Showing posts with label management styles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label management styles. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Take Your Tie And Go “Packing”
A car salesman in Chicago was fired recently for refusing to remove his Green Bay Packers tie. Many are already calling for the former salesman to find a lawyer and “sue the dealership for all it's worth.” While wearing a tie emblazoned with the Packers logo the day after the Packers beat the Bears is probably not the best way to make friends (or sell cars) in Chicago, does it really give the geographically-challenged salesman grounds for suing his former employer? Certainly not. Unfortunately for this former employee, there is no law protecting Packers fans from being discharged from their jobs. Some may believe that firing the salesman for his choice of neckwear was unfair or harsh, but unfairness does not mean the discharge was illegal or grounds for a lawsuit. If this Packers fan wants to sell any 2011 models, he will have to do so at a different (and more Packer-friendly) dealership.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Maintaining perspective: we can learn from our clients, too
As an attorney, I do my best to educate clients: best practices, the impact of recent cases on their businesses, managing borderline employees, you get the idea. It can be easy to lose sight that I have a relationship with my clients--that is, I'm on a two-way street, and I can learn from them, too.
One client recently lost its President and General Manager. He was the type of leader who was larger than life yet so very approachable. He preached a mantra to his employees that they wholeheartedly embraced . . . because he practiced it, too. Exceed expectations.
Two simple, everyday words that managed to perfectly describe his management and business style. He wanted his employees to provide the best customer service by going beyond what the customer anticipated receiving. He also wanted his employees to be the best co-workers by going beyond what a job description might capture. When it came time to cater to the customer, no one had a job title. It was everyone's responsibility to do whatever was necessary to ensure the customer had an unforgettable, in a positive way, experience. In working to serve the customers, you would find him right beside those who would have fit into a rectangle under him on an organizational chart--not that he would have ever dreamed of illustrating anyone's "position" at the company in such a manner.
Managerial styles are as unique as those who carry them out. Here, though, we have advice that can be tailored to whatever style fits us as individuals.
My client's leader may not be present to guide those employees any longer, but they will never be lost. They know what they are supposed to do--exceed expectations.
One client recently lost its President and General Manager. He was the type of leader who was larger than life yet so very approachable. He preached a mantra to his employees that they wholeheartedly embraced . . . because he practiced it, too. Exceed expectations.
Two simple, everyday words that managed to perfectly describe his management and business style. He wanted his employees to provide the best customer service by going beyond what the customer anticipated receiving. He also wanted his employees to be the best co-workers by going beyond what a job description might capture. When it came time to cater to the customer, no one had a job title. It was everyone's responsibility to do whatever was necessary to ensure the customer had an unforgettable, in a positive way, experience. In working to serve the customers, you would find him right beside those who would have fit into a rectangle under him on an organizational chart--not that he would have ever dreamed of illustrating anyone's "position" at the company in such a manner.
Managerial styles are as unique as those who carry them out. Here, though, we have advice that can be tailored to whatever style fits us as individuals.
My client's leader may not be present to guide those employees any longer, but they will never be lost. They know what they are supposed to do--exceed expectations.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
A different kind of education, courtesy of Univ. of Kansas
Kansas' head football coach, Mark Mangino, is under investigation by the Athletic Director for alleged verbally and physically abusive behavior. According to some former players, it wasn't unusual for Mangino to use personal matters that had been disclosed in confidence to teammates when ridiculing a player in front of the team. He also allegedly poked a player in the chest recently during practice, allegedly not the first time he touched a player.
Why is this coming to light now, if according to Mangino, he hasn't changed the way he coaches his players or the approach he and his coaching staff uses with the players? After starting the season 5-0 and since losing the next 5 games, some would argue that this is discontent among the players over the direction of the program. Similar to other working environments, perhaps things get overlooked when all is going well and expectations are exceeded than when it looks like you might be headed downward.
A former player in the article, along with Mangino, rests on the notions that Mangino isn't doing anything differently than he has during his tenure as a coach, and he's not doing anything that other coaches in the Big 12 conference aren't doing. Certainly, having context is necessary whenever actions are reviewed--context both at your workplace and in your industry. But as well all know, breaking the same policy multiple times doesn't make one's actions acceptable. Not to say that Mangino has broken any policies; just observing that if his defense is resting on, "This is how I've always done it," and "I'm not any different than the other coaches in this conference," he may be in for a rocky road.
This type of investigation gives HR professionals the opportunity to see what it takes to spark an investigation and how outsiders (of both company- and team-ilk) impact the investigation. No doubt, some PR and HR tips will be gleaned before this matter is considered closed.
Why is this coming to light now, if according to Mangino, he hasn't changed the way he coaches his players or the approach he and his coaching staff uses with the players? After starting the season 5-0 and since losing the next 5 games, some would argue that this is discontent among the players over the direction of the program. Similar to other working environments, perhaps things get overlooked when all is going well and expectations are exceeded than when it looks like you might be headed downward.
A former player in the article, along with Mangino, rests on the notions that Mangino isn't doing anything differently than he has during his tenure as a coach, and he's not doing anything that other coaches in the Big 12 conference aren't doing. Certainly, having context is necessary whenever actions are reviewed--context both at your workplace and in your industry. But as well all know, breaking the same policy multiple times doesn't make one's actions acceptable. Not to say that Mangino has broken any policies; just observing that if his defense is resting on, "This is how I've always done it," and "I'm not any different than the other coaches in this conference," he may be in for a rocky road.
This type of investigation gives HR professionals the opportunity to see what it takes to spark an investigation and how outsiders (of both company- and team-ilk) impact the investigation. No doubt, some PR and HR tips will be gleaned before this matter is considered closed.
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