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
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