They say if you be patient through issues they will usually find a way to work themselves out. Well, that's almost true. I have determined through my own impatience and hating the fact that a couple of employees are unhappy with things that are going on that issues will work through with some persistence, meditation and action. It's a balance of things to push through them.
I have spent the past few days soliciting feedback from friends and co-workers to get some ideas on things to do to help my team. (Which by the way, I owe a special thanks to my hubby and to my friend, Kelley) Needless to say I have found an answer to try. It's going to take me some planning to figure out the details, but I know the general direction to take it.
It will take a reshuffling again and I am sure some folks may not like it, but it will make my team better and give them a better comfort zone to work on. I have found the limits on a couple of them for the "out of the box" was a bit of overstretch for them and it's time to bring it back in. Out of the box stretching shouldn't be letting them drown in their own worries and insecurities. They need something to challenge them, but something that also gives them confidence in their own abilities and chances to make a difference.
In the same steps, I have found some confidence in my abilities and I have found a great support system throughout this entire thing for which I am truly, truly, truly grateful. I am continuing to grow each and every day with new things and learning more about things I already was familiar with.
One of the lines I used today in talking to one of my employees, that I really liked and that I and truly believe. "When you stop trying and stop caring, then it's time to move on." That's exactly the line of thinking that has gotten me this far in my career.
I care about my job, I care about the work and most of all, I care about the people. Yeah, there will come a time when I won't have a choice. I get it, that's the hard part of the "job", but while I am here and I am able, I am going to continue that line of thinking.
My previous manager did the same thing and (yes, Suzanne I paid attention) she led by example every step of the way, even on her last day with us at the company. I truly admire her and her abilities, even to this day I treasure her opinion and advice.
I know in a company this big, it's hard to have that "personal" touch with your employees, especially if your team is too large. At I predict at some point, that I will be involved with managing a few more people than what I have now. (OK, it's a guess or a hope) Either way, I want to be the type of person that people want to work for. Yeah, work itself is crappy, that's why it's called work. But... it's where you spend most of your time and it's with people you see more than your family. I'm not saying that every job will be like this and quite honestly, I think they are few and far between.
I am truly a lucky manager. I have 4 really good employees who believe in my abilities (however flaky they may seem at times- my abilities, not my team...). I always involve them and solicit feedback. I want my team to feel involved in the team because the more involved they are, the better their decisions become and they have a vested interest. I may not always follow what they suggest or I may be pulled in a different direction than first decided, but I am honest with them (even when there are things that need correction). I enjoy keeping that connection to keep me in check. It helps me to remember what it was like when I didn't have some of the choices that I do now and that I am making decisions. Rather than make them for my own personal gain, I want to keep the department and the company in those decisions. Something one of my previous boss' didn't do.
I also want to give credit to my current manager too. She has done an amazing job with supporting us and pulling what ever chains she can to get us what we need. We went from a team of 3 to a team of 5, we are getting support and exposure from other areas to help improve our reporting and to make it better. I don't think it would have been possible without her pushing it up as far as she can go. She has just taken over the CCSC and I think we are going to help it go in the right direction. (I'm assuming that I'll have a role at some point in it, but even if not, I think it will improve tremendously.)
All in all it was a good day. It was hard and I felt every bit of the "manager" title today. From working with other groups that have no clue about what they need to send us and trying to clarify it, to having good conversations with employees to help make better decisions, to having tough conversations that while difficult, they are needed, I "managed" things in my group today. As Suzanne would have said (a term she learned from one of her excellent managers in her past), "You've earned your paycheck today."
I feel good about that and I actually had an email that helped to make it all worthwhile. It was an appreciation email, not from one of my employees, but it thanked me for the care I show my people and the care I put into the work. Quite honestly, that made me see that not only did I make the right decisions in areas, but I am right where I am intended to be. And that my friends, is a good feeling.
Until next time...
Kel
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