the computer screen. Would you qualify this as hovering? We generally have no issues with casual gchatting, facebooking…

As a manager, is your cubicle set so that your monitor is visible to everyone who walks by? Or is this simply policy for your subordinates?

no, everyone can see my monitor as they walk by. Pretty much everyone except for our CEO (confidential info, etc.) has their monitor visible as you walk by.

Re: Dick is a bad manager

#34

Post by unexpected »

Tyrannosaurs wrote: post #16
unexpected wrote: post #12

This is a related tangent that I'd like some input on: One of the characteristics of "bad management" that's shown here is Dick constantly hovering. At my company, we've arranged the cubicles so that they still offer privacy (walls are about 6 feet high), but that anyone walking by can see what's on the computer screen. Would you qualify this as hovering? We generally have no issues with casual gchatting, facebooking…

Yes and no. No because you're clearly concerned about it so there is hope (Dick managers generally either don't care how they are or actively see it as a good thing), but yes because you seem not to trust them (you admit to wanting to know what they're doing). The nature of trust is not trusting them to get on with their work eight hours a day to a format you think appropriate, it's trusting them to deliver what's be…

I think it bothers me because they're probably the two least productive employees we have. I want to address this issue - the first step to me seems to be "well, what do they do all day?"

Re: Dick is a bad manager

#35

Post by ulysses »

unexpected wrote: post #12

This is a related tangent that I'd like some input on: One of the characteristics of "bad management" that's shown here is Dick constantly hovering. At my company, we've arranged the cubicles so that they still offer privacy (walls are about 6 feet high), but that anyone walking by can see what's on the computer screen. Would you qualify this as hovering? We generally have no issues with casual gchatting, facebooking…

I really hate people walking behind me when I'm trying to work. The feeling that someone might be behind me prevents me from fully concentrating on what I'm working on.

A previous boss liked to stand behind me and watch (and occasionally make inane suggestions) when I was trying to fix a particularly high-profile issue. It negatively impacted both the speed and quality of my work.

Re: Dick is a bad manager

#36

Post by x0t »

From the comments:

"There is a third kind of manager, who is typically a ‘nice guy’ who doesn’t have a problem with chicken suits or a bit of browsing or working time as long as the job gets done but micro-manages the crap out you stopping by every 15 minutes to see ‘how you’re getting on’, just like Dick. Micro-management sucks ass"

I think the third kind of manager is almost worse than Dick. Micromanagement makes getting anything done near impossible. I've taken to wearing headphones at the office and generally ignoring my manager due to him falling into the third category. The phrase "How are you doing over there?" makes my eye twitch these days.

It would be easier to stand up against Dick, assuming you have nothing to lose by losing the job. Usually the third category is the type to have his/her feelings hurt and resort to personal attacks should you question their management style.

Just my personal experience, I realize that's probably a sweeping generalization.

Re: Dick is a bad manager

#37

Post by ulysses »

unexpected wrote: post #34
Tyrannosaurs wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes and no. No because you're clearly concerned about it so there is hope (Dick managers generally either don't care how they are or actively see it as a good thing), but yes because you seem not to trust them (you admit to wanting to know what they're doing). The nature of trust is not trusting them to get on with their work eight hours a day to a format you think appropriate, it's trusting them to deliver what's be…

I think it bothers me because they're probably the two least productive employees we have. I want to address this issue - the first step to me seems to be "well, what do they do all day?"

How you deal with those two employees will impact the rest of your team.

Do you want the rest of your team to learn that it's important to be productive? Or would you rather teach them that it's most important to be seen to be working straight through for eight hours?

Re: Dick is a bad manager

#38

Post by ia »

ZachPruckowski wrote: post #30
ryanwaggoner wrote: post #27

Specifically, it seems to work on people who don’t feel very attached to their jobs. They have separate, thriving lives outside of work, and are fully able to leave all baggage at their desks before they go home. Is this a bad thing somehow? Shouldn't we all strive to have separate thriving lives outside of work and to leave the company baggage behind when we go home?

It's poorly phrased, but I think he means to make a distinction between people who enjoy their work and get into it, and people who view work just as a way to pay the bills. The latter may need more direct and focused supervision than the former, who just needs guidance.

Exactly. I see it as the difference between "It's a job" and "It's my job".

Re: Dick is a bad manager

#39

Post by Tyrannosaurs »

unexpected wrote: post #34
Tyrannosaurs wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes and no. No because you're clearly concerned about it so there is hope (Dick managers generally either don't care how they are or actively see it as a good thing), but yes because you seem not to trust them (you admit to wanting to know what they're doing). The nature of trust is not trusting them to get on with their work eight hours a day to a format you think appropriate, it's trusting them to deliver what's be…

I think it bothers me because they're probably the two least productive employees we have. I want to address this issue - the first step to me seems to be "well, what do they do all day?"

A fair enough question but can I suggest that you're less passive about it and speak to them?

I've had incidents in my team where there are people I thought weren't productive who were genuinely engaged in a million minor support tasks I never knew about.

But in any case, talking to them like adults rather than spying on them is the way forward.

Re: Dick is a bad manager

#40

Post by shakes »

nlavezzo wrote: post #11

I agree that micromanagement (especially of employees whose job is creating things) is a really bad idea. If it's necessary, then you made a bad hiring choice and need to start looking again. However, if a developer came in "high and wearing a chicken suit" I wouldn't care how much he got done. The chicken suit might be passable if it were casual Friday, but high - not acceptable. There should still be an element of…

I agree about a certain element of professionalism. My current boss has come in drunk on multiple occasions (all company meetings, candidate interviews, etc.). When I bring up the issue to his boss (the owner) the response is "He's putting it 60-80 hrs a week... he's super billable... he's a huge asset". Eventually, the "as long as you get the work done" attitude wore on me... I put in my two weeks last week.

I think there's certain freedoms employees should have (especially in the development world) including what you wear, hours you work, working from home, etc., but I don't think professionalism should be compromised.

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