From Trash to Cash: the £100 to 10K Dribble thread

copperjar

munchki wrote: »

dont want to dig in here, and prob not the right place, but hoping you can help me find the right words! I have to do two short presentations/discussions for this interview tomorrow morning. I have the first one licked and done and am happy with it. The second one however is a case of knowing mostly how I would do it but no matter how i try, just cant quite get the wording the way I want. Could really use a few thoughts, if you dont mind that is. if not that is ok as well and thank you in advance either way xx



The question is :

• What would I do if I faced reluctance from a team member to accept the direction that I was setting?

The role is for a Operations Manager/Team Leader

I'm currently an operations manager for a local authority. My answer might be slightly different if yours is for a commercial post, but I'd start by saying a bit about the constant need for change and improvement and that we can't stay still.
I'd say that staff teams can be generally split into 3 groupings - those that will embrace and run with changes (about 20%), those that will object to all change (about 20%) and those in the middle. They are the ones you need to work on and the person in your presentation fits into that category.
- discussion
- supervision and appraisal
- show them the benefits of your direction of travel
- give them a project to do (connected to the direction you're setting) and pair them up with one of the proactive members of your team
- set an outcome and timescales for this project - prove that it can work
- all the other stuff already suggested!

I'd end by saying that sometimes, as a manager, we just have to say that this is what we're doing (if all the above fails), explaining the reasons why but being clear that this change does need to happen. You would then monitor perfomance via supervision and appraisal.

In my experience, people want an operations manager that is fair and inclusive - but who can also implement the difficult decisions. I wouldn't say that you would be tempted to change your objectives just because some of the team don't like it - you would only change if it isn't working.

Gosh that sounds harsh (and I'm a nice boss I promise!), but an operations manager needs to make tough decisions sometimes and show that they are prepared to do this.

JoeyGrey

copperjar wrote: »

In my experience, people want an operations manager that is fair and inclusive - but who can also implement the difficult decisions. I wouldn't say that you would be tempted to change your objectives just because some of the team don't like it - you would only change if it isn't working.

I can't remember whether I read it or saw it in a film, but what you just said made me think of an example someone gave about leadership. The wrong kind of leader is the one who looks to see where his people are running and then says, hurry, I must find out where my people are going in order that I can lead them there.

It made me chuckle at the time, but it has stuck and I think it is so true. It's surprising how many managers and team leaders do try to do that wanting to avoid being harsh, but it can lead to total lack of respect.

That said, neither do you want a leader who never listens and doesn't accept that anyone else has an opinion.

jo70mo

Yeah. I agree. You need to be open enough to take on board where there are real concerns and problems. eg the person hasn't had the necessary training. cos if you ignore those things you will have someone doing something they are not equipped to do and that doesn't benefit anyone. also maybe because of their specific skills or experience they may be able to highlight a real problem that might occur if they follow your direction.
At the same time you do not want to be swayed from your plans purely to avoid being harsh and need to have strategies as to how you would require them to do as you required if they had no valid reasons not to.
Jo x

JoeyGrey

Is it just me or does anyone else get a panicky feeling when something you have had kicking round the house for years goes on eBay and it gets a couple of bids on it? I go through my description over and over to make sure I haven't given them the wrong information, and then spend all the time up to receiving feedback worrying that it will come back not as described! Not ever happened to me yet by the way, so no idea why I'm so paranoid!

jo70mo

Yep Joey. I do that with amazon books too.
sold about 14 books on there since new year with no feedback left until 2 people left feedback last week. my heart was in my mouth to see what it was. both left 5 stars though. phew!!

EMminently

Time for a break - hot chocolate and a cream egg, yum! I would share but you're all too far away and it won't last long...

munchki

EMminently wrote: »

Time for a break - hot chocolate and a cream egg, yum! I would share but you're all too far away and it won't last long...

**Pouting**

Amber_Sunshine

They're safe from me, Em - I can't stand Creme Eggs and the hot chocolate in Spain is fabulous, so thick you can stand a spoon up in it!

EMminently

Amber_Sunshine wrote: »

They're safe from me, Em - I can't stand Creme Eggs and the hot chocolate in Spain is fabulous, so thick you can stand a spoon up in it!

Good job you're a plane ride away then, else you might not be safe from me
Right, down to business...

yellow3

mmm hot chocolate! i love it!

shopping just been delivered, just waiting for mum to come back with the baby, she took her out for couple of hours.
house all tidy now as when i am child free i can clean house top to bottom in about half an hour.
hopeing for a baby free day tomorrow, that sounds terrible!, but as i have done all my cleaning today i can get cracking with business stuff tomorrow without distraction.

p.s baby is only grandchild on OH's side so there is always someone wanting to take her out for the day!! tee hee xxx