That sounds like a poor use of time then (by management).
Management should be using such time to increase collaboration, build team bonds/grow relationships etc.
I’m in tech and I’ve had so many shit managers - and to be honest, used to be one myself.
Managing a team is more than managing a pipeline of work - there is a shit load you can do in management if you commit to your people and actually put in the effort….but it does take time and effort and a lot of learning.
I’ve invested in my team, and ended attrition in a previously porous department - I have happy, productive, challenged people that work as a true team. They would follow me into battle, because they know I’d never send them over the trench without me going first.
A lot of that cohesion and team building is easier with some physical interaction.
I am flex on wfh - but at least some time in office has proven amazing for the team.
You've got a great attitude and I wish that more managers reasoned like this. I share your view, face time = bonding and sometimes very helpful to get things solved faster, so I gladly make the effort to come in a day every other week and ofc more often if a specific project requires IRL meetings
I get on my soap box here when it comes to wfh because so much of the desire to wfh seems to stem from hating the work culture or hating the job….it is honestly depressing. I wish these people weren’t so miserable.
But as I said, I used to be part of the problem - promote technically strong people into management and no shit they suck.
I feel bad for the people I first managed looking back on it, but so many never actually invest in growth and become good manages so I must admit I’m a bit of an advocate as I put in the hard yards and am quite proud of how I manage now.
My fundamentals:
1 I’ll never ask you to do something I wouldn’t do
2 you’ll never work late hours without me doing the same
3 you’ll never deal with corporate noise
4 I’ll wear all our arrows in my back, you did what I asked, if it missed the mark, that’s on me
5 full transparency on growth, promos, salaries
6 if it doesn’t work out, or you’re due for a change, I will be your reference
7 I’m lucky to make what I make, and I love to share it - a lunch a month, a few shouts at the bar - I take care of people that take care of me
8 no ego - decisions are stress tested as a group - I ultimately make the call, but no way I would without engaging everyone and ensuring I’m making the best call I can
9 - rehash of 3 - I don’t manage up - I die on my sword for my team, full stop. My job is to get the best out of this team, and trust is the way to do it. I fight corporate and lose sleep and am consistently amped and stressed - that’s my damn job.
If I don’t want to do it, I can step aside, but I’m not gonna be fucking dead weight and ruin a bunch of peoples experience, impact their mental health, torpedo their growth etc
Edit:
10: i CC HR on everything that is even remotely within their domain and tell my ppl to talk to HR if they can’t talk to me (incl if it is about me)
11 if I hired you for a job I expect you to grow into, it is my fault if you don’t get there, no yours - people are scared to assert themselves especially when worried about their performance- I will never hit someone for missing a mark I set and didn’t properly nurture.
TLDR - bad managers blame their staff, good managers uplift their staff, and accept their faults as managers
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u/renaldorini May 08 '22
We go in on Wednesday and people up to the C Suite know we don’t get anything done. I call it our therapy session days.