Ruler, Manager, Leader, Boss, Mentor, ...

Post date: Nov 20, 2018 11:56:57 AM

Simply put I am just going to write some key elements that I have deeply felt affects my professional life. 

We have become machines in search of benefits in dollar amounts and the added value which is again translated in dollar amount and expand our companies and employees which is still translated to some dollar value. Yes, we are drops of this big forward moving wave of technology in the age of capitalism and money talks but I sure hope that I at least as a person will never forget what makes other people feel certain ways and keep those in my small mind at all times. I will keep updating this page as long as I feel something that in any way affects my advancement and my position in how to do my job, hopefully.

• Never ask for anything if you are not using the magic word 'Please'

I don't know how this works or where this simple word is connected to, but there is a deep tendency or rebellion somewhere in everyone's heart or maybe in their mind that if you're not asked to do something in a nice way, you would not perfect it. At least that's how I am, or at least not until I find myself devoted to someone and even then, I would still think asking nicely would make a big difference in the outcome of the process. Managers are not commanders. Managers better be leaders than rulers. I have learned from my own feelings in the past when I have been asked nicely and when I was ordered to do something that I have done a much better job just because I could relate to the person who is asking me do something. Simply the word 'please' calibrates a mindset to do a good job and I as a manager, or a supervisor will make sure to always use it. Think about it.

• Always say 'Thank You', even for small things

This has really been one of those magical things I have noticed. It does wonders you never know how they happened...

• Just be present 

Spend time with your employees, not necessarily work related, but time to ask them how they're doing, get a little closer to them and their lives, get to know them, their concerns. You don't need to know everything but your presence provide them with a sense of security that makes them think they have the requires support to continue their work. I have had the complete opposite experience and I don't think that helps even a bit. It helps magically by just showing you care about your employees and spend a little time with them to talk about things, can be work too, that none of you know how to handle. On the other hand, if you cannot be present so that if any employee who has a question can reach you, at least have a fixed working hours even if you want to work remotely. Works cannot be done if you just come and go at your will and expect things to be done by those who need you!

• If you have not described all the rules and expectations of the task at the very beginning, do not expect work to be done the way you expect it 

Following on the fact that a supervisor or a manager should be present, or to the least should have a fixed work schedule, he or she must provide with clear instructions on any task that is passed onto the employees. You can't just say go figure, unless it is a research task because no one would expect a very clear instruction on how to do something except how conduct the research to get what you need. I had a role recently as lead verifier. Aside from the fact that this was my first time being a lead verifier and no one had ever told me what a lead verifier's role is, my supervisor just instructed me to be one and verify if an employee has incorporated the comments of another employee into the job. I asked one of the other employees that what my role is and she said the same thing, making sure that the comments are addressed. So that is what I did and I even went a little further and provided some additional comments on errors that caught my eyes. What happened was that the three of us were summoned in a room and criticized that we did not do a good job. Turns out that the lead verifier should not only make sure previous comments are addressed but also provide high level comments and do another review basically and provide comments to the employee who did the first review for not catching those possible errors!!! That does not feel good to be blamed for what you didn't know.

• Always start your conversations with a 'hi' or a 'good morning' or a 'how are things' or a 'how are you today'', etc.

Believe me it sucks to start your day when your boss, manager, supervisor messages, emails, texts, or simply calls you and jumps to the job! People look for motivation, for feelings that warms up their working engine to get them work. People may look at the money they gain at the end of the months, true, but that's not what drives them on a daily basis. Believe me that's not what defines the quality of what they do. Quality comes from a willingness to do something and that won't happen unless the person likes you as a boss, or a supervisor. Otherwise, they'll do the job and they don't care how good it turns out to be; plus, they wouldn't give a damn about their manager's condition who is also a human. Believe me that's not how people want to start or finish their work days and looking restlessly