Avoid Professional Tunnel Vision

Too often I will give a real-world example in a program or seminar and have someone complain that the example isn't relevant because it doesn't come from their industry. Bankers think they can't learn from retailers. Retailers think they can't learn from construction. Construction people think they can't learn from health care. Health care people think they can't learn from manufacturing. Manufacturing people think they can't learn from Bankers.

It frankly drives me nuts because I know from experience that for most managers, the problems we face have already solved by someone else, maybe in another industry. The improvements we want have already been implemented by someone else, probably in another industry. The breakthrough innovations we seek are already underway somewhere else, possibly in the world of R&D.

Our job as leaders and managers is not to create new and inventive ideas to resolve every situation we face; our job is to find ideas that work. And often times an idea that will work can be found if we learn to look outside of our chosen area of expertise, outside of our industry, outside of the world as we know it. But if we're going to think outside of the box, we also have to learn to stop saying "It won't work for us" and start saying"How can we make it work for us?"

That is not to say that we should never be the pioneer, the creator, the inventor, the person who creates a better way; but it does say that we are wasting our time being the inventor if the invention already exists.


About me: Dan Pelley illustrates advances in science and technology and their implication for managers as part of his "Proactive Leadership" program, one of five programs leading to a Certificate in Supervisory Management. 137 companies in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Connecticut. Massachusetts and New York have one or more people who earned this certificate.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Rhode Island Housing

Yesterday I wrote about about health care and a talk show host's comments on government bureaucracy. You may want to read that post first.

Today I want to tell you about a quasi-government agency that I have known for years, that does wonderful work, and that I would recommend to anyone. Rhode Island Housing.

When we first moved to Rhode Island we obtained a Rhode Island housing mortgage for middle-income families. We had a very favorable experience, and I've always thought well of Rhode Island Housing and the work that it does for our community.

Participants in my certificate in supervisory management series of programs held in Lincoln, Rhode Island know that I never miss an opportunity to say a good word about Rhode Island Housing. They offer are a number of wonderful services for home buyers, homeowners, renters and landlords.

If you or someone you know is thinking of buying a home they would do well to contact Rhode Island Housing to see what help may be available. If you are a homeowner and are facing the possibility of a future foreclosure, contact Rhode Island Housing now to see what help may be available. If you need to rent and want to know about available options, or if you are a landlord concerned with lead paint safety or other issues, Rhode Island Housing may be able to help.

Click here to go directly to the Rhode Island Housing website.

About me: Dan Pelley educational services provides management development programs for a number of companies in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. His client base includes Rhode Island Housing. His comments on Rhode Island Housing in this blog were not solicited by Rhode Island Housing, and his opinions and recommendations regarding Rhode Island Housing are solely his.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Do You Like Bureaucracy?

I do a lot driving and divide my radio listening time between music and talk shows. The other day I heard a comment that really made me stop and think.

The topic was health care reform, and I think most people agree that everyone must have access to health care at a reasonable cost. The problem, of course, is to find the best approach. The options range from doing nothing to having a system totally run by the government.

I'm not taking a position here as this is not a political blog. But I am going to share what the talk show host said, as food for though regarding alternative approaches to health care.

I don't remember the exact words, so here's the essence: "People hate to deal with government agencies. How many of you like going to the Registry of Motor Vehicles? The Tax Collectors Office? How many of you suffered poor treatment at the Unemployment Office? The Veteran's Administration? The Social Security Office? Especially when you have a problem, an issue, or an exception?

"It's amazing," continuing to paraphrase the host, "How many Americans try to avoid dealing with the government, yet how many Americans seem to want another large government bureaucracy to deal with when it comes to their health care."

It was a very interesting comment. It certainly sticks in my mind. But I will leave it to you to decide what to do with it.

Please don't misunderstand me here or assume I am knocking government agencies and employees. I am not. I've met very helpful people at some agencies. Some very unhelpful people at others. I've gotten some great treatment at some government and quasi-government agencies. And rotten treatment from others. Just as probably all of you have. So interpret the host's comments in light of your own experiences, and beliefs, and what you would like to see for the future of our health care.

I welcome your comment on this blog.


About Pelleyblog: A blog intended to be a resource for supervisors and other first line managers. Currently most of our readers are from Rhode Island, Central Massachusetts and Eastern Connecticut. But everyone interested in management topics is welcome. We also welcome your participation. Feel free to comment on this or any other post.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Don't Be Obsolete

Science advances rapidly creating new and better technologies at an astounding pace. “The way we always did it” soon becomes “old school” or even obsolete. Change is necessary for companies to stay current so they can use the best practices and most efficient technologies to provide superior products and services to their customers. Indeed, change is required for companies to be vital, healthy, competitive and successful.

Companies need leaders who can take advantage of emerging trends in their industry as well as their area of technical expertise. Leaders who can work outside of the box, revisit the way we’ve always done it, break the mold, and lead the organization to success. Our job as leaders is to use our positive energies to solve problems, to find better ways of doing things, to use the best current technologies for any given situation, and to develop new ways to satisfy customer demands. But you simply won't be able to do that if you allow yourself to become technically, professionally or managerially obsolete.

You must stay current. You must make a concerted effort to devote a certain amount of time for your own technical and professional development.

In terms of technology, what are the latest trends in your industry? What are the most recent innovations being made by your competitors? How can you apply new technology to make your company the leading innovator?

In terms of professionalism, what are the latest trends in your area of professional expertise (production, quality, design, finance, customer service, engineering, marketing, accounting, human resources, purchasing, materials handling, transportation, and so forth)? Which trends are working and which trends are not? What are the latest trends in management? Which management theories are working, and which ones are not?

Which trade journals do you read? Which professional societies do you belong do? What news sources, magazines, websites and blogs keep you current? Which trade shows do you attend? Which classes and seminars have you taken in the past 6 months?

What are the latest trends in science and technology and how can you adapt those innovations to your needs? What are the latest trends in other industries? What innovations are they implementing? Which of those innovations can you adapt to your industry?

If you can't answer the above questions on a current basis my friend, you are in danger of rapidly becoming obsolete. Indeed, its becoming evident in some industries such as information technologies that students receiving a degree on this very day are in danger of becoming obsolete tomorrow.


About me: Dan Pelley is an educator specializing in management training and development programs for supervisors and other first-line managers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Today he is working on upgrading his "Thriving on Change" 6-hour program to be presented in Eastford, CT next week. This post resulted from that work.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Take a Lesson From Purdue University

I read a great article the other day in The Providence Journal. About two guys at Purdue University who are doing something we all should try to do. Brett Westcott and Cameron Brown are called "The Compliment Guys." Every Wednesday they stand at the center of campus and offer compliments to hundreds of passersby.

Westcott, quoted in another article posted on the Purdue University website, says "the pair has given thousands of free compliments, sometimes requiring quick thinking and machine-gun delivery during busy passing periods. Typical objects of praise are people's shoes, pants, jackets, hats, sunglasses, scarves, backpacks, hairstyles and smiles." And the reaction has been wonderful. Here's two more quotes from the Purdue website:

"These guys brighten my day every Wednesday," said Rachel Taylor, a junior from Fairplay, Colo., who recently repaid a compliment on her plaid jacket with snack food she had purchased for herself. "They are so much fun!" Graduate student Richard Severe comments "Whatever they can come up with at the time they will compliment you on. It feels good. I try to throw compliments back to acknowledge them."

Those readers who have taken my "Managing People" and "Leadership Skills" programs know how important it is to build rapport with employees by practicing "management by walking around;" spending a few minutes each day in social conversation with each employee. But we all know that sometimes we get busy and don't have time for even a few minutes of social conversation. So take a lesson from "The Compliment Guys" and give a compliment as you pass by. You don't have to stop to do it, and I think you'll find your employees will love it.

Click here to see the entire article on the Purdue University website.


About me: Dan Pelley offers a series of five programs leading to a Certificate in Supervisory Management. The five programs are "Managing People,: "Leadership Skills," "Managing For Results," "Proactive Leadership," and "Participative Management." 137 companies in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York have one or more people who earned this certificate.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Special Programs, Special Price

Here's an opportunity for my readers from Southeastern, CT (or anyone who doesn't mind traveling to Colchester). A company there is hosting three of my programs that are usually offered to companies on an in-house basis only; rarely are they offered on an open enrollment basis.

The hosting company is easy to reach, has plenty of parking and good program facilities. Better yet, the hosting company has set an attractively low price for these programs being offered one-time only at this location.

Interviewing Skills is offered on Wednesday April 29, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Whether you interview trainees or seasoned pros, this "hands-on" program tells you what you needed to know. How to keep it legal and professional. The classic interview mistakes to avoid. The most powerful question you can ask. And what not to ask. Click here to see a detailed statement of learning objectives. This half day program is offered at $50.00 per person and includes all program materials and refreshments.

Effective Performance Appraisals is offered on Wednesday April 29 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Performance appraisals are used to develop , strengthen and groom the talents of individual employees. Yet many managers find them difficult to do. This "hands-on" seminar shows an easier way to provide fair and accurate appraisals. How to eliminate bias and error. And how to handle sensitive issues such as inappropriate dress, cultural differences, and body odor. Click here to see a detailed statement of learning objectives. This half day program is offered at $50.00 per person and includes all program materials and refreshments.

Handling the Difficult Employee is offered on Thursday May 14, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. From the lazy slacker to the angry aggressor. From the negative thinker who drains our energy to the bubbling socialite who drains our time. From the chronically tardy to the chronically unhappy, this program deals with them all. Why they do it. The single most important question to ask. Two rules to handle the situation. And what to do if you can't. Click here to see a detailed statement of learning objectives. This full day program is offered at $100.00 per person and includes all program materials and refreshments. Lunch will be on your own from noon to 1:00 (with several kinds of restaurants from fast food to gourmet located nearby).

Seating is limited to 20 people per program. Click here to register on-line.


About me: Dan Pelley conducts training programs for supervisors in the New England states, with a concentration in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. "Handling the Difficult Employee," "Effective Performance Appraisals," and "Interviewing Skills" can also be presented on-site at your location. Call for quotation.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Just Say No

Many managers suffer the pressure of self-overload. Simply stated, they just take on too much work. Probably because they've learned to say yes so often in their careers. Indeed, most people usually gain their management positions by saying yes to special requests and extra duties. It's a hard habit to break. But it can also overwhelm you.

Sometimes we need to say no. To things that aren't within the normal scope of our responsibilities. To special projects best done by others. And especially when the request properly belongs to someone else. Here's three C's that can help you say no when you have to.

Say No Clearly -- Don't beat around the bush. If your decision is no, then say so. You can always include the proper words of empathy or sympathy as long as they don't create a sense of "wiggle room." Saying "I'm sorry but I just don't have time to help with that" gives the impression that you can help if we can find ways to free up your time or reset your priorities. Saying "I'm sorry but I won't be able to help with that" is a clear approach.

Say No Cleanly -- Don't delay the final decision or give false hope by saying things like "maybe later," or "I'll get back to you."

If it's your boss, say it Carefully. After all, your boss ultimately controls your priorities. But bosses sometimes ask us to do things that really belong to someone else. Perhaps because the boss just didn't think about it, or perhaps because the boss knows we usually say yes to any of their requests.

Think of it this way: If you say no to the things you shouldn't be doing, you'll have more time to say yes to the things you should be doing.


About Pelleyblog. This blog covers topics of interest to managers, particularly those at the first-line supervisor level. Topics include handling difficult employees, leadership, counseling, coaching, problem solving, lean thinking, motivation and time management. We welcome your comments on this post.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Don't Interrupt

You probably learned at a young age "It's not polite to interrupt." Although that continues to be true today, there are three other reasons for not interrupting, especially in a business or professional setting.

First, interrupting makes you appear presumptuous or a know-it-all. You don't need to hear the entire message because you think you know what it is.

Second, interrupting conveys a lack of respect. You've made your decision about the content of the message and you'll now barge in to take over the conversation.

Third, and most importantly, interrupting stops the information flow. It distracts the speaker from the message. And it may very well cause the speaker to forget one or more things they needed to tell you when (and if) you give them a chance to speak again.


About me: Dan Pelley teaches communication skills as part of his "Leadership Skills" program, one of five programs leading to a Certificate in Supervisory Management. 137 companies in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York have one or more people who earned this certificate.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

The Hidden Barrier to Listening

Listening means to hear what someone is saying with thoughtful attention. Unfortunately there are many barriers to listening including such distractions as a nearby conversation that can be overheard, people walking by, a ringing telephone, or an unopened priority package that arrived just as your conversation began. These distractions are obvious and must be avoided if we are to listen properly.

One of the most common barriers to listening, however, is not a noise or other tangible distraction. The barrier happens to most of us, usually in a back-and-forth conversation about an unresolved issue. When the other party speaks , we do listen carefully. At least in the beginning. We focus intently on what the other party is saying until we think we know where their thoughts are going. What they are bringing up. Or how they are reacting to something we just said.

Once we know where the other person's thoughts are going, we then switch into a different mode which creates the barrier. We begin thinking about how we will respond to the speaker when they have finished talking. At that point we are listening to our own thoughts rather than those of the speaker. The distraction of listening to our own thoughts makes it impossible to listen with thoughtful attention to the speaker.


About Pelleyblog: Pelleyblog focuses on management topics for supervisors and other first-line managers. We are an extension of Dan Pelley Educational Services which conducts management development programs primarily in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, although we also serve the other New England states. Pelleyblog welcomes and looks forward to new readers from any geographic location.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Quit Complaining

Today's post resulted from yesterday's post, "Renee's Letter." You may want to read it first.

Once in a great while I'm a complainer. What's that? My wife just said "You are a chronic complainer." Could that be true? Maybe. But I usually only complain about the little things. Those nitpicking little things that all of us trip over every day as we go through our lives. Complain. Complain. Complain.

My wife, a registered nurse, is a very patient person. But her tolerance for my complaining is quite limited. She can halt my complaining and put me into a contrite contemplative mood by simply saying "Stop complaining. If you saw the kinds of things I see every day and the real problems and tragedies that some people face, you would quickly see that you have nothing to complain about."

That is so very true. And I do reflect on it, but I'm sure I don't reflect on it enough. So on this first Sunday of spring, I'm going to reflect on that along with an old saying "Count your many blessings, name them one by one." That's what I'm going to do today as I rejoice in the fact that winter is ending and spring has arrived.

About me: For 25 years, Dan Pelley has presented supervisory management development programs in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. He is the 2004 recipient of the Richard Fontaine Award for Teaching Excellence awarded by Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson, CT.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Renee's Letter

As a new blogger, I sometimes wrestle with what the blog should be. Primarily this a blog dedicated to supervisory management development topics. Occasionally I will post other things you may be interested in. I share today's post with you because it had a profound impact on me.

I recently received a letter from Renee Holder who I've known for about six months. She is a bright person, smiling and friendly. I read her letter several times. It touched me deeply. I never knew the challenges she faces daily. I asked if I could share her letter with you. Here it is, reprinted with permission.

Dear Friends and Family,

Growing up, I had been told that my aunt had MS, but I didn’t really know what that meant. I knew she had trouble grasping things with her hands. After my aunt moved out of state, Mom reported that her illness had progressed and that she now had trouble walking, but it was difficult for me to really imagine her symptoms.

I grew up, went to school, served my country, got married, had children. I would think from time to time that I should participate in an MS walk or fundraiser, but I never seemed to find the time. I got divorced, got a full time job, and discovered two of my co-workers had MS. I again thought I should do something to “support MS”, but life always seemed to be too hectic. I was newly remarried, and with four boys, there were baseball games to shuttle them off to, birthday cakes to bake, play dates to set up, tag sales to throw, and knees to bandage. My cousin was diagnosed with MS around this time, and although I thought of her often, I wasn’t in touch with her as much as I would have liked because we both had our lives going on.

In September of 2008, the palms of my hands and the heels of my feet started to go numb. It had happened in the past, but never this long or this severely, and I’d always dismissed it as a vitamin deficiency or some such thing, and eventually the numbness would subside. This time was different the numbness spread, traveling up my torso until it felt like I was wearing a corset two sizes too small. Within a week, I had difficulty walking, and holding anything in my hands was out of the question. In my heart, I knew what I was facing, and within 16 days of the onset of my symptoms, the doctor confirmed what I’d already suspected: I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Steroid treatments have given me back my feet, but my hands are still affected. Heat causes me pain, and eating popcorn is misery the texture makes the nerve endings in my fingertips explode in agony. It hurts to wash my hair, and I have trouble putting on makeup or typing on a keyboard. I have “fat” pencils and on the days that I can’t even grasp those, I poke them through a Styrofoam ball in order to be able to write. I can no longer “high-five” my sons, nor can I clap at their games. I have lost the ability to paint ceramics my favorite hobby, but this craft is lost to me now that I can no longer hold a paintbrush. My husband John has to give me my weekly shot, hoping that maybe this week, I will be able to hold his hand without flinching in pain.

My diagnosis has brought me closer to my cousin, and we now talk regularly about treatments, therapies, and remedies. And I started thinking again, I should do something. I should walk, for my aunt and my cousin. For my co-workers with MS, who have offered me support and advice and an ear while I struggled with my diagnosis. And for myself. I know all too well how quickly the symptoms can flare up, and I want to walk, because I don’t know if I will be able to feel my toes tomorrow.

I ask for your support as I walk with in the National MS Society Rhode Island Chapter’s 20th annual MS Walk. I am excited to be part of an event that involves hundreds of walkers at locations throughout Rhode Island. I’ll be walking in Narragansett on Sunday, April 19th and I am asking for your help.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to ending the devastating effects of MS. It simultaneously funds research for a cure while helping people with MS lead more fulfilling lives. I believe in the work the Society does both in my community and nationwide. More than 400,000 Americans live with MS, and your help can and will make a positive change in their lives.

Please help by making a donation - large or small - to fight MS. Or, why not join me the day of the event? By participating and side-by-side, we can make a difference.

Your support is crucial and I greatly appreciate it. You can support me by making a secure donation to my fundraising efforts by visiting www.mswalkri.com and searching for my name, or you can send a donation to the National MS Society RI Chapter at 205 Hallene Rd., Suite 208 Warwick, RI 02886. Please make sure to include Walk MS and my name on your check please! Thanks!

Renee Holder

Dan's note: Renee Holder is taking my supervision programs with other managers of her company in Norwich, CT. You can click this link to go directly to her page at www.mswalkri.com.

A Tale of Two Crews

I was doing a program in leadership for a company in the roofing business. During the program we discussed an issue of crew motivation.

One crew leader told us how he had to watch over his team all the time. For example, each morning he would get to the company early so he could monitor his crew as they loaded supplies for the day's job. He said that if he didn't do that, they would certainly miss something needed on the job with the result that someone had to make a trip back to get what they needed. He also talked about how he had to watch over his crew every hour of the day to make sure they were doing things correctly. If not, they would do the work incorrectly resulting in additional labor and materials to correct the mistakes.

Another crew leader listened intently to the conversation but had nothing to say. But he certainly had a big grin on his face. I finally asked "Why the big grin?" "Well." he said, "he and I take a much different approach to our crews. I never go in to check my crew when they are loading the truck for the day's job. They know I expect them to arrive on the job on time with all the tools and materials they need for the day. They also know that I don't want to stand over them all day making sure they do their job. I expect them to do their job. I pay them to do their job. If they need help or have a question I'm always there for them. But it is their job and I expect them to do it.

"Please don't misunderstand me. I don't tolerate laziness, incompetence, slacking off or poor quality. They know that. They also know that I respect the work ethic and technical skills they bring to my jobs. They are professional roofers and I treat them as such when they work for me.

"I know the other crew chief doesn't see things the way I do. And that's his choice. It's not my place to criticize him. But I've been sitting here listening and smiling because I simply don't have the problems he does."

The interesting thing about this conversation is that the members of each crew are interchangeable depending on the size of each job. So it was very common for a roofer to work for one crew leader this week and for the other next week. Yet each crew chief has different expectations and get different results.

This case is a good example of the Pygmalion effect. As a well-established concept in human behavior, the Pygmalion effect says what we expect from other people is pretty much what we are going to get.

About me: Dan Pelley is an educator specializing in management training and development programs for supervisors and other first-line managers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The discussion recited above came from a company sponsored (in-house) program held in Rhode Island.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

The Danger in Dictating Change

I've been working for the past week or so on upgrades to my "Thriving on Change" seminar. Content revisions are in final draft, with much of yesterday's work involving the topics of "selling your ideas" and "gaining buy-in." Regarding those issues, some people may argue "Why should I? I'm the boss of my department or work group. If I have a good idea I should be able to tell people to put my idea into action. Besides, if I open it up to discussion, I'll probably have to contend with a lot of questions, comments, challenges and proposed changes. I know what I'm doing. This is the best way to go. So let's just do it."

Let's examine these arguments. Yes, you are the manager and that does make you a boss. But being the boss doesn't make you a leader. The manager who is a leader can get people to do things willingly, without having to rely on her or his authority as a boss.

When you develop an idea on your own, you fail to recognize that very few individuals can develop a perfect idea without the insights of others. You fail to realize that no one in your department, including you, can be more knowledgeable than all the people in your department put together.

Operating people can usually spot potential trouble spots in proposed changes, and usually have practical suggestions for overcoming these difficulties. They also have a vested interest in sharing their ideas so the change can be implemented smoothly. These sort of corrections, made to ideas during the discussion phase, are usually quite inexpensive as the idea is still "on paper." Corrections tend to be far more expensive during the implementation phase where money is being expended, time is being spent and resources are being consumed.

When you let others help you develop an idea for change; when you listen to their concerns; when you incorporate their suggestions; when you give them credit for their help and make them a partner in your idea, you'll have the best chance for successful implementation. Even if the idea isn't perfect, those who were involved in creating it will make every effort to work through problems, work around obstacles, patch holes and otherwise do whatever they can to see the idea, the idea they were part of creating, put into action as a successful change.

On the other hand, when a change is decreed without any input from the people impacted by the change, those people will feel resentful. They've been ignored, not included. Your actions indicate that you don't value their thoughts and suggestions. They think you are a know-it-all. And when it comes to implementing your idea, they have no vested interested in seeing it work. Indeed, many of them will hope that it fails, and takes you along with it.

Oh, don't worry. They will follow your instructions. To the letter. They'll let the problems confound them. They'll crash into obstacles and fall into holes. After all, you did say "just do it." And with each bump in the road they will look to you for the answer. After all, it's your idea. You didn't want their help. And that is the real danger of dictating change.


About me: Dan Pelley conducts seminars and teaches programs on topics of interest to managers. Recent additions to his offerings are a six hour seminar titled "Thriving on Change" and a sixteen hour program titled "Leadership in a Changing Environment."

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Uncle Hank Said

Here's a bit of wisdom for today. It comes from Uncle Hank who always admonished us to be very careful about what we say. Particularly in areas that we know very little about. And especially where we are trying to "wing it," to make it look like we know what we are talking about.

Here's the thought for today from Uncle Hank :"Always remember, until you open your mouth, no one knows just how stupid you really are!"

Enjoy the day.


About me: Dan Pelley is an educator specializing in management training and development programs for supervisors and other first-line managers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Prior to becoming an educator he was an operating executive with a proven track record. He knows of what he speaks.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Managerial Death

Occasionally I hear of a manager bad-mouthing their company. Sometimes executives ask me what to do about that. My advice is always crystal clear. No employee, in any company, should bad-mouth the company. The employee must be warned, counseled and ultimately dismissed if necessary. The same is true for a manager, although the situation is far more serious and needs to be corrected and corrected now.

No matter what their level (group leader, supervisor, assistant manager, first-line manager, and so forth up the management hierarchy), the manager is part of the management team of the company and is always held to a higher standard. Some behaviors that may be occasionally tolerated from non-management employees cannot be tolerated from a manager. This is one of them.

If you are on my management team and I find you bad-mouthing our company, you will be immediately warned. That behavior is not acceptable. Don't let it happen again. If you are unhappy with something we are doing in the company it's your job to bring it up so we can try to change it. If you are not happy working here, then perhaps you should leave. But as long as you are working here you will not bad-mouth, diminish, undermine, sack, or otherwise detract from our efforts as a management team. A team of which you are a member.

Usually that is your first and final warning. No executive can afford a member of the management team who cannot be trusted. And if you are bad-mouthing the management team you cannot be trusted. For participants in my supervisory management training programs, I am always quick to point out that "bad mouthing the company leads to managerial death."


About Pelleyblog: Pelleyblog focuses on management topics for supervisors and other first-line managers. We are an extension of Dan Pelley Educational Services which conducts management development programs primarily in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, although we also serve the other New England states. Pelleyblog welcomes and looks forward to new readers from any geographic location.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Thriving on Change

Today I am working on upgrades to a program called "Thriving on Change."

Faced with rapidly changing technologies and ever increasing customer demands, every business organization must make timely changes if it wants to maintain or improve its competitive edge. Yet most organizations are naturally resistant to change and will avoid it whenever they possibly can. Therefore companies need strong leaders who can drive the change initiatives. Leaders who can work outside of the box, revisit the way we’ve always done it, break the mold, and lead the organization to success.

Leaders are not found idling by the side of the road. Leaders are not found in the middle of the pack or lagging behind. Leaders are people who seek the top of the mountain. People who look for the best practices and the best current technologies.

When leaders reach the top of the mountain, when they find that best practice or best current technology, they stop for a moment to congratulate their team and celebrate success. Then they get up and move forward again. Looking for the higher mountain, a better way, a more efficient technology. True leaders know that resting on past accomplishments will result in a quick drop from their leadership role.

To be a successful manager you must be a strong leader who has a vision for the future. Your job as a leader is to search for innovations, to share your thinking and get others excited and involved with new ideas or approaches. Your job is to take risks and to try new ideas. And its not enough for you to just cope with change. If you want to be a true leader, you must be a driver of change.


About me: Dan Pelley conducts training programs for supervisors in the New England states, with a concentration in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Recent additions to his offerings are a six hour seminar titled "Thriving on Change" and a sixteen hour program titled "Leadership in a Changing Environment."

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Who Was That Man?

I was at a fast food restaurant yesterday. Small line with one quite competent cashier. He quickly served two people in front of me, then stepped away to get a drink cup for the person just served. I stepped up to the register and another person behind the counter stepped between me and the cashier, and swiped a card into the register. No uniform. Kind of grungy in appearance. No "Hello." No "Excuse me." No "Just a moment, we'll be right with you." But obviously someone with authority to get between cashier and customer without so much as a "Howdy Do."

Finally, the cashier asked the person "Are you done yet?" No response. Abruptly the person turned away and literally got in-between several people working drive-through and the deep fryer. Didn't say anything to them, but started handing bags to them for take out orders while he checked the status monitors.

Meanwhile, the cashier had quickly and pleasantly taken my order and given me a drink cup. My order soon arrived and I walked away thinking "what a great cashier. But who was the other man?"

Possibly he was the shift supervisor. Or the restaurant manager. If so he was out of uniform. The way he acted and dressed, more likely he was the "big boss," maybe even the franchise owner. But in any case he most certainly was a manager. And just as certainly his demeanour, attitude and rapport with crew members and customers indicated he was no leader.

Leadership is not about being the owner or the boss. Leadership is not about violating standards of dress and good customer service. A leader is someone we look up to and admire and respect. A leader is a person who we expect to do the right thing in every instance. A leader is someone we want to follow and emulate.

He may have been a manager, but he's also a rude discourteous person who pushes his way through his crew and his operation; he certainly was no leader. And, as a customer in his restaurant looking at his appearance, I am very glad he didn't handle my food.


About Pelleyblog: We focus on topics of interest to supervisors, group leaders, foremen, department managers, project managers, team leaders, assistant managers, associate managers, office managers, nurse managers, crew leaders, unit managers, and other first-line managers. But managers at all levels, and people interested in management topics are welcome and are encouraged to join us.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Active Listening

A manager told me she had trouble listening. By nature she was hyper-active and an extrovert. She would usually interrupt while others were speaking. Indeed, she had a tendency to finish other people's sentences for them. I suggested she try active listening.

The active listener is like a student facing an instant oral quiz. If a student is told there will be a "pop quiz" on what the teacher says in the next few minutes, you can bet the student will listen very carefully. In a similar fashion, the active listener focuses on the entire message so, if necessary, they can completely and accurately repeat back what the speaker said. In fact, under certain conditions, repeating back in your own words what the other person said strengthens the communication dialog. It demonstrates to the speaker that you have been listening carefully and, more importantly, are interested in taking time to understand.

But how do you actively listen when there are so many other things that can distract you. Mental preparation is the key. The active listener prepares to listen by assuming the person speaking will conclude by saying "Please tell me what I just said." Even though the speaker may never say that, it doesn't matter. By making that assumption, the active listener is mentally prepared to listen carefully to what is being said.


About me: Dan Pelley is an educator specializing in management training and development programs for supervisors and other first-line managers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The issue recited above came from a participant in one of his supervisory management development programs.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Take a Break

I always admire people who work hard and strive to get ahead. But sometimes we can overdo it. Recently, in a self assessment homework assignment, a manager listed coping well with a hectic pace and long hours a one of her strengths. She said "I usually run from one job to another. I never take breaks and usually work through lunch doing whatever is needed to keep my department running. I usually work late and am the last one to leave at night." She went one to say "My positive attitude in coping with a hectic pace and long hours without complaining or slacking send a positive message to my team that I am willing to do what it takes to get the job done."

I cautioned her. There's a fine line between coping well and appearing harried and out-of-control. While I do admire hard work, a positive attitude and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done, there is a balancing act. Even the most determined motivated and aggressive managers need to back off from time to time. As frantic as things may be, a break is good for mental health. It allows time to become grounded and centered, and it restores your perspective and focus.

My advice: Take your breaks every day, even though they may not be at the same time. Have your lunch everyday as well. Work late when you have to, but limit it. If you need to work late everyday, there's something wrong with the way you're managing your personal workload. Use your management talents to fix that. And, if you are doing a lot of extra time, be sure to reward yourself with some extra time off.


About Pelleyblog: Pelleyblog is designed to be a resource for supervisors and other first line managers. Currently most of our readers are from Rhode Island, Central Massachusetts and Eastern Connecticut. But everyone interested in management topics is welcome. We also welcome your participation. Feel free to comment on this or any other post.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

He Disagreed

This post continues the theme from the last two days. You may want to read those posts first.

In a manager's program at a company owning over forty ice cream and sandwich shops, I received a challenge to my statement that you can't possibly be managing when you are doing the ordinary work of your department; or, in this case, your sandwich shop.

One manager strongly disagreed. "He most certainly could manage his shop," he asserted.

I've worked with this company for many years. I've debated the argument with other mangers from the company. Since many managers work the grill at these shops, I was usually successful in illustrating how, when you are cooking hamburgers, you really can't see what's going on at the booths behind you. When reading order slips its hard to notice a customer slipping out the door without paying. When slicing and dicing its hard to notice that the customers in booth 34 have been waiting a long time for a menu. Those sorts of examples invariably help me make my case. But not this time.

This manager worked in the smallest shop owned by the company. The grill was at the back of the service area. All booths, customers, cash registers and so forth were within his easy view. And he certainly wasn't going to concede that a flood of short orders would distract him from his managerial duties. He had me on the run. I was losing the argument. Then I had a Bingo moment.

Okay, I conceded. Because your shop is so small, it's possible you can do the work and manage at the same time, although I still think you're going to lose focus as the shop becomes busy and your grill is swamped with orders. But, for the sake of argument, I'll give you that point. Now tell me what's going on in the kitchen. Tell me how the dishwasher is doing. Tell me why the back door was left open and a box of steaks is about to disappear. You see, as he and I both knew, the kitchen including the dishwasher station, food storage and the back door was behind a closed door located behind the manager at the grill. He couldn't possibly see what was going on back there as he was working the grill.

Most managers who attend my programs are working managers. Most of them do some of the routine work in their departments in addition to their management duties. But, because their management duties are their first priority, I always want them to be aware that when they are doing the ordinary work of the department they can't possibly be managing department operations at the same time.


About me: For 25 years, Dan Pelley has presented supervisory management development programs in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. His training and development programs focus on topics of interest to supervisors, group leaders, foremen, department managers, project managers, team leaders, assistant managers, associate managers, office managers, restaurant managers, nurse managers, crew leaders, unit managers, and other first-line managers. Participants also include mid-level managers, executives, and people interested in management topics.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

She Disagreed

If you haven't read yesterday's post, you may want to read it before this one.

Yesterday's post dealt with a discussion group talking about scheduling. I recommended that managers avoid using themselves as the backup, the fall back, the extra pair of hands when the department falls behind in its work, especially when the department is facing emerging problems, unless no other option is available. The non-verbal signals from the group indicated most people agreed.

One person, however, was shaking her head. I called on her and said "You seem to disagree."

"Yes," she said, "I think it sends a good message to your employees when you pitch in to help out; when you work alongside of them. I don't see anything wrong with that."

Nor do I. Indeed, in my "Leadership Skills" program, I encourage managers to find time to work alongside of their employees doing the ordinary and routine work of the department. By doing that we become reacquainted with the problems and issues our employees face, as well as giving us a chance to assess our employees' knowledge, skills and capabilities. Additionally, when we take the time to work alongside our employees, we convey the message that no job in our department is beneath us, that every job in our department is important and, if necessary, we are prepared to work on any job that needs our attention.

So am I taking a different position today than the position I took yesterday? Not at all. It's a matter of degree. The fact from yesterday still remains: When you are doing the ordinary work of your department, you are not doing managerial work. The management work of the department should generally take top priority for the manager, especially when things are falling behind and/or a crisis is emerging.

But the fact recited today also still remains: There are several advantages associated with finding time, on occasion, to work alongside employees on the routine and repetitious work of the department. Even so, when we are taking the time to get reacquainted with the routine work of our department, the fact still remains that we will not be managing the department during that period of time.


About me: Dan Pelley's "Managing for Results" and "Leadership Skills"programs are two of five programs leading to a Certificate in Supervisory Management. 137 companies in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York have one or more people who earned this certificate.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

The Manager as a Backup

We were working on a case study in scheduling. Each of the teams had to defend its answer in terms of why they scheduled work the way they did; i.e., what was their underlying reasoning. Part of their defense was to illustrate where they faced possible risks and what alternatives they might use to handle those risks.

The purpose of the exercise was to illustrate how scheduling involves much more than simple logic and arithmetic, or what I call the science of scheduling. Proficient schedulers also consider the possibility and probability that something might happen to upset the assumptions supporting their schedule. Astute schedulers therefore create a schedule in such a way as to be in the best possible position to handle those unfortunate possibilities if they should crop up. In effect, astute planners have a sense of contingency planning. I call that the art of scheduling.

The discussion led to the possibility that a critical job might not ship due to a shortage of labor hours (a situation that could come about for a number of different reasons). One alternative suggested was that the supervisor could always pitch in to help out. That would help get the order out on time.

I agreed, but cautioned that when the manager is doing the ordinary work of the department, they couldn't possibly be managing department operations. Simply stated, the manager's attention will be focused on the work at hand and not to other issues going on within the department. Managers should avoid using themselves as the backup especially during those times when their department is facing emerging problems, unless no other option is available.

Note carefully that I'm not saying a manager shouldn't pitch in and help out. But I am saying that the more time a manager spends doing the ordinary work of the department, the less time the manager will have available for managing the department.

About me: Dan Pelley teaches scheduling concepts within the action plan portion of his "Managing for Results" program, one of five programs leading to a Certificate in Supervisory Management. Other topics include an overview of the management process, setting goals, organizing resources, contingency planning, and time management. The discussion described above was during an open enrollment program in Danielson, CT.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Do You Really Need Permission?

I frequently hear this comment from supervisors "My boss won't let me do my job." I frequently hear a much different comment from executives "Those supervisors don't take the bull by the horns." There's obviously a disconnect here.

In a pharmaceutical company in-house seminar a manager described a problem he was having with his boss. It seemed his boss would never respond to requests for permission to try something new or to do something differently. Very often the conversation ended with the boss saying something like "I'll think about it" or "I'll get back to you." On those rare occasions when the boss actually did respond the answer was ambiguous, not a clear yes or no.

Participants in the seminar offered many suggestions, but none seemed to be on target. Finally someone asked who the boss was since they all worked in the same company (although in different locations). When the boss was identified another participant said "That's funny, I used to work for him and I never had that problem."

Naturally the manager with the issue asked "How did you get him to give you permission?"

"I didn't," said the other. "I never asked him for permission because I learned early on that he didn't want to get involved in what I do as long as I delivered results. I kept keep him posted after the fact and he would acknowledge me with something like 'great' or 'that's good.' On major changes I would ask for his opinion instead of his permission. He was happy to give opinions rather than decisions. In light of the comments in his opinion I would then make a no go decision if I thought he wouldn't be happy with the idea going forward."

If you face a similar situation, think about what would happen if you went ahead and did something without permission. For a routine operating decision I'd guess most bosses would be just as glad if you went ahead and handled it yourself. But no need to take my guess on it. There's two ways to find out. The first is to ask your boss directly if it's okay to make some of the decisions that you usually seek permission for. A great time to do that is right after permission was sought and granted. At that time you could ask, "Would it have been okay with you if I had just gone ahead and done it without troubling you?"

The other way is to test the concept. Choose a small decision (not a major one) and try it without asking permission. What's the worst that could possibly happen? A small reprimand? If you get a small reprimand then you'll know you need permission for even the smallest things. If a small decision seems to work, try a slightly bigger decision next time. See what happens. Keep going until you reach a point where your boss starts to criticize or you start to get uncomfortable proceeding without permission. At that point you'll have some sense of the boundary line for proceeding on your own.

About this post: Dan Pelley works with managers at all levels to improve communications and working relationships in the process of solving problems and making improvements. He combines his experience as an operating manager and an educator to provide powerful, focused hands-on programs to solve real-world business problems.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Thriving on Change

I've just updated my new "Leadership in a Changing Environment" program, recently presented at a Lincoln, RI company. In order to implement positive and productive changes, managers must be sensitive to people’s concerns, cognizant of the issues surrounding the change process, and have a solid understanding of the skills required to be an effective change agent. Each manager must also be capable of adjusting her or his leadership style so as to encourage people to welcome and support change in a spirit of cooperation and harmony.

Click to see a statement of learning objectives.

About me: Dan Pelley conducts seminars and teaches programs on topics of interest to managers. Recent additions to his offerings are a six hour seminar titled "Thriving on Change" and a sixteen hour program titled "Leadership in a Changing Environment."

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

You - Out!

Here's another article on "dumb things companies do to really screw up their training efforts" or "DUTHCODO TRESUTTE." The first article, "Why Bother," was posted on January 28, 2009

The management team wasn't happy. It seemed to them that they trained, and trained and trained and never received anything of value in return. The Human Resources manager had worked with me many years before, and asked me to meet with the management team to see what I might do.

The management team expressed frustration and disappointment. Especially in the areas of problem solving, communications and teamwork. No matter how many training programs they went through, teamwork was lacking, communications were deficient, and problems remained unsolved. They suggested that people were working "in silos," concerned with their own problems and issues rather than those of the company at large. The managers asked that I guarantee results if they were to hire me.

"Obviously," I said, "I can't guarantee results. First of all, I'm not picking the participants. Secondly, I don't know the extent of old issues. But most importantly, I have no control over what participants do beyond the classroom." I went on to say "What I can guarantee you is that I will deliver a good program. There's also a very good chance that I can win them over, offset negativity, and get them started toward achieving real results."

A program on team building, interdepartmental communications and problem solving was contracted. The participants were good people, but jaded from prior experience. It took much longer than normal to win them over. But I did it. We got past the venting stage and turned to the improvement phase.

Working in teams, they were developing suggestions on how to the company could improve in the three areas covered by the program. I asked them to be candid, but also to make their suggestions constructive and positive. I told them I would take their suggestions to the management team if they wished, but I hoped they would ultimately feel comfortable presenting the ideas themselves.

They worked on the ideas in small groups first. Each group had a recorder/spokesperson taking notes. We then broke up the small groups so we could work with the ideas as a full group. Just as we were to begin, the closed door to the seminar room opened. Someone who I never met, someone dressed as an executive, looked in and pointed to a person. With a jerk of the thumb, his only words were: "You - Out!"

How very rude. I was momentarily shocked. The room was quiet. Then someone spoke: "See, Dan, see what we've been trying to tell you. See how they treat us."

Trying to make the best of it, I said: "Well, I'm sure there must be a good reason. Let's rise above it and show what we can do. Let's make our suggestions be heard."

The response from another person: "Oh ya, how do we plan to do that? Our recorder was the one called out and he took our team notes with him when he left."

Initiative destroyed, the effort diminished. The Human Resources Manager later told me the teams never presented their ideas to the executives. I suspect at the end the management team thought "See, here's another training failure."


About me: Dan Pelley has conducted a number of successful team-building programs in companies located in New England. One Groton, CT company had an eighteen hour program that produced over $100,000 in tangible demonstrated savings. To learn more about our educational programs, click on this link to Dan Pelley Educational Services.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Bottom Line

Today I am in Bloomfield, CT presenting a popular program "Understanding the Bottom Line." It presents concepts that impact the bottom line of companies that make or sell products. It most certainly is not a program along the lines of "Finance and Accounting for Non-Financial Managers." Those sorts of programs usually present the mechanics of how accounting works, what sort of reports are generated and how the manager can use that information. Certainly these are good things to know.

"Understanding the Bottom Line," on the other hand, is not interested in how accounting reports are constructed, but rather focuses on how the operating manager's decisions and actions influence the outcomes and results reflected in the accounting reports. The program is "hands on" using a series of short cases and exercises to establish and reinforce concepts. Participants leave the program with a new appreciation of the power of gross margins, the danger of margin erosion, what it takes to break-even and the true cost of an employee. For the operating manager, these concepts are essential.

A vice president of one company attended the program sponsored by his trade association. He later told his boss that all employees should take the program. Reciting his own experience he said "To be honest, I lost sight of what the hell a gross margin is and how it can help or hurt us." People at all levels of his company subsequently took the program.


Dan Pelley presents "Understanding the Bottom Line" to managers of wholesale distributors, job shop manufacturers and retailers from New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. For more information on his programs, click this link to Dan Pelley Educational Services

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Be Consistent

People want a leader who is consistent in their approach to leadership and in their expectations of their employees.

Managers can have very different leadership styles. Some are very strict in their approach to managing their departments. If someone is late to work by just a minute they are unhappy with that person's performance. Other managers take a more relaxed approach. If someone comes into work a little late and does a little extra to catch-up they tend not to worry about it.

But you can't be both a hard-liner and a soft-liner on an issue. You can't take a hard line today on lateness and a hard-line tomorrow on lateness and then turn around on the following day and treat lateness as no big deal. If you do, people will find it very hard to understand your true position and expectations on lateness.

Of course we're not just talking about lateness. Consistency extends to quality, productivity, work completed on time, treatment of co-workers, adherence to rules, and so forth into every aspect of leading, supervising and managing employees. When we're inconsistent in how we deal with issues, our expectations become cloudy in practice. People simply do not know what we expect them to do because our expectations change frequently.

About Pelleyblog: Pelleyblog focuses on management topics for supervisors and other first-line managers. We are an extension of Dan Pelley Educational Services which conducts management development programs primarily in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, although we also serve the other New England states. Pelleyblog welcomes and looks forward to new readers from any geographic location.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Robochick and the Bionic Boy

I'm fascinated by rapid advances in science and technology. The other evening I watched a science Channel show called Robochick and the Bionic Boy, the story of two people using recent advances in medical technologies.

One was a woman who is totally blind and now, with the assistance of sensors implanted in her brain, she is beginning to see on a rudimentary basis. It is believed that in the near future the technology will be improved to a point where she can clearly see. Unfortunately, even though much progress has been made in the field of computer assisted sight, the funding supporting the experiments has been suspended and Robochick finds herself in a state of limbo. Let us hope for the sake of Robochick and all who are blind that funding will soon be restored.

The other person is a boy who lost his hand in an accident. He's been fitted with a prosthetic device that operates as a nearly perfect human hand. The incredible thing about the device is that it operates using signals from his muscles received through sensors placed on his skin. Within minutes of being placed on the stump of his arm, he was able to use his artificial hand by merely thinking about the movements he wanted it to make.

I went online today to see when the show will be offered again. No luck. It appears that it was a pilot program for the science Channel. In further browsing however I did find news articles on each of these stories if you are interested in learning more. Just click on these links:
Robochick and the Bionic Boy

It's important for managers to know that the advances in science and technology that are currently under way have profound implications for the business world of the future. If we do not stay current with these developments we will soon become technologically obsolete managers.



About me: Dan Pelley illustrates advances in science and technology and their implication for managers as part of his "Proactive Leadership" program, one of five programs leading to a Certificate in Supervisory Management. 137 companies in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Connecticut. Massachusetts and New York have one or more people who earned this certificate.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Why I Avoid Snow Days

I wrote this yesterday as a Nor'easter swept the east coast. I began the day driving my wife to work in the worst part of the storm. As a nurse she makes every effort to get in to work no matter what the weather conditions. I had no classes scheduled, so I didn't need to issue class cancellation notices, something I try to avoid whenever I possibly can.

The primary audience in my programs are supervisors and other managers at all levels who work in local companies. I learned long ago that when I cancelled a class most of the participants would simply go to work instead. Later we would have to coordinate a make-up class to complete the program requirements. As you can imagine, finding a make-up date and time that suits everyone is nearly impossible. So my standing policy is to avoid cancelling class unless absolutely necessary. Today, for example, would have been a cancellation day.

But what about people who simply are not comfortable driving in certain conditions or have child care or other issues due to a storm? My position is always very clear: If you are not comfortable coming to a class for any reason, skip the class. We'll worry about certificating requirements later.

My policy for educational programs mirror my policy for companies where I've been an executive. We cancel work only when conditions are bad enough to warrant a closing, since hourly employees generally do not get paid when the company closes. However, if someone is not comfortable with driving to work and can't find any other transportation options, then I can generally excuse the absence as long as the employee notifies us.


About me: Before becoming a full time educator, my career experiences included being vice president of a consulting firm, vice president - finance of a publishing company, vice president - sales support services for a manufacturing company and vice president - operations for a distribution company. As a full time educator working principally in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts I am pleased to share my experiences and business philosophies with managers at all levels.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Don't Volunteer? Baloney!

I spent two years in the Army courtesy of my local draft board. Before I went everyone told me to keep my head low and don't volunteer. But experience quickly taught me that volunteering could be good, if we learn to use it to our advantage.

My barracks sergeant had difficulty getting volunteers for a number of different tasks. It didn't take too long to figure out that Sarge was negotiable and willing to swap one thing for another. I could volunteer for something that I didn't mind doing and trade it for getting out of something I did mind doing. Thus I volunteered to sweep out our barracks boiler room every morning, a five minute job. The trade off was that I would do the sweeping during reveille and roll call where everyone else from my barracks stood in ranks out in the cold for up to 15 minutes each morning. After sweeping the warm boiler room for five minutes, I could go back into the warm barracks and rest on my bunk until the company returned.

Following this process I ultimately avoided lots of things I didn't like to do by volunteering to do things I didn't mind doing. This was a win-win situation for both Sarge and me. Sarge had a permanent volunteer for hard-to-staff duties and I permanently avoided unwanted duties.

After leaving the Army and embarking upon a career in management, I soon discovered that savvy volunteering could continue to serve me well. Indeed it could enhance my career opportunities. For example, as an entry-level consultant I worked in a firm that was acquisition oriented. The merger and acquisition (M&A) work was conducted by the partners and I was not involved, informed or included. So I volunteered to come in on Saturday on my own time to assist in any way I could in the M&A work, much of which was often done on Saturdays as everyone was busy during the week on our consulting engagements.

When I first approached the company president and offered my volunteer services, he put out a memo to all the M&A partners along the lines of "Dan Pelley has volunteered to come in Saturday to work on our M&A projects. I suggest you use him, so you can teach him the principles of M&A and while he assists you in your work."

You see, that's the deal I struck with a company president. In exchange for volunteering, the company would teach me how to do M&A. And that's how I became experienced in mergers and acquisitions.

Volunteering can be useful for you too. Think about how you can create win-win volunteering situations that allow you to benefit someone else who in return can enhance your capabilities and career opportunities.

About me: Dan Pelley's career experiences range from the shipping room to the boardroom and the college classroom. He has worked in companies as diverse as metal stamping, foundries, pharmaceuticals, computers and electronic components, hospitals, nursing homes, motor carriers, distribution, retailers, social services, government, quasi-government agencies, a major art museum and an airline. He shares his experiences through programs and seminars for companies in New England and through this blog.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Do It From Start to Finish

Want to be more effective and save yourself time? Then stop working in fits and starts. Stop doing a little bit of this and moving on to do a little bit of that, only to go back to do a little more on this before going back to that. Every time you start a job and don't finish it you have a learning curve when you return to the unfinished job. You have to remember where you were, what you were doing, and what you were going to do next; thoughts that were probably fixed in your mind before you abandoned the job.

Experts on time management advise us to pick up a job and do it completely from start to finish before we begin something else; to minimize stopping one job to work on another before the first job is finished. If you focus on that goal and concentrate on doing jobs from beginning to end without interruption whenever possible you will gain substantial increases in productivity and time saved.

I've tried it. It works for me. Why not try it and see if it works for you.

About Pelleyblog. This blog covers topics of interest to managers, particularly those at the first-line supervisor level. Topics include handling difficult employees, leadership, counseling, coaching, problem solving, lean thinking, motivation and time management. We welcome your comments on this post.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.