What Do Workers Want?
As some of you know, I'm a consultant. Every once in awhile, my consultancy places me in the position of having to be a director over other people.
Going into the thing, the people I was talking to kept telling me that I had to watch out for them, that they might try to sabotage me, that I needed to watch my back. However, when I met the people, they seemed nice, but kind of beat up by what has been going on for a long time, I assume.
So, after doing some analysis and evaluation, I decided to talk to them, one by one first, then in a group. I didn't walk in telling them what they were going to do because I was smarter than they were. Instead, I laid out a vision, talked about what I'd seen in numbers only, then asked them what they thought, making sure they understood that I might not necessarily agree with everything they said.
Overall, they were right on point. They told me things I couldn't know about their past and their equipment, and I told them things that were alien to them because, well, I get around. In the end, we had a great dialogue, and one of them said this was a breath of fresh air because no one had ever just talked to them before.
So, what do workers want? People with no concept think they want money only. Those who know figure that employees want to be heard and respected. What do most of you believe?
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I think workers do want to be heard
they want to know that they are more than just the person on the clock. They do feel more respected as workers and as people when someone actually talks with them and not down to them. Sometimes the people above us with the 'title' so to speak, tend to indimidate us because they dont talk with us about our opinions on certain matters. I think you will get more out of employees if they are actually talked to. Good post Catfish.
Thanks Ammorton,...
It's the thing most folks really don't understand. It's the workers who actually do all the work; the rest of us just think about stuff, and hope to get it done so that everything works well.
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I'm the same way, catfish
Whenever someone new has come on board, I've been ready to hear their ideas, but also expect that they'll listen to how we've been doing things all along. It's only the insecure or new-to-being-a-boss who will turn everything upside down without regard to the employees. It sounds like you did everything right!
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Thanks Spooky
Since I also teach and write about leadership and management, I'd best be following my own advice, right?
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Who told you you weren't God?
If only the majority of bosses knew what you know. I have never wanted to be a boss and sometimes my bosses' behaviour has made me think I am stupid not going for their job. On the few occasions I took on roles which put me in charge of people I also came at it from a position of respect, acknowledging that there were many things they knew about their role that I didn't and encouraging them to increase their skill. That way a dialogue got going and I didn't have any problems. I put myself forward as someone with the skills to facilitate problem solving and helped them overcome difficulties they had but I also stated clearly that when their was a difference of opinion that couldn't be solved I had the authority to decide and my way would be the way it was done. It worked. But I'm only saying what you already know, aren't I?
Xingtiao
If the value of each human being is equal to the value of the one you love why would you ever participate in killing by war or any other activity with deadly intent. Xingtiao also at soulcast, blogfeast and reviewparty.
Pretty much, Xingtiao,...
I do know the stuff you're talking about. But let's not be equating me with any type of god status. :-) The thing is, I don't treat employees any different than I would treat people I meet on the street, or in my personal life in general. I may not treat them as friends, per se, because there is a bit of separation one must maintain, but otherwise I do know we're equals, something that most managers seem to forget.
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I know what I value as a worker Catfish!
Sassys
I value a boss that does not "micro manage" me to death. Tell me what you want done then leave me the hell alone and let me do it! I also think that when a person is shown respect they tend to do a better job, because they feel valued. At least that's the way I feel...I have been at this job for 6 months now and in that short time we have lost 9 employees! That tells me something has got to change...but the owner insists that he's got it under control...no one that works there works well when he is present...instead of telling us what we do right, he is too busy telling us what we do wrong and then stands there and makes us all nervous...when he is not around I never make ANY mistakes, yet when he is there I screw up all the time!
That's a tough way to work, Sassys,...
I've sort of been there myself. Not as often, though, as it's much easier to handle when you're a consultant. As an employee, I had a supervisor way back who sat directly behind me, and wanted to control certain things. I got it handled in my own way, though.
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I think all Managers should get serious psychiatric
Sassys
evaluations before they man any helm...if they have issues with penis size, back they go...if they have penis envy...ditto! Power hungry people should be put in one big boxing ring and let them have at it.
I'm with you on the power hungry, Sassys,...
but not on the psychiatric evaluations, since, obviously, I've been in management most of my career. Then again, I do believe serious evaluations should take place with specific criteria, and we don't see that often enough.
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What gets me Catfish is how these "managers"
Sassys
treat their employees overseas! We think they are assholes here! While in another country they tend to get away with bad behavior because who the hell is an employee going to complain to? They can't quit in the hopes of getting a better job, and the managers know it. They are paid pennies on the dollar and because of that these American corporations can afford to pay the managers a more then decent wage, so the odds of a crappy manager abroad quitting are very scarce and rare. There are very few managers that have enough people skills to deal with being a somewhat decent manager, and that's what I mean when I say there should be some kind of test.
Sometimes I think companies don't really care, Sassys,...
because I run into so many bad ones that I can't believe someone with any cognizant thought really believes these people are good. Course, right now I'm going back and forth a little bit between some people thinking staff is snowing me and wondering if I'm trying to change the world. I refuse to be pulled into personality disputes or issues that others have already have.
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The worker drones eh Catfish?
Sassys
When a company treats it's managers like crap then it becomes a trickle down effect...Personality disputes are something that management should be above, it appears that some of the managers you are referring to may
feel threatened by you being there...they may feel that you are there to "report" to the big fish. If you are there for that purpose then I would just ignore the petty crap, and rise above it all...I am sure you already are doing just that. Good luck!