Seeking advice at a new job (1 Viewer)

[Hilts]

I was brought into my new job because I have a lot of experience in my industry and they felt they needed help in improving...well, nearly everything they do. I'm not quite going to call how they do things terrible, but I will say their current standards would not be acceptable at most organizations for our industry.

Problem is nobody seems to fully realize this. I was able to bring in a few of 'my people' who recognize the same issues. But it's a monstrous uphill battle. Of my three main bosses, none really know what they're doing. Two of them are open to my changes but how do I do a better job of getting them more on board with being an advocate for change? The other boss has potential but mostly just sits around goofing off all day waiting for another promotion.

As far as the staff go...yesterday I had a staff member point blank ask me why they need to change anything as they know what their responsibilities are and how to do their job. How do I tell them the job we're currently doing is downright embarrassing? They've been there since the start (we're in year two), and have grown accustomed to the low standards.

I have three fellow managers. One is a bit inexperienced but definitely an asset with a bright future. As far as the other two, one of them is mediocre on a good day and the other is an unmitigated disaster. I understand how she got the job but cannot wrap my head around how she's been able to keep it. The standards they set and are allowed to spread are actively corrupting the very foundation of what I'm trying to build. I don't know how to handle them and while my bosses know they're awful, it doesn't seem they'll be fired anytime soon.

There has been a ton of turnover at my position and now I understand why. The pay is significantly better than what I was getting but if we can't start stepping things up a bit it's not worth it. But even if I decide to leave I need to stay through February. We're working on something huge and if I can make it that long it'll give me a significant accomplishment on the resume.

Part of the problem is we have a contract so there's no real sense of urgency to change our ways. If we didn't have this contract we'd be considered a joke and an afterthought. Our peers (I occasionally do some work with a few of them) can curb stomp us and few people seem to care know or care. We're not guaranteed to get the contract again when it ends next year.

I've been here two months and while I've received some positive feedback from one of my bosses and a few of the good employees, but know I'm really pissing off others with the changes I'm trying to implement. We've made a few minor tweaks that have simplified things but as we're working on making some larger but necessary changes I'm now facing a huge wall of indifference and resentment.

Help?

 

[ChiefD]

Be honest.

If they brought you there to fix ####, then fix ####. Tough for those who can't or won't buy in to change. Start with your boss and tell him what needs to be done and you need his support. If he won't, you are screwed anyway.

If all that doesn't work, sleep with as many of the hot ones as possible. And leave a dump in the ceiling on your way out.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Good pay, low standards, no accountability, job security, and everyone is lost?

Not sure the complaints here, guy... Enjoy the ride.

 

[Dark Matter]

Be honest.

If they brought you there to fix ####, then fix ####. Tough for those who can't or won't buy in to change. Start with your boss and tell him what needs to be done and you need his support. If he won't, you are screwed anyway.

If all that doesn't work, sleep with as many of the hot ones as possible. And leave a dump in the ceiling on your way out.

/thread

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

Can't make an omelette without cracking some eggs.

 

[Hilts]

Good pay, low standards, no accountability, job security, and everyone is lost?

Not sure the complaints here, guy... Enjoy the ride.

That does seem how others are largely taking on the job. Maybe I'm the idiot after all...

 

[Hilts]

Be honest.

If they brought you there to fix ####, then fix ####. Tough for those who can't or won't buy in to change. Start with your boss and tell him what needs to be done and you need his support. If he won't, you are screwed anyway.

If all that doesn't work, sleep with as many of the hot ones as possible. And leave a dump in the ceiling on your way out.

True. I've been a bit nervous to draw up a potential fight with everyone because I've really got to stick through February. That's on me though and I shouldn't let that stop me from making changes that need to happen.

 

[msommer]

Show the monetary waste compared with the change you propose. Do it every time you want to talk to your bosses about change. Document it. Measure it.

Put it on a board in a visual way by the coffee machine.

 

[McGarnicle]

My wife has been working on a massive improvement initiative at her company for the past two years. The changes involve demand planning/forecasting, quality control, and logistics. She has to deal with plant managers who are just indifferent on a good day, but more often completely dense, stonewalling and/or openly hostile. My wife also gets the sense that they resent her because she's a female. She's been so upset some days that I've begged her to quit the job. She makes great money but it's just not worth the aggravation.

At this stage there's some light at the end of the tunnel and she's getting the accolades she deserves. She just got a nice promotion with a significant bump in pay. So, I guess it was worth it but I hated seeing her at the end of her rope so many times.

 

[Abraham]

What is your job title? Did you make it known before you came in that you needed the institutional authority to fix things? And that things might get worse before they get better?

 

[Hilts]

Can't make an omelette without cracking some eggs.

I agree. At least 50% of the people here should be fired. Barring that we at least need to get rid of the lousy manager. I had a huge fight with her over her trying to spread her lousy standards and she's now to the point she won't look at me or speak to me unless she absolutely has to. And she finds ways where she doesn't have to.

Yesterday we finished a smaller, but important, project. They somewhat ran my system and there were a lot of hiccups as the staff continually reverted back to old habits, but it was a great foundation. Lazy boss reprimanded me for it not going super smooth, but it went better than normal and is the blueprint we need to follow going forward. He just actually had to work for a change and it was painful to have him with us screwing things up.

My three bosses are talking about writing up some trainings and protocol for all staff...but how can they do that when they clearly have zero expertise in this one area?

 

[Hilts]

Show the monetary waste compared with the change you propose. Do it every time you want to talk to your bosses about change. Document it. Measure it.

Put it on a board in a visual way by the coffee machine.

Fantastic advice. I love it.

 

[Drifter]

You need to sell the vision and appeal to people both with data as well as being able to paint the picture of what life can be like.

 

[Hilts]

My wife has been working on a massive improvement initiative at her company for the past two years. The changes involve demand planning/forecasting, quality control, and logistics. She has to deal with plant managers who are just indifferent on a good day, but more often completely dense, stonewalling and/or openly hostile. My wife also gets the sense that they resent her because she's a female. She's been so upset some days that I've begged her to quit the job. She makes great money but it's just not worth the aggravation.

At this stage there's some light at the end of the tunnel and she's getting the accolades she deserves. She just got a nice promotion with a significant bump in pay. So, I guess it was worth it but I hated seeing her at the end of her rope so many times.

I'm happy your wife is finally having it pay off for her. Thank you for sharing - gives hope I can have a similar outcome should I stick with this company.

 

[Hilts]

You need to sell the vision and appeal to people both with data as well as being able to paint the picture of what life can be like.

You're right. I'm not doing that enough.

 

[Hastur]

I'm in the middle of reading the book "Influencer: The Power to Change Anything". Google "influencer pdf summaries". A good 4 page summary of the basic principles.

The answers you seek are in that summary/book.

 

[msommer]

Show the monetary waste compared with the change you propose. Do it every time you want to talk to your bosses about change. Document it. Measure it.

Put it on a board in a visual way by the coffee machine.

Fantastic advice. I love it.

And for the staff you have to show them that better profits means better job security (if you are with the program).

Talk about hassles avoided, less rework, less firefighting. More time to do the real work, better.

There will be those who get it and those who don't. Keep the ones that get it.

ETA: And what drifter said - which is essentially the same thing, but high level

 

[Hilts]

What is your job title? Did you make it known before you came in that you needed the institutional authority to fix things? And that things might get worse before they get better?

Change was talked about before I came aboard. They really grilled me over my experience before bringing me in. They've given me authority but not where it would really be necessary, IE firing. I have a strong say in who we're hiring now, but that doesn't remove some of the cancers that need to go.

 

[Hilts]

I'm in the middle of reading the book "Influencer: The Power to Change Anything". Google "influencer pdf summaries". A good 4 page summary of the basic principles.

The answers you seek are in that summary/book.

?I love reading any helpful pieces I can.

 

[msommer]

What is your job title? Did you make it known before you came in that you needed the institutional authority to fix things? And that things might get worse before they get better?

Change was talked about before I came aboard. They really grilled me over my experience before bringing me in. They've given me authority but not where it would really be necessary, IE firing. I have a strong say in who we're hiring now, but that doesn't remove some of the cancers that need to go.

This will take care of itself once you demonstrate the benefits of the change in dollars and cents.

Shareholder profit is a powerful tool

 

[McGarnicle]

My wife has been working on a massive improvement initiative at her company for the past two years. The changes involve demand planning/forecasting, quality control, and logistics. She has to deal with plant managers who are just indifferent on a good day, but more often completely dense, stonewalling and/or openly hostile. My wife also gets the sense that they resent her because she's a female. She's been so upset some days that I've begged her to quit the job. She makes great money but it's just not worth the aggravation.

At this stage there's some light at the end of the tunnel and she's getting the accolades she deserves. She just got a nice promotion with a significant bump in pay. So, I guess it was worth it but I hated seeing her at the end of her rope so many times.

I'm happy your wife is finally having it pay off for her. Thank you for sharing - gives hope I can have a similar outcome should I stick with this company.

I'm a firm believer in merit/accomplishment being rewarded. Even in a very corporate setting like where I work, and even if you aren't good at playing politics and kissing a lot of ###. It definitely involves patience and thick skin, but eventually you get recognized by the people who matter. There will always be slackers who don't buy into the company's mission and just want to do the least to get by. Those people will hate your guts, so hopefully there aren't many of them, and hopefully you can have some influence in getting them out of your organization. But regardless, you're in a position to show real improvement which will affect the bottom line, so you should end up a rock star when all is said and done. It's just a matter of tolerating the hatred, the natural resistance to change and all the stress that comes with it.

 

[Hilts]

Show the monetary waste compared with the change you propose. Do it every time you want to talk to your bosses about change. Document it. Measure it.

Put it on a board in a visual way by the coffee machine.

Fantastic advice. I love it.

And for the staff you have to show them that better profits means better job security (if you are with the program).Talk about hassles avoided, less rework, less firefighting. More time to do the real work, better.

There will be those who get it and those who don't. Keep the ones that get it.

ETA: And what drifter said - which is essentially the same thing, but high level

Thanks. I've noticed several of our experienced staff get it. Sadly they're greatly outnumbered by inexperienced and/or lazy people. The inexperienced ones are learning bad habits and the good ones are having their laziness encouraged.

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

get buy in to top grade the five worst employees on a quarterly basis until you have reached certain efficiency levels. Make sure you are the one letting go of those five and are responsible for the hiring of their replacements.

 

[Chadstroma]

Obviously you were brought in for a reason. I assume you have the backing of who brought you in which likely have some juice in the company. Do what you an within your authority and be a leader and agent of change to influence that which is not in your authority- with a good amount of communication to the powers that be showing them hard data of what is being done versus what you want to do and the resulting benefit to the company.

If the company can not compete and it is living or dying on a single contract then it is only a matter of time before that company is no longer around.

 

[msommer]

You might also look at reading about "influence without Authority" and other aspects of stakeholder management

 

[higgins]

I'm in the middle of reading the book "Influencer: The Power to Change Anything". Google "influencer pdf summaries". A good 4 page summary of the basic principles.

The answers you seek are in that summary/book.

 

[higgins]

You might also look at reading about "influence without Authority" and other aspects of stakeholder management

 

[NutterButter]

Good pay, low standards, no accountability, job security, and everyone is lost?

Not sure the complaints here, guy... Enjoy the ride.

Sounds like a dream job. I wonder if they have any openings. I hate when people come in and crap all over a good thing.

 

[Nemesis]

Show the monetary waste compared with the change you propose. Do it every time you want to talk to your bosses about change. Document it. Measure it.

Put it on a board in a visual way by the coffee machine.

Fantastic advice. I love it.

Board by the coffee machine is not going to get enough action, or guarantee the right people will pay attention. There is no way to measure the effect it would have or hold the right people accountable.

Instead, I would look into implementing KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for each department that are appropriate for your industry (Marketing, Production, Financial results / projections, Safety, etc)

Maybe scour the internet / buy a book and then meet with your upper bosses first and get buy in and examples of what they'd like to see.

What we did in our company was convert a small conference room and remove the table and chairs and create a "Visual Media Room". Along 3 walls are the KPI charts, with each chart having a Title, date of last update, and an actual name assigned to it. Those charts could be updated weekly, monthly, or quarterly depending on the need.

Then every other Friday, the managers meet in that VM Room and each manager presents their KPIs and any other verbal updates ("we are behind in X right now, but our plan to mitigate is.....", "The figures show.....") The meeting is fairly quick since there are no chairs to sit or slow things down. Make sure your upper bosses attend these bi-weekly meetings and ask questions or suggest improvements. The slackers will hate it but it will produce results / improvements or will expose the slackers that are not doing enough.

Once the KPIs are rolled out, they should be shared with staff and discussed too, because maybe they have good ideas that aren't being heard.

And remember, KPI's should monitor something, measure something, or drive performance in something

 

[Hastur]

It's only been a month, but update?