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Retired now. But my observation over the years was that managers who had an overview of all the jobs and was willing to pitch in got more respect and it kept down the complaining. Growing up, my father's plant employed over 180 people. He and I would go on weekends to clean and mop when required. Things would get backed up in the summer when employees would be sent home early due to the heat. We'd be out on Sunday morning's before it set in to get the work done. It set a good example for the employee and also for me as a kid to respect employees.
I’ll offer a slightly different twist - a supervisor who consistently is “helping out” is doing a disservice to the employees. Upper management will never see the need to add staff and the supervisor burns him/her self out.
In a union environment, a supervisor doing craft work is usually a grievable offense.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Here that is the distinction between manager and director. As a manager, I am the administrator for several systems used by our department, and in a pinch I am capable of doing anything my staff normally does. My boss, a director, doesn't even have access to any of these systems, if she needs any data she asks us for it. She has no idea how to do any of the work that my staff and I do.
I have seen many small businesses where owners and managers don't usually do the "grunt work" but sure do jump in when needed and cover when people are out or the place is crowded. They can do any job there when needed.
My husband owns a HVAC&R company, and he and his foreman absolutely do the work. All of the foreman's sons also work with them, as well as two of our daughters. Everyone works.
That said, there are times when my husband isn't needed, so he takes that time off, but he is ready to pitch in whenever and wherever they need him.
the best managers hands down are the ones who have either done the work themself at some point; or have spent enough time with their staff actually observing and listening them to know what their staff does.
i also think the best managers are the ones who are willing to delegate their own tasks at their higher level, to their direct reports and give them credit for it. I used to take minutes for executive level meetings. At one point a director cottoned on that i knew a whole lot of what was being discussed and he started asking for my input after the meetings. Then he started giving me his own action items to complete "just to see how I'd do with them." Then when he would present his action items (which I had completed) at the next meeting, and there were questions from Executive Leadership, he had me answer the questions. I thought that was great he would do that, and that he valued the input from his support staff.
Retired now. But my observation over the years was that managers who had an overview of all the jobs and was willing to pitch in got more respect and it kept down the complaining. Growing up, my father's plant employed over 180 people. He and I would go on weekends to clean and mop when required. Things would get backed up in the summer when employees would be sent home early due to the heat. We'd be out on Sunday morning's before it set in to get the work done. It set a good example for the employee and also for me as a kid to respect employees.
I've known a few guys like your father. Solid gold.
the best managers hands down are the ones who have either done the work themself at some point; or have spent enough time with their staff actually observing and listening them to know what their staff does.
i also think the best managers are the ones who are willing to delegate their own tasks at their higher level, to their direct reports and give them credit for it. I used to take minutes for executive level meetings. At one point a director cottoned on that i knew a whole lot of what was being discussed and he started asking for my input after the meetings. Then he started giving me his own action items to complete "just to see how I'd do with them." Then when he would present his action items (which I had completed) at the next meeting, and there were questions from Executive Leadership, he had me answer the questions. I thought that was great he would do that, and that he valued the input from his support staff.
I would have never left the office if we'd had more managers like your boss. We had a few lower level ones but they had no real power there.
My husband owns a HVAC&R company, and he and his foreman absolutely do the work. All of the foreman's sons also work with them, as well as two of our daughters. Everyone works.
That said, there are times when my husband isn't needed, so he takes that time off, but he is ready to pitch in whenever and wherever they need him.
I was hoping for a similar situation with my business. Sadly, I was in a bad economy with too little capital and went belly up after 5 years.
I was hoping for a similar situation with my business. Sadly, I was in a bad economy with too little capital and went belly up after 5 years.
It happens. We're thankful he's been successful for over 20 years now. We have enough business we don't have to advertise. It's just graphics on our trucks and vans, and word of mouth. We honestly don't want more than what we have, we don't want to be a conglomerate like some others around us. They have a lot more overhead and have to charge higher fees to stay afloat. Thus, we get more business because we are cheaper and stand behind our work.
Some people are paid for what they do. Some are paid for what they're responsible for.
I don't DO the work, but I am accountable for what YOU do.
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