Being a supervisor without management authority

[Canuck223]

I generally like my job, but there is one thing that drives me to despair. I'm the lead, and have to supervise two other guys. If the work doesn't get done, or done right, it's my ass that's on the carpet.

One of my guys is great. He works slow, but steady and reliably. He's got a good head on his shoulders and when faced with a problem, his instincts are good. His work ethic is excellent.

My other guy is a basket case. He's the poster child for adult ADD. I could sit down and explain in grand detail what we're doing, why, and what his role needs to be, and the minute my back is turned he's as likely as not to be working on something completely unrelated, or totally out of sequence. That is when he's actually working, and not on the phone with his family or off "sick". This is a guy who thrives on personal crisis, and if there isn't one, he'll engineer a crisis.

When he first landed on my doorstep, I'd been warned about him. I tried to keep him in line by making damn sure he understood his schedule and my expectations, and then following up on both with him. He's smart enough to just barely keep himself out of actionable trouble.

He is also the classic instigator. Twice now he's stirred up things to the point where I've had to hold a "Come to Jesus" meeting with the whole staff. The last time, I had to call my district manager and the union in seperately. When the district manager came in, I think they freaked out, realizing that if things were run his way, not mine, thier work environment would be a heck of a lot less pleasant. When the Union president had a private talk with them, I wasn't present. Whatever he said to them seems to have sunk in, because the attitude change was drastic.

Still, when my wingnut is acting up, it's frustrating as hell that I can only advice and monitor.

[JimmyZip]

Well, these people are all over. Where they come from, I do not know.

While I used to be in charge of a few people, I am now down to one subordinate presently. He is fairly dependable, and has decent organizational skills. His main drawback is that he seems to think that he knows more than I do about my job. Just when he starts getting an attitiude, I have to reel him in. He is 14 years older than me, I think that bothers him. But my favorite thing to do is when people are not doing their job properly, I just give them less hours and give myself more. Then they see that I am doing their job far better than they, and that I do it in less time. They ask for their hours back , and I tell them how I need things done a certain way, that I'm not being punitive, just practical.

Works wonders!

[CSEMARTIN]

The last time, I had to call my district manager and the union in seperately.

When the Union president had a private talk

I consider myself so forutnate that I don't have to deal with the union mentality.

[Canuck223]

His main drawback is that he seems to think that he knows more than I do about my job. Just when he starts getting an attitiude, I have to reel him in. He is 14 years older than me, I think that bothers him. But my favorite thing to do is when people are not doing their job properly, I just give them less hours and give myself more. Then they see that I am doing their job far better than they, and that I do it in less time. They ask for their hours back , and I tell them how I need things done a certain way, that I'm not being punitive, just practical.

Works wonders!

I don't get the luxury of controlling hours, but I do lay out the schedule and work load. Part of my early defence mechanism was to deliberately give myself the toughest schedule with some of the toughest jobs. Early on, when my "good" guy was struggling with what I considered a fairly easy part of his schedule, I handed him another one and did his job in half the time. During the winter, my ADD case suggested that he was overworked, so he inherited my work. I don't think he'll try that again.

[rupie]

His main drawback is that he seems to think that he knows more than I do about my job. Just when he starts getting an attitiude, I have to reel him in. He is 14 years older than me, I think that bothers him. But my favorite thing to do is when people are not doing their job properly, I just give them less hours and give myself more. Then they see that I am doing their job far better than they, and that I do it in less time. They ask for their hours back , and I tell them how I need things done a certain way, that I'm not being punitive, just practical.

Works wonders!

I don't get the luxury of controlling hours, but I do lay out the schedule and work load. Part of my early defence mechanism was to deliberately give myself the toughest schedule with some of the toughest jobs. Early on, when my "good" guy was struggling with what I considered a fairly easy part of his schedule, I handed him another one and did his job in half the time. During the winter, my ADD case suggested that he was overworked, so he inherited my work. I don't think he'll try that again.

Sounds to me like you have the right leadership skill needed, lead by example and don't expect more out of your people than you would reasonably do.

[mike4045]

I'm glad I don't have the union problem. I have my own basket case, he just wants to do things his way. I sat him down and told him it's my way not his. He knows now he's going down the road if he doesn't do his job. The pwner thought I was a hard ass, so I let them do a job together. Now he knows what I have had to deal with.

Mike

[Canuck223]

I'm glad I don't have the union problem. I have my own basket case, he just wants to do things his way. I sat him down and told him it's my way not his. He knows now he's going down the road if he doesn't do his job. The pwner thought I was a hard ass, so I let them do a job together. Now he knows what I have had to deal with.

Mike

My saving grace is that should I ever forget my limits and cause my basketcase to run away in full whine mode, he'll talk himself into trouble before it will stick to me.

[Hank Ellis]

My other guy is a basket case. He's the poster child for adult ADD.

He is also the classic instigator.

There's one on every crew.

I'm now in charge of a crew of 17 with the official title of Lead Mechanic. Stuck in an office I don't get out like I want to see how the projects are going. I depend on two guys (2nd leads) with the authority and the stroke to keep the crew going in the right direction. They do the evaluations since they work with them and I don't.

My philosophy is macro management. I won't mire you down with BS details. A line I use frequently, "On this crew you're given a bucket of rope. Whether you pull the wagon or hang yourself with it is your decision." A couple have gotten the noose made but we got them to untie it before it went too far.

The Lead who groomed me for the job years ago put the position in simple terms. "The guys on the line know helicopters. My job is to know the people." Knowing their interests, their hobbies, what the crisis' of the moment that's going on with their lives. It has served me well.

My supervisor put his position in this way. "You've seen those beer bottle production lines. You know, where those bottles are going down the line single file at fast rate." Yeah? "Remember the guy standing by that line with a stick and every so often taking the stick and nudging the one bottle that's out of line back in line." Yeah?? "That's my job. Overseeing the line and nudging a bottle back in line once in while. Only if the bottle is broken does it get removed from the line."

That's part of the reason why I've been at the company 29 years. Everyone from the top of the management chain to the aircraft washing crew is part of the team and works to give the best product we can to our customers and pilots. Everyone has the authority, the stroke, and the bucket of rope to make it happen.

Being a supervisor without authority is what I call a scapegoat position. You're charged to make it happen but don't have the authority to fix the problem. Things go wrong, you're the scapegoat. You've got a corporate culture issue that needs to be fixed.