Famously said in the 1970s by Labour politician Dennis Healey of his Tory contemporary Geoffrey Howe, but it was equally appropriate for what happened at the end of my first night shift this morning. My boss was in early, as he often is, and said he wanted to see me in his office before I went home. I had a pretty good idea of what it was about, and it proved that I was right, a real 'nothing' incident, if what happened can even be honoured with the word 'incident' - if anything, it was a clash of personality with someone I really don't have any time for at all - but my boss decided he needed to speak to me about it. To say it was a one-sided conversation was an understatement - I did think I was in the right, and said so, robustly - but the dithering, weak to the point of being almost pathetic, effort of my boss was frankly embarrassing, or certainly would have embarrassed me if the positions had been reversed. Still, it won't happen again - I knew my boss was due to 'move on' to a new job within the company, but it turns out today was his last day. His replacement is one of my former colleagues who moved into supervisory and then management grades a couple of years back, who, while he is a slightly stronger personality - he could hardly be otherwise - was always pretty clueless about actually doing the job when he was on the 'front line'. It always seems to be the way with management in our industry - and maybe others - that the people who end up in those positions always seem to be square pegs in round holes, in some, if not all respects. I'll stay as a 'foot soldier', thanks.
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
There is nothing like the Peter Principle - People rise to their own level of incompetence. I do not understand why you take a very good person at their job, and make them a manager. My supervisor is a prime example. She is a GREAT systems administrator, but has no idea how to manage people, which makes the job that much harder. My priorities change hourly on some days, but I am expected to get it all done. Bring in someone who knows how to deal with people, and just pay the minions like us MORE for doing our job so well!
ReplyDeletePeace <3
Jay
Hello Jay
DeletePeople management is certainly a skill that not everyone has - I haven't, to any great extent, I'd be the first to admit - and equally certainly doesn't necessarily come with technical expertise in whatever field. I don't think my new boss will be appreciably better than the old on that front, from what I know of him. I'm all for paying those of us 'at the coalface' more, though!
Love & best wishes
Sammy B