I am blogging a little late today. It has been raining for the last two days. It was the type of day that makes you want to lie on the couch, cover yourself with a blanket, and start reading a dictionary or telephone book. I see that I misspelled "Risk" yesterday in my title. I hope I did not upset anyone by that.
I am posting part of Chapter 6 from my new e-book, Leadership for New Managers: Book Two, http://smashwords.com/b/300090. Use coupon code WL23B for a free copy. In this chapter, I write how values motivate people. Many books on leadership talk about the good values that leadership should have. However, not everyone shares these values. Some people have values that conflict with the goals of the organization. I am trying to make new managers aware of those "bad" values.
I include a paragraph on bullying. I wanted to blog more about it earlier, but I did not want to post it out of sequence, in case anyone is reading this blog every day. I have written about Mike Rice, the Rutgers ex-basketball coach, before and what a bully he is. Enough said. I will let this section below speak for me.
5. Bullying
It is hard to believe that with all the media exposure about bullying, that it still exists in the workplace. Bullying can be physical, emotional, or psychological. Identifying the bully can be a challenge for leader/managers, because associates may be reluctant to report bullying. It is difficult to reform bullies. It is just easier to terminate them. In extreme cases, leaders should involve the police. Further investigation may reveal that the bully has abused his/her significant other and/or children. Anger and bullying are not necessarily the same thing. Some organizations offer anger management resources. The focus of anger is not always another associate. Bullies always focused on someone else.
6. Gambling
Gambling may not be a criminal activity in most organizations. Many organizations prohibit gambling in the workplace. Leader/managers should avoid gambling even where allowed. When leaders win or lose money, it creates a perception of misconduct among associates. Leader/managers must know their organization’s policy on gambling and enforce it. When gambling is against policy, the most common violations are sports pools and lottery tickets.
D. Enforcing Standards
Standards are formal, detailed instructions, codes, or regulations that are describable, measurable, and achievable. They provide a mark for performance to assess execution of a task or a code requirement. To use standards effectively, leader/managers know, communicate, and enforce high but realistic standards. Effective leader/managers explain the standards that apply to their organizations and empower associates to enforce them. A leader/manager’s ultimate goal is to train to the standards that ensure success. Leader/managers set intermediate goals to prepare the organization to meet the standards.
When assuming a new position, leader/managers should review allthe appropriate and relevant standards, policies, codes, and regulations. When I have done this, I found many to be outdated (referring to systems, equipment, or procedures no longer used) or obsolete. Often the references no longer exist or are out of date. Many policies are so mundane that they are practically useless. These should be rewritten and updated. In some cases, this could be a monumental task, but leader need to do it only once. Once accomplished, reviewing the standards on an annual basis and then updating them should be easy.
When enforcing standards, leader/managers must remain aware that not everything can be a number one priority. Striving for excellence in every area, regardless of how trivial, could be overwhelming. Leader/managers must prioritize tasks ensuring all tasks meet established standards. True professionals ensure the standard fits the task’s importance. Associates expect high but realistic standards. They gain confidence in leader/managers that help them achieve standards and lose confidence in leader/managers who do not know the standards or who fail to demand quality performance. Codes and regulations must have 100% compliance.
Thorough inspections ensure associates, departments, and systems are fully capable and ready to accomplish goals. Focused checking minimizes the chance of neglect or mistakes. It gives leader/managers a chance to recognize associates or make on-the-spot corrections as necessary. The old adage is that “Associates do what the boss checks.”
I am posting part of Chapter 6 from my new e-book, Leadership for New Managers: Book Two, http://smashwords.com/b/300090. Use coupon code WL23B for a free copy. In this chapter, I write how values motivate people. Many books on leadership talk about the good values that leadership should have. However, not everyone shares these values. Some people have values that conflict with the goals of the organization. I am trying to make new managers aware of those "bad" values.
I include a paragraph on bullying. I wanted to blog more about it earlier, but I did not want to post it out of sequence, in case anyone is reading this blog every day. I have written about Mike Rice, the Rutgers ex-basketball coach, before and what a bully he is. Enough said. I will let this section below speak for me.
5. Bullying
It is hard to believe that with all the media exposure about bullying, that it still exists in the workplace. Bullying can be physical, emotional, or psychological. Identifying the bully can be a challenge for leader/managers, because associates may be reluctant to report bullying. It is difficult to reform bullies. It is just easier to terminate them. In extreme cases, leaders should involve the police. Further investigation may reveal that the bully has abused his/her significant other and/or children. Anger and bullying are not necessarily the same thing. Some organizations offer anger management resources. The focus of anger is not always another associate. Bullies always focused on someone else.
6. Gambling
Gambling may not be a criminal activity in most organizations. Many organizations prohibit gambling in the workplace. Leader/managers should avoid gambling even where allowed. When leaders win or lose money, it creates a perception of misconduct among associates. Leader/managers must know their organization’s policy on gambling and enforce it. When gambling is against policy, the most common violations are sports pools and lottery tickets.
D. Enforcing Standards
Standards are formal, detailed instructions, codes, or regulations that are describable, measurable, and achievable. They provide a mark for performance to assess execution of a task or a code requirement. To use standards effectively, leader/managers know, communicate, and enforce high but realistic standards. Effective leader/managers explain the standards that apply to their organizations and empower associates to enforce them. A leader/manager’s ultimate goal is to train to the standards that ensure success. Leader/managers set intermediate goals to prepare the organization to meet the standards.
When assuming a new position, leader/managers should review allthe appropriate and relevant standards, policies, codes, and regulations. When I have done this, I found many to be outdated (referring to systems, equipment, or procedures no longer used) or obsolete. Often the references no longer exist or are out of date. Many policies are so mundane that they are practically useless. These should be rewritten and updated. In some cases, this could be a monumental task, but leader need to do it only once. Once accomplished, reviewing the standards on an annual basis and then updating them should be easy.
When enforcing standards, leader/managers must remain aware that not everything can be a number one priority. Striving for excellence in every area, regardless of how trivial, could be overwhelming. Leader/managers must prioritize tasks ensuring all tasks meet established standards. True professionals ensure the standard fits the task’s importance. Associates expect high but realistic standards. They gain confidence in leader/managers that help them achieve standards and lose confidence in leader/managers who do not know the standards or who fail to demand quality performance. Codes and regulations must have 100% compliance.
Thorough inspections ensure associates, departments, and systems are fully capable and ready to accomplish goals. Focused checking minimizes the chance of neglect or mistakes. It gives leader/managers a chance to recognize associates or make on-the-spot corrections as necessary. The old adage is that “Associates do what the boss checks.”
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