Digit

[War Arrow]

I thought I'd worked for all of them Min!
I was night shift manager at a plastics plant some years ago and the Work's Director made it very clear that he was less than satisfied with my efforts.
I suggested that 'if he could do any better---'.
So the following night he presented me with a complete written breakdown of how I should work the shift, complete to any breakdowns occuring between 23.00 and midnight!
I leave my response to your imagination!
Oh, and by the way, he was fired!

People in charge always seem to be the least qualified for the job, or even for any job. I've had one boss who used to give us pointless flip-chart based "worktime learning" sessions - after a while I gave up pointing out things like "office is normally written with two fs" etc. There was another one who, following some offhand remark about dinosaurs, asked "so you believe in all that do you?" - as in, so I really believed that dinosaurs once existed, did I? To be honest, what with every viewpoint now being of relative value I expect there really are captains of industry out there who make decisions based upon what the Tarot cards say.
Well, if I was running this country - there'd be some changes let me tell you.

[Digit]

Yep WA, course it didn't apply when I became boss! I hope!
Mind you I was never reluctantant in telling the boss what I thought.
Your comment about paperwork reminds me of the time I was required to fill in a form on nights showing how I spent every minute. After the first week the Work's Manager came into see me and asked why there was a a 15min gap in one night's reports and insisted that I fill it in.
I did, it read ' went for a crap', and I handed it back.
He came to see me again a few nights later and informed me that he wasn't happy about having to keep coming into see me, I suggested that he didn't bother.
This time it was a 20 min gap, I filled it in, 'thinking up stupid answers to put on this paperwork'.
It was abandoned shortly after.
Your comment about spelling. I was informed that I was to be disciplined for 'insubordination', when I burst out laughing. I was asked, 'what's so funny about that?'
I told him, 'you couldn't spell the word.'
I was right, when he handed me the paperwork to sign I corrected his errors and gave him 2 out of 10 and wrote 'try harder next time,' at the bottom.
The term 'lead balloon' comes to mind.

[Cognito]

So the following night he presented me with a complete written breakdown of how I should work the shift, complete to any breakdowns occuring between 23.00 and midnight!

I always tell the people who work for me that they'll never get in trouble if faced with a problem, they just make a decision. Then I give them a quarter and tell them they have a 50/50 chance of getting it right. If wrong, then just do an about face quickly and all will be fine. I never have a problem with reports doing a lot of the right thing. People at work know that when I send someone into their department on a search and destroy mission that he/she will be there until the damage is complete. Don't come to me and complain since I'll ask my trained assassin for a further recommendation on how to remove deadwood (typically, the manager).

Delegating responsibility from the top without commensurate authority never, ever is effective. But it is a very common management approach and flat stupid.

[Digit]

A company CE once told me that the higher you went the easier it beacme. I found that to be true.
Mind you, he once said to me, "come on Roy, make a decision," I answered "bloody Hell! You haven't made a decision in years!"
His reply, "true, and I've never been wrong!"
I miss it sometimes.

[Cognito]

A company CE once told me that the higher you went the easier it became.

Digit, I have found it to be the complete opposite since (a) I never ask anyone to do anything that I wouldn't be willing to do myself, and (b) I do not tolerate stupidity from other executives. I am #2 in a company with hundreds of workers. When #1 leaves he puts me in charge ... dealing with "(b)" above takes the better part of my day.

[Digit]

I'm suprised Cog, I found that by selecting good staff I only had to issue the orders and I knew they would followed.
As regards not asking anyone etc, I agree. As shop floor manager I once asked a man to sweep the floor in his work area, he was horrified and refused point blank, so I did it!
After which I had further problem on that score.
Due to a change in government in Iran we had to make a full shift redundant, a senior above me said he would do it.
I told him that I had hired them and I would fire them, it goes with the job!

[Cognito]

I'm suprised Cog, I found that by selecting good staff I only had to issue the orders and I knew they would followed.

Digit, you are correct. The executive deadbeats are what's left over from the prior company upon acquisition(about three of eight). Once they are terminated, life will be heaven on earth. Not R/S's heaven, but heaven nonetheless. Until then, my duties as a crap shoveler will not cease.

[Digit]

Hell! That's about the same scenario I was faced with. The company's bankers ordered a complete change of management or closure.
The Tech Director went on to become CE, a new Vice was brought in and I became Tech Director, and fighting the remaining old guard to save their jobs for them was one of the most thankless tasks I've ever been faced with!
I finally gave some of them a choice, work with me or against me, most saw reason and some left, but we saved the company and were then taken over by a large group!
I moved on with a decent golden good bye, 5 yrs later the company was broke again!

[Cognito]

Hell! That's about the same scenario I was faced with. The company's bankers ordered a complete change of management or closure.
The Tech Director went on to become CE, a new Vice was brought in and I became Tech Director, and fighting the remaining old guard to save their jobs for them was one of the most thankless tasks I've ever been faced with!

Digit, since misery loves company it gives my neurons the warm fuzzies to read that stupidity is not thwarted by political or geographical boundaries! Amazing coincidence: We also refer to the former group as "The Old Guard", a reference to Napolean's elite troops who faultered and failed at the Battle of Waterloo. There are three ringleaders who do not possess the mental acumen to yet understand the significance of my hanging a huge picture of the Three Stooges in my office.

I have successfully demonstrated to the new owners in Texas the fact that greater than 90% of the company's losses originate with poor decisions made by The Old Guard and their cronies. All of them are being stripped of their duties as we speak, one to the point where he only needs to "work from home" (i.e. "Don't come to work, you're too dangerous.").

Beyond all of the above, what really pisses me off is the fact that dealing with these overpaid mental midgets has impacted my visit to Charlie Hatchett's site. Until I am certain these people will not disassemble the company in my absence, I am not comfortable leaving since 400 line workers are relying on a career. I hired a Controller a few weeks ago, and when she has said "No!" about a hundred times, I am incoming to Roundup, Texas, home of the Solutrean Furnace.

Hear that, Charlie? Pay attention now!

[Digit]

Yeah! My family didn't have a holiday for some time during this period as every time I took a break it took weeks to get back to where we were before I left.
I was the development engineer before I was offered the Tech's job and my boss had to be moved sideways as well.
I had a blazing row with him when I wanted to upgrade from BA Screws, rare and expensive, to cheap and available Metric ones.
He informed me that he would not redesign just to make things cheaper or easier.
I made it very clear that that was one of the best reasons going.
Somebody reported the row to the board and he was sidelined, but as you've probably found out you sometimes feel as though you've got a target on your back.
I was very lucky though as I had been running a plastics group before all this and it's dead easy to follow a fool and I doubled the profits in 10 months. After that I could have had hay for a rocking horse!