As a manager would you ask a sub-ordinate to do something you can't do yourself?
I believe, as a manager myself, that I should not ask a member of my staff to do something I cannot do myself.
However, I find, more and more on the increase, Directors delegating work, that they could in fact not do themselves, to managers who are capable but not in the position to have complete control over.
So they are asking for achievement that they cannot meet themselves.
Who is right, me and my thoughts that in a senior position you should ask for what you can do yourself and direct your workers and enable them, or is it a Directors prerogative to ask a manager to do stuff he himself can't?
Originally posted by mikelomWell, what level of management are we at here? If I were in charge of a multidisciplinary team, it is unlikely that I know everything about a subject for instance. I should know enough of course to understand what is possible in what timeframe, but that doesn't require the same level of knowledge or experience. Take games design. If I were a manager of a games design team, and I got there because I had worked a little in a lot of domains, I may not know a lot about texturing, I may ask for a particular texture which I know I can't do, but my job as a manager is to know what my team can and cannot do. That doesn't require specialist knowledge in every domain I'm in charge of. That's why there's levels of management.
As a manager would you ask a sub-ordinate to do something you can't do yourself?
I believe, as a manager myself, that I should not ask a member of my staff to do something I cannot do myself.
However, I find, more and more on the increase, Directors delegating work, that they could in fact not do themselves, to managers who are capable but not in the p ...[text shortened]... d enable them, or is it a Directors prerogative to ask a manager to do stuff he himself can't?
Directors aren't supposed to "do" anything are they?
They decide what the business is supposed to be doing, i.e they "direct"
e.g.
The director decides that a business needs a web presence, but you don't expect them to be know anything about the required hardware/network infrastructure or programming required.
The IT manager might know how to do some of it, but might just do combined project management for the Infrastructure Team and Programming Team.
The Infrastucture Team leader, you might expect to be able to do anything his team can do,
and the Programming Team leader, you might expect to be able to do anything his team can do.
(but even then, you can have specialists in certain areas, e.g. Database Performance Tuning)
If you're talking about a supermarket, I would expect the manager to know how to work the tills and stock the shelves though.
Originally posted by mikelomWell in that case I would probably never find myself a suitable manager as it is more or less unheard of for managers to have the level of programming skills. In fact I consider myself extremely lucky that my current manager at least appreciates my skills even if he couldn't do it himself. I in turn appreciate that he has skills that I do not have.
As a manager would you ask a sub-ordinate to do something you can't do yourself?
I believe, as a manager myself, that I should not ask a member of my staff to do something I cannot do myself.
However, I find, more and more on the increase, Directors delegating work, that they could in fact not do themselves, to managers who are capable but not in the p ...[text shortened]... d enable them, or is it a Directors prerogative to ask a manager to do stuff he himself can't?
You can't honestly be claiming that the managing director of a large company must have all the skills of every employee?
Originally posted by mikelomI find that quite often people are promoted to their level of incompetence. The more useless they are, the higher up the managerial chain they go.
As a manager would you ask a sub-ordinate to do something you can't do yourself?
I believe, as a manager myself, that I should not ask a member of my staff to do something I cannot do myself.
However, I find, more and more on the increase, Directors delegating work, that they could in fact not do themselves, to managers who are capable but not in the p ...[text shortened]... d enable them, or is it a Directors prerogative to ask a manager to do stuff he himself can't?
a good manager simply needs to manage well. management is a skill in itself. it does not automatically make a difference if he can do the particular activity himself or not, whether we are talking business or football, although it usually helps the manager to relate to the person being managed.
I'm talking automotive design. Directing car programs and crash development and passive safety systems. Interior trim and styling moves..... that's the area of questioning I didn't make clear. I instruct my team to move in certain development patterns that I know from experience and natural CAE development work. Then I have a director change the complete program directive and the markets and expect the same delivery in the same time frame at the same cost. He then instructs the team to remove themselves from where they're at and come in from a different CAD angle. But he doesn't undertsand CAD or crash requirements for FMVSS or EuroNcap... but he tells them to do what they can't do!..... SHOULDN'T he rely upon my experience in that instance to get what he wants.... on a revised time scale and cost?
The point of a team is that it can exceed the boundaries of any one member of the group.
The goal of a good leader is to create an environment (physically, emotionally, politically) for the team in which they perform at their peak at a sustainable rate (burn out bad).
A good leader understands what his/her team members are doing enough to fill a gap in the phalanx, but, if you're spending all your time being a worker, it is likely that your true management skills are not developed.
Originally posted by mikelomYes, he should rely on your experience. He shouldn't necessarily need to know how to do your job though. Like I said, he should know what is and is not possible, to know whether you're saying it'll be slow is truth or fiction, but beyond that, he needs to trust his team.
I'm talking automotive design. Directing car programs and crash development and passive safety systems. Interior trim and styling moves..... that's the area of questioning I didn't make clear. I instruct my team to move in certain development patterns that I know from experience and natural CAE development work. Then I have a director change the complete pro ...[text shortened]... my experience in that instance to get what he wants.... on a revised time scale and cost?
Originally posted by mikelomI would think that the director has a better birds-eye view of what the CEO wants to acheive, than you. Your advantage is that you have the tech know-how to move the company forward. But you are right, ideally he should have a chat with you before issuing orders.
I'm talking automotive design. Directing car programs and crash development and passive safety systems. Interior trim and styling moves..... that's the area of questioning I didn't make clear. I instruct my team to move in certain development patterns that I know from experience and natural CAE development work. Then I have a director change the complete pro ...[text shortened]... my experience in that instance to get what he wants.... on a revised time scale and cost?
I suggest that you make friends with the Fin Controller or equivalent, who will have a good understanding of the corporate budget and how your area is financed. Then you make a list of what resources you need to get his new objectives done, without exhausting his budget. Chances are that he is waiting on you to make a reasonable request for more labour, equipment etc.
Originally posted by mikelomWhat you're describing is called "delegation," and it's practiced the world over.
As a manager would you ask a sub-ordinate to do something you can't do yourself?
I believe, as a manager myself, that I should not ask a member of my staff to do something I cannot do myself.
However, I find, more and more on the increase, Directors delegating work, that they could in fact not do themselves, to managers who are capable but not in the p ...[text shortened]... d enable them, or is it a Directors prerogative to ask a manager to do stuff he himself can't?
Originally posted by mikelomAs a manager you can definitely ask your people to do something you cannot do (or are no good at). You should not ask them to do something that THEY cannot do because of lack of control or authority.
As a manager would you ask a sub-ordinate to do something you can't do yourself?
I believe, as a manager myself, that I should not ask a member of my staff to do something I cannot do myself.
However, I find, more and more on the increase, Directors delegating work, that they could in fact not do themselves, to managers who are capable but not in the p ...[text shortened]... d enable them, or is it a Directors prerogative to ask a manager to do stuff he himself can't?
Your job as a manager is to enable, remove roadblocks, and multiply their ability to do productive work.
That is, apart from counseling, scolding, mentoring, sheparding, cajoling, convincing, restraining, bailing-out-of-trouble, listening to, inspiring, praising, rating, defending, monitoring, checking up on, funding, ... whew!
Originally posted by Rajk999That's a super response that has given me insight into the movement of issues I have. My Director in Asia wants to retire but is trying to implement things he may not think I am capable of doing before I move into his position ( a hint the CEO gave me ). To talk with the finance director is a good move as I have had little contact with him in the UK, and you are correct - I am sure he knows the strategy of what the strange movements, as I perceive them to be, are really for.
I would think that the director has a better birds-eye view of what the CEO wants to acheive, than you. Your advantage is that you have the tech know-how to move the company forward. But you are right, ideally he should have a chat with you before issuing orders.
I suggest that you make friends with the Fin Controller or equivalent, who will have a good u ...[text shortened]... ances are that he is waiting on you to make a reasonable request for more labour, equipment etc.
Thank you! 🙂
Originally posted by mikelomYoure welcome. Hope things work out .... 🙂
That's a super response that has given me insight into the movement of issues I have. My Director in Asia wants to retire but is trying to implement things he may not think I am capable of doing before I move into his position ( a hint the CEO gave me ). To talk with the finance director is a good move as I have had little contact with him in the UK, and you ...[text shortened]... ategy of what the strange movements, as I perceive them to be, are really for.
Thank you! 🙂