fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2250 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2250 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

[Stan Lee]

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03.

[Pusher II]

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04.

[nigahiga]

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06.

[code lyoko evolution]

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08.

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[ ----- SPOILERY SECRETS AHEAD ----- ]

10. [SPOILERS for Homestuck]

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11. [SPOILERS for Kuroko no Basket]

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[ ----- TRIGGERY SECRETS AHEAD ----- ]

12. [WARNING for rape]

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13. [WARNING for abuse]

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14. [WARNING for rape]

[SNSD/Girls' Generation]

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15. [WARNING for dub-con]

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16. [WARNING for sexual assault]

[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 000 secrets from Secret Submission Post #321.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 1 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 1 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Fairly self explanatory.

Had an extremely extensive job assessment, and psych eval that highlighted that this was by far my weakest area. It was suggested that whilst I was fine on the operational and deployment of staff as resources side - the dealing with the personal side needed work. It wasn't that I didn't understand the need for this, or theoretically the importance and methods of responding to staff morale etc, it's that I didn't demonstrate it in practice.

Unfortunately they were unwilling to provide any concrete strategies for working on this ~~weakness~~ area for improvement.

It really depends on the circumstances, but a general thing you can do is get to know a bit about the personal lives of the people you're leading. You're not looking to be their friend, but it's always a good idea to have a general idea about their lives outside of work and show concern if they have problems outside of the office that might affect their work.

Get to know the people you're working with, their personalities, and how they mesh with you and each other. Be able to mediate conflicts fairly. Don't be absent, and I don't mean just physically. People are going to look to you for help, advice, decisions, whatever. Set an example.

Develop empathy for other human beings that doesn't involve being patronizing.

Damn, that sounds harsher than I meant.

What I'm saying is that you really have to care about the personal stuff, not just make motions toward looking like you care for leadership's sake. It has to be genuine and not patronizing. Otherwise you won't really have it.

Shit I learned from managing a lab, as well as watching other people do it, both well and poorly:

Be flexible in your leadership style. Some people require constant hand-holding to get anything done, while others chafe under micromanagment and become resentful - of course, you have to know them well to know the difference. This requires face time, which is, unfortunately, hard for introverts. Make a schedule if you need to, like "spend five minutes catching up with the junior staff a week, ten minutes with the senior staff". If there's an area that needs improvement, say so, but - and this is where most managers fall down - if there's an area they are doing very well in say so.

Be consistent and fair in your decision making. This is really, really difficult because everybody has favourite employees and not-so favourite employees, but if you start giving the not-so favourites the short shrift even when they've done better, or give the favourites things they deserve, everybody catches on quickly and loses respect for you.

Everyone fucking hates meetings. If you must have meetings, make sure they're short and to the point.

Demonstrate why you're the one in charge. This is especially important if you're younger than the people you're leading. If there's client who's been a colossal asshole, or a disastrous cockup that no one else wants to touch with a ten foot pole, or an extremely difficult problem with very little reward, handle it personally. Show them you're willing to take on extra responsibilities along with your extra rights and privileges, and make sure they know you're doing it.

If you're low-management, run interference between the higher ups and the people under you when either party is upset with the other. If you're higher management, foster a reputation of being fair-minded so that both lower management and employees feel comfortable coming to you as mediator if they have a problem.

From my experience:

-Know what you're about (I think you've already got this one down).
-Take ownership. Maybe you're only supervisor, not manager. You still need to think of the people under you as being your employees. It's easier to step up when necessary (and also easier to delegate tasks) if you adopt that mindset.
-"Come to the rescue" of your employees. If someone's gotten the heat on him/her, or is dealing with an angry client, then step in. Don't make excuses for them, but be ready and willing to resolve issues that they can't, and avoid throwing them under the bus. You can discuss their conduct with them later, behind closed doors. In front of others, you want to make them look as good as yourself.
-Look for opportunities to coach and/or develop your employees. For example, today, one of my employees wasn't sure how to do something for a client. I helped her with the individual client, and then, after he'd left, I went over a few scenarios, walked her through them, and demonstrated how she could better utilize our company's software in the future. The next time she encounters a similar client, she'll be able to handle it on her own. But the more important bit is that I've also given her the tools to handle a whole batch of other clients, as well.
-Be approachable (I feel like this is probably the big thing for you). Be friendly and make sure that employees know that they can come to you with ideas, concerns, and problems. Let them know that you value their input.
-When you criticize an employee, make sure to consider their feelings. That probably sounds ridiculous, and I understand; I've worked with people who've made me want to act like a drill sergeant. But if you act that way in the workplace, you risk destroying morale. Ask questions and seek employee involvement in setting goals and resolving issues (this doesn't mean that you should let them get away with anything and everything. If an employee consistently does not perform at standard, then you've got to use tangible means of reprimand, up to and including termination. My point is that you have a better chance of moving an employee out of the "troubled" arena if you're willing to work alongside him or her).
-Be fair. Don't pick favorites, and strive to be objective in your reviews (don't take a single bad/good trait and magnify it; don't fall into the mindset of "no one can ever reach the higher limit" or "no one can ever reach the lower limit;" don't let one exceptional incident color all others). Use empathy to connect with your employees, to give them the confidence to come to you, but keep it out of your assessments.
-This bit figures into the last: give regular feedback. An employee should not be surprised by anything that comes up in a review.
-Communicate. Share directions and memos from those above you. Share the content of managers' meetings. You may not think it's important for those below you to know, but some day, a situation will come up in which you'll wish you would have spread the word. Also, disseminating such information serves two beneficial purposes: it gives your employees a sense of what you do and what your responsibilities are, which allows them to better understand their responsibilities and their place in the hierarchy; and it it furthers their trust in you.

Another weakness: not bothering to say thank you to any of the people who help you.

Thanks all.

Been some useful input.

[ SECRET POST #2250 ]

How do I become a better leader?

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