November 21, 2006
Not My Most Diplomatic
Not every day is a good day. I know, I know - kinda surprising, isn't it? Not!
Yesterday I felt more like a preschool teacher than a manager. Only it was all over the phone and via email.
Some times I just don't get people.
You know, I'm not really all that young. And I'm absolutely not all that inexperienced. (Hey! I'm talkin' about work here!!) Anyway - we all know I'm the manager of about 11 reps. Now, there are a few things I should say before I really begin my bitchin'.
1) Most of my reports are men.
2) Most of my reports THINK I'm younger than their kids.
3) Most of my reports have been doing the same thing in the same industry for a very VERY long time.
Ok - all that out of the way.......IF THEY WOULD ONLY LISTEN TO ME THEIR LIVES WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER!!!
Whew. I feel better now. Let me digress and explain this melt down.
I started this job in June. I spent the summer and early fall learning our company, our product and our systems. I then began working closer with each of the reps to understand their customers, their territories and their personalities. THEN, in October I put together a program. Procedures as it were. And no - before you ask, no where in my outline did it say "This is what I'm gonna need for you to do....". I really worked hard at pulling something together that compensates for things the company does not do well WHILE it works within the confines of what the reps need.
Anyway, I passed out the program and we discussed it. I needed them to know it wasn't about wanting things My Way. It was about the best way to get what they need, in a good time frame, correctly. I explained the reasoning behind it and got everyone's buy-in.
So I thought.
They didn't listen to a damned thing I said. Period. Yesterday was the day it all came back to bite.....ME in the ass. Oh yeah. Lost orders, short shipments, fines, last minute quote requests - you name it, I dealt with it.
The only satisfaction I had was in getting the chance to say - "Now if you would have done it according to the program this wouldn't have happened now, would it?" Oh, and then "NOW do you understand why I gave the lead times I did?" I could go on and on and on. And I did. I had to. Hell, I sounded like my mother, for cryin' out loud....
So I had to put together an email. It was not my nicest email. I don't even think I bothered with the standard Hi. Or Dear. Or Good Afternoon. I went directly into - you guessed it - "THIS is what I'm gonna need for you to do..."
And how did I end this masterpiece of "I told you so - ness"? Simple and to the point. Three little words. "Are We Clear?"
I tell you - it felt like I was herding cats. Yeah, this week I'm thankful for a short flippin' week!!!!
Posted by Tammi at November 21, 2006 05:18 AM | TrackBack