On Management

>>1070089
Someone to blame when shiz goes wrong

Source: unhappy manager

>>1070089
Bump. Quit my part time job because I wasn't up to deal with my manager for another half-year.

From what I know about my manager (and other managers I've talked to), they usually started out doing the work they were managing, which is why they are in that position in the first place.

They mostly deal with keeping customers happy, and also vouching for their employees and service. It's not as physically taxing, but it's the dealing with people that gets you.

>>1070089

>another member of our team with lead privileges

Isn't that what a manager is?

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>>1070279

Not always. Lots of upper management - and some middle management - know little about the specifics of what you do, yet still tell you what to do and the deadlines/budget you're under.

I'm 19 and because I've been working at this car garage the longest, I'm manager. I manage almost everything except paying the bills. People, cars, parts companies, admin functions and decisions.

On another note, what does it mean when you've gone for an interview with a big franchise car dealership and they ask you for a copy of your driving licence, National Insurance number and passport ? I had the first interview where I was all suited up with the dealer principal and then I had a secondary interview where I was told it wasn't a dressed up one, just a chat with the team I would be working with in the job. They haven't said a definite yes or so but what does it mean ?

>>1070608
Very common in IT too. Can barely turn on a computer? Great, you're totally qualified to make programming decisions and determine hardware requirements!

>>1070089
>Explain to me, managers of /biz/, what do you manage and how?

I am a project manager in an architecture office, I manage timetables, when drafts have to be finished, certified etc. evaluate my employees which skillset and level they are, as well as how fast they are in particular fields and through that analysis designate a variety of tasks to every individual in my planing team. I also control and approve the plans, that are being sent to contractors, thus the project responsibility for every one of my workers faults that could fuck up the project is mine, since I approved it. there are other tasks like construction supervision that I also do, but that is irrelevant for now.

>>1070753
Sadly a lot of bad managers think they need to be able to tell their directs how to do their jobs, like they are some kind of super worker. Having a good manager who realizes he doesn't understand the technical details of your job is a blessing. Instead of telling you when you need to be done with things they'll usually start by asking how long it will take to complete.

>>1070089
Managers take direction from higher up and are responsible for knowing what is top priority. They relay this to their team and crack the whip so the speak. A good manager should know, at a high level, what every member of his team is working on. He should also have a good understanding of their skill set so he can allocate resources accordingly.

As projects move along, a good manager will make sure his team has what they need. He should be acquainted with other areas and be able to point people in the direction of area experts. When a worker hits an impasse the manager needs to help him find a way forward.

This is what I've observed from an IT perspective. Other types of work are probably a bit different.

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>>1070089

You sound a little salty, but Ill contribute.

I am a manager in a telecom Retail Sales environment.

True, part of the job is back of house operational work. Scheduling, inventory, paperwork, etc, are all things that are important to keep the ship afloat in any business. However, even those seemingly simple tasks can turn into stressful headaches. How do I stay within my labor budget and utilize the right people at the right times to maximize results? Why is there a $2000 inventory variance?

The second part and far more important aspect is dealing with my direct reports themselves. I am in my position because I was a good sales rep, so I keep as much of a floor presence as i can to observe a sale, either to jump in if needed or coach on it later. Floor duties involve escalations with upset customers or employees, and sometimes jumping into the murky waters of HR Hell when a situation gets particularly bad.

It's easy to trivialize any working position like you did with management. Like with anything, there is nuance in it. But if I had to sum it up, to me management is making sure operations/logistics are airtight, being there to support your team in their roles, and dealing with shit whenever it arises, because it has nowhere else to go.

pic somewhat related

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>>1070811

No salt, just perception. I'm firmly aware that the grass might not be greener on the other side.

Managers have manage egos first and foremost.
>not me, I'm a unique and special snowflake

No you're not

>>1070089

I'm going to try to tell you how I think a manager SHOULD do their job, vs how I've seen several (mostly terrible) managers do their jobs. Bear in mind that I've never been a true "manager" for anyone, but I've acted as manager quite a few times.

In general, a manager should be focused on hiring and maintaining their workforce, without going too far over or under budget. They should also hassle their employees enough to where they will independently get things done.

For instance, when you hire new employees, make sure to train them properly and make sure they do the job properly. If your employees don't know how to, say, sweep behind the counter, you need to hassle them until they start doing it without being asked. If all of your employees are slacking off, it sends a message to any new people that they can slack off too, creating an unending cycle of laziness. A good manager will make sure that this doesn't happen, while not getting on their case about petty shit that doesn't matter (IE, how exactly you put a case of gelatin packages on a shelf. Obviously don't just toss them on there, but it doesn't matter if they're a little bit lopsided.)

A manager's primary goal should be to work 1~3 days a week at the most, delegating to their employees for the most part.

>>1070811
>telecom retail sales environment

just say you work at the fucking phone kiosk in the mall

jesus

next time we'll see a fucking biological refuse removal engineer

>>1071776

But it's not.

I'm a Sales Manager for a well known tyre brand. 75% of my time is spent talking shit and going to lunch and dinner with customers. Rest is paper work.

>>1070089
Managers exist to serve as a link between the workers and the resources of the organization so that the organization can reach its goals.

>>1070754

but if a manager sucks he just blames his underlings

>>1072106
>but if a manager sucks he just blames his underlings
he can blame the fuck he wants, if he sucks, he gets fired.