It's always funny we do have managers that try to do something that would be convenient for them but later on it costs them. Whether it's changing something that isn't broken to save money, useless meetings, or wanting to micromanage everything, it backfires a lot
It DOES. You.Are.Correct. But the bad managers I’ve worked under are seldom self-reflective enough to connect the bad result with themselves needlessly asserting “manager authority.” I heard through gossip that an old manager I’d worked with (she would OFTEN be bossy just to feel above others: her commands had to do with wearing correct shoes) …she’d been “punished.” Upper management made her teach and tutor. We worked in a public school. How on earth is giving students to a teacher punishment ??? Answer: she had never wanted to be a teacher. The school was a government job with a lot of beaurocracy and a good pension [this is all outside of the USA in this story]. She became a teacher with the end goal being ‘obtain a management position.’ Upper management took away her title associated with managing adults and made a teacher teach students. And for her, this was punishment 😳.
Story 1: I heard this as pigeon management... same deal. Though there was a "my way is better, even though I am new" management involved Story 2: Gee.. who knew that company policy is company policy??? LOL Story 3: Another good policy. CYA. Thanks to all 3 OPs and KCC for this episode.
@@KarmaStoriesPodcastStory #2: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," the fact he tried to change an SOP rule like that was very stupid. I mean, he may have assumed that he could be the Boss anywhere he goes.
Last story. Do not just keep records like that in your work email. Sometimes the business WILL end up firing you because some manager is having a bad day. Locking you out of any evidence to defend yourself for a wrongful termination. Print it out and take it home. Don't email it as that is tracked in some cases.
ANOTHER private business manager who doesn't realize that public service jobs are just THAT. Public SERVICE, not a business! (I'm a former Letter Carrier for the USPS. If you're wondering why the Postal SERVICE has been so shitty lately, this is why! Too many former private business managers trying to run the USPS like a BUSINESS, rather than a SERVICE).
I wasn't a fan of the Home Depot policies. I used to work there for 3 years. Transferred from one department to another helping everybody out. Always got praised by customers and department heads. Got "merit badges" because of those praises. Came time for my yearly review.... I was told by my department head that he couldn't think of anything negative to say about me and my work but he had to put something down so that I don't get my lousy 10 cent raise. Yes.... HD told my department head to find a reason to deny a 10 cent raise. They (HD) didn't want to give me any raise for moving to a different department or working overnight (as it was a lateral move). They would also high new highers at basically what I was making after 3 years. And yet they couldn't give me a 10 cent raise. I immediately found a job in construction that paid 60% more per hour plus a lot of overtime. And they wanted to know why I left. 😂
Story one: God bless the union! The hospital I was chief steward for often hired managers who had no idea what we actually do and made "savings" that would result in patient deaths if enacted. Private sector people with MBAs don't like nurses telling them they are crazy.
Last story: No way I would have maliciously complied. From what OP described, even with evidence he could have made a lot of enemies. I would have written a detailed email to my boss explaining this incredibly idiotic directive from senior enforcement guy, then requested a meeting to discuss. If manglement still insisted, go over their heads.
Working for the government is a whole other critter than working for the private sector. I worked about half in each. The transition to government was challenging to say the least
Another new boss that doesn't take the time to learn how things work. Makes policies and demands that don't make things work. Then wonders why things suddenly got so much more expensive. To bad the owners weren't clued in.
Story 2: I can probably bet I know why they're a manager. I had a retail head cashier like that way way back at one of my first jobs. I was never able to really report anything, but I'm also sure that little would have been done. Anyway, my guess is that they were toxic enough to move a half-rung up the ladder to keep them from interfacing with customers directly, but not put into a position of any real power as to limit the damage they could cause. As an example, I was once working in the garden center (in the summer) and one of the few things I could "make" a head cashier do was bring me a bottle of cold water. One time I called in to ask for such I was told that Karen was on register and was "currently in an argument with a customer" so it might be a few minutes. It was rare for her to need to be on a register herself, but say la vie.
Story 3: At the end of the meeting when everyone was being sent out I might have asked "Is there anything else I can help you with today?" to keep the CS etiquette properly followed.
I tend to find that if someone new shows up and decides he knows better than everyone who's been working there for years, in reality he just prefers to do things differently, and because he's NEW, it's often wrong, as he doesn't know how the place functions yet.
"When the higher ups . . . meticulously document" And when you do keep copies make sure one of them is outside of company control. On a company computer they can swap out the machine, remotely wipe it, erase the archive on the server, 'accidentally' misfile it.
I took a college class once that CYA mentality was harmful to a specific team type. While I agree that in an ideal situation it is harmful, those ideal situations rarely exist.
Since when does that happen? Since when does having information harmful? Unless you're an infohazard in the SCP universe than yeah, having information that info IS harmful but, since when has CYA failed anyone? And what team type is it that CYA would be harmful to them?
@@ltfreeborn That is what I remember in the class. It was based around the idea that if everyone is on the Agile (that is the type) team has the mentality of I have to cover myself it doesn't promote everyone working together. Since if you are too embedded in with other people you can't CYA yourself alone. I personally think they were taking it to an extreme and that an extreme version of it would promote solo work only. I personally practice CYA and still manage to be apart of the team.
@@mindlessmeat4055 That... makes sense. Whole lotta sense actually. :/ Would've never realised that CYA can be harmful in a workspace. Thanks for the info.
As a city worker.... Not all metal covers are manhole covers. If it covers a valve or a water meter, it's not a manhole, and in many municipalities a completely different crew needs to respond, and a sewer crew can wander around for an hour looking for what was actually a water valve, and never notice said valve. Not their job. I know it's unrelated to the story, but please pay attention.
If I get to manage a spread out team, my first thing is to yes, schedule an in person meeting (way out, at least three months in advance) but first speak one on one to each member of the team and fet to know them individually, get to know what they, specifically do, and ask if they have any ideas to make their work go smoother. The in person one would be an all day catered meeting to get the group together, hash out ideas and team build with an activity paid clay the company. In person I'd limit to twice a year, max. After the initial, to reward the team for doing well.
Let me tell you, Steve, in the private sector you may be able to screw over your employees, but in the public sector we've organized to protect ourselves from such depredations. You obviously failed to network (a term dear to private sector mavens) with your colleagues, who might have smoothed the way for you as you worked yourself into the system. They'd have told you not to try to invent a new system.
I know a lot of people who never deserved to be in their position. In the military all you needed was enough points for promotion and to pass a basic knowledge test and interview. I don't know how many people I saw that BS's their way through the second portion after getting the necessary points.
It's always funny we do have managers that try to do something that would be convenient for them but later on it costs them. Whether it's changing something that isn't broken to save money, useless meetings, or wanting to micromanage everything, it backfires a lot
It DOES. You.Are.Correct. But the bad managers I’ve worked under are seldom self-reflective enough to connect the bad result with themselves needlessly asserting “manager authority.” I heard through gossip that an old manager I’d worked with (she would OFTEN be bossy just to feel above others: her commands had to do with wearing correct shoes) …she’d been “punished.” Upper management made her teach and tutor. We worked in a public school. How on earth is giving students to a teacher punishment ??? Answer: she had never wanted to be a teacher. The school was a government job with a lot of beaurocracy and a good pension [this is all outside of the USA in this story]. She became a teacher with the end goal being ‘obtain a management position.’ Upper management took away her title associated with managing adults and made a teacher teach students. And for her, this was punishment 😳.
Story 1: I heard this as pigeon management... same deal. Though there was a "my way is better, even though I am new" management involved
Story 2: Gee.. who knew that company policy is company policy??? LOL
Story 3: Another good policy. CYA.
Thanks to all 3 OPs and KCC for this episode.
Always happy to see you in the comments :) Thanks!
@@KarmaStoriesPodcastStory #2: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," the fact he tried to change an SOP rule like that was very stupid. I mean, he may have assumed that he could be the Boss anywhere he goes.
Last story. Do not just keep records like that in your work email. Sometimes the business WILL end up firing you because some manager is having a bad day. Locking you out of any evidence to defend yourself for a wrongful termination. Print it out and take it home. Don't email it as that is tracked in some cases.
ANOTHER private business manager who doesn't realize that public service jobs are just THAT. Public SERVICE, not a business!
(I'm a former Letter Carrier for the USPS. If you're wondering why the Postal SERVICE has been so shitty lately, this is why! Too many former private business managers trying to run the USPS like a BUSINESS, rather than a SERVICE).
Story 1 sounds like that entire meeting couldve been a email
I wasn't a fan of the Home Depot policies. I used to work there for 3 years. Transferred from one department to another helping everybody out. Always got praised by customers and department heads. Got "merit badges" because of those praises. Came time for my yearly review.... I was told by my department head that he couldn't think of anything negative to say about me and my work but he had to put something down so that I don't get my lousy 10 cent raise. Yes.... HD told my department head to find a reason to deny a 10 cent raise. They (HD) didn't want to give me any raise for moving to a different department or working overnight (as it was a lateral move).
They would also high new highers at basically what I was making after 3 years. And yet they couldn't give me a 10 cent raise. I immediately found a job in construction that paid 60% more per hour plus a lot of overtime. And they wanted to know why I left. 😂
Story one: God bless the union! The hospital I was chief steward for often hired managers who had no idea what we actually do and made "savings" that would result in patient deaths if enacted. Private sector people with MBAs don't like nurses telling them they are crazy.
Last one is the reason I get everything in writing in my Federal job. CYA is more than critical
That first story sounded SO familiar from a travel standpoint. I often drove to the state capital (3.5 hours), sometimes I flew (
8:50 “Dick’s shift” this phrase tickled my funny bone 😂
Story 3 poor soul works for a UK local council call centre.
Last story: No way I would have maliciously complied. From what OP described, even with evidence he could have made a lot of enemies. I would have written a detailed email to my boss explaining this incredibly idiotic directive from senior enforcement guy, then requested a meeting to discuss. If manglement still insisted, go over their heads.
Higher up will always throw you under the bus to protect their own butts.
That little chameleon is sooo cute! 💛💛✌️
Working for the government is a whole other critter than working for the private sector. I worked about half in each. The transition to government was challenging to say the least
Another new boss that doesn't take the time to learn how things work. Makes policies and demands that don't make things work. Then wonders why things suddenly got so much more expensive. To bad the owners weren't clued in.
Story 2:
I can probably bet I know why they're a manager. I had a retail head cashier like that way way back at one of my first jobs. I was never able to really report anything, but I'm also sure that little would have been done.
Anyway, my guess is that they were toxic enough to move a half-rung up the ladder to keep them from interfacing with customers directly, but not put into a position of any real power as to limit the damage they could cause.
As an example, I was once working in the garden center (in the summer) and one of the few things I could "make" a head cashier do was bring me a bottle of cold water. One time I called in to ask for such I was told that Karen was on register and was "currently in an argument with a customer" so it might be a few minutes. It was rare for her to need to be on a register herself, but say la vie.
in the last one, if they email you, save copies off the work network, there is a thing called compliance delete, which removes all copies of an email
Story 3: At the end of the meeting when everyone was being sent out I might have asked "Is there anything else I can help you with today?" to keep the CS etiquette properly followed.
20:00 Looks like the senior enforcement officer should have "CYA" by checking with HIS boss first before ducking with OP
I tend to find that if someone new shows up and decides he knows better than everyone who's been working there for years, in reality he just prefers to do things differently, and because he's NEW, it's often wrong, as he doesn't know how the place functions yet.
Good Morning Rob ☀️ Have a great day 👍
Have a great day everyone 👋🤗
Story 2 I'm pretty sure Dick broke several company policies and possibly even labor laws by what he did.
"When the higher ups . . . meticulously document" And when you do keep copies make sure one of them is outside of company control. On a company computer they can swap out the machine, remotely wipe it, erase the archive on the server, 'accidentally' misfile it.
I took a college class once that CYA mentality was harmful to a specific team type. While I agree that in an ideal situation it is harmful, those ideal situations rarely exist.
Since when does that happen? Since when does having information harmful? Unless you're an infohazard in the SCP universe than yeah, having information that info IS harmful but, since when has CYA failed anyone? And what team type is it that CYA would be harmful to them?
@@ltfreeborn That is what I remember in the class. It was based around the idea that if everyone is on the Agile (that is the type) team has the mentality of I have to cover myself it doesn't promote everyone working together. Since if you are too embedded in with other people you can't CYA yourself alone.
I personally think they were taking it to an extreme and that an extreme version of it would promote solo work only. I personally practice CYA and still manage to be apart of the team.
@@mindlessmeat4055 That... makes sense. Whole lotta sense actually. :/ Would've never realised that CYA can be harmful in a workspace. Thanks for the info.
Even though Steve was a jerk, team wasted taxpayers money
Good morning Rob!
Nice to hear from you again
As a city worker....
Not all metal covers are manhole covers. If it covers a valve or a water meter, it's not a manhole, and in many municipalities a completely different crew needs to respond, and a sewer crew can wander around for an hour looking for what was actually a water valve, and never notice said valve. Not their job.
I know it's unrelated to the story, but please pay attention.
If I get to manage a spread out team, my first thing is to yes, schedule an in person meeting (way out, at least three months in advance) but first speak one on one to each member of the team and fet to know them individually, get to know what they, specifically do, and ask if they have any ideas to make their work go smoother. The in person one would be an all day catered meeting to get the group together, hash out ideas and team build with an activity paid clay the company.
In person I'd limit to twice a year, max. After the initial, to reward the team for doing well.
Good morning
Let me tell you, Steve, in the private sector you may be able to screw over your employees, but in the public sector we've organized to protect ourselves from such depredations. You obviously failed to network (a term dear to private sector mavens) with your colleagues, who might have smoothed the way for you as you worked yourself into the system. They'd have told you not to try to invent a new system.
❤❤❤❤
👍✌️🤟🐊
I know a lot of people who never deserved to be in their position. In the military all you needed was enough points for promotion and to pass a basic knowledge test and interview. I don't know how many people I saw that BS's their way through the second portion after getting the necessary points.