Hallmarks of Idiots in Charge

If there are any readers left...hi!  I'm not doing too good at this lately, am I?

Basically, it comes down to this:  I need sleep.  Period.  End of story.  And at night, when my computer stares at me from the dresser, I think to myself, "I'd rather go to sleep 30 minutes early than write on my blog."

So, yes, I was being selfish. 

Glad I got that off my chest.

Now, I'm going to get on a soapbox.  If my whole tax, financial, credit counselor career doesn't work out, I'm going to start a managerial consulting service.  And specifically target governments and governmental organizations.

In my humble opinion, the better you treat your employees, the more you get out of them.  Many organizations are changing the "rules" on their employees to cut costs.  Yet, they're idiots if they think that's going to work.  Am I totally confusing you?  Ok...

Example 1:

At a former employer, they got tired of people racking up tons of leave and then having the audacity to get sick and get paid for six or eight weeks of surgery & recovery time...  (I'll just say it.  They were cheap.  Painfully cheap.  I.e., couldn't even get post-it notes cheap.  Had to use scrap paper.) 

Anyhow.  Makes sense at first -a huge expense for no production, right?  Their solution:  We're going to reduce the leave that our employees can carry over from year to year.  That will save us big money, right? 

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you really so stupid to think that people will willingly give up their earned leave?  A local government just announced that they were going to do this.  I just shook my head.  If an employee has earned leave, sick/annual/whatever - they will use it rather than lose it.  So instead of saving money, you are now paying people to stay home sick on days they could be working because they're not going to give you back that day!

Stupid #1.

Stupid #2

Announcing a new policy AT THE WORST POSSIBLE MOMENT IN YOUR HISTORY!

Say Jane in your office commits a cardinal sin; she knows she messed up and is truly repentant and you decide not to fire her...  Don't announce a new policy on the matter the next day.  You've already decided not to fire Jane.  Last thing you or her need is a new written policy circulating around the office the very next day.  You will only embarrass her.  Regardless of how discreetly you think you are - YOU'RE NOT.  You have the TACT OF A DO-DO BIRD...specifically the one in Alice in Wonderland...

Do you really need to add to the stressful situation at that particular moment?  Everyone knows what happened and that it will NEVER happen again.  I understand you need a policy on it but rightthissecond?  Really?  When you've already waited this long...

Wait till she's on vacation.  Pass around the policy.  Make sure she gets a copy in her stack of incoming mail.  Ta-da!  No awkwardness and yet effective.

Stupid #3

Being a morality judge.  Stupid, stupid, stupid.

You are an employer.  Not a judge; at least until you wear "the black dress" as one of my heroes, Judge Marilyn Milian says.


Yes, I liked her on Facebook.

Until your employees personal life affects your business, it's off limits.  Jane coming in hungover every day is unacceptable.  It obviously affects your business.  But if Jane has a stomach made of lead and you don't know if she spent the night with her cat and the latest Nora Roberts movie or at Coyote Ugly - it's none of your concern.

Oh and by they way, if you tolerate Jane coming in hungover, expect John to start coming in hungover..k?

Stupid #4

Underestimating your Employees

Employees are like your children.  They see the "real" you.  Despite the acts you may put on, they can tell if you like them, if you don't.  If you care about them, if you don't.  If you're selfish, if you're not.  They know.  K?  And if you play games with them, they know it. 

If you're whole goal is to make as many chocolate bunnies as possible every shift so you can get your bonus, they'll know it.  And you can be as rude, as sickeningly sweet, as hateful, or as aloof as you want - they know the end game.  You can not underestimate their intuitiveness.  And till you care about them, they won't care about your - or your chocolate bunnies for that matter.

If you can't care about them, you're not management material.  Get out of the business now.

I was going to have 5 "Stupid's" but it's past my witching hour and I think I'm just beginning to ramble now...  But seriously, if you have an idiot boss, call me. 

That would make an awesome reality show!  I'm going to patent it - or copyright it - or both maybe.