Discussion » Questions » Business » Recently at my workplace during a biweekly meeting, a manager complained to the rest of us how difficult it was being in a supervisory
Randy D

Recently at my workplace during a biweekly meeting, a manager complained to the rest of us how difficult it was being in a supervisory

position. 
I almost laughed out loud; I wanted to blurt out, "YOU'RE the one who wanted the position, right?"

Do you know of any higher level people at your job who regret or seem to regret having ascended as far as they have?

~

Posted - February 19, 2017
Tags : None

Responses


  • Being the owner/manager of my own shop? There were many times that I just wanted to chuck it all and go home. Finally in 2008, one of my longest employees offered to buy me out and I went for it. End of problem. But I have known others that wanted to be a manager and then griped about it when it came true. Think very hard before you decide to move up. My motto is still the same as when I was in the military : NEVER VOLUNTEER!
      February 19, 2017 7:29 AM MST
    7

  • You hear people say if you find a way to make money doing the hobbies you love you'll never hate going to work.
    That's only sometimes true.  It's just as likely that hobby and work you loved loses some of it's sparkle when your life depends on it and there's deadlines involved.
      February 19, 2017 7:34 AM MST
    3

  • Yes it does. I always had to do the office work and then work out in the shop on a graphics job till late at night. It's good to be retired now.
      February 19, 2017 7:37 AM MST
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  • Ughhh.
    The paperwork and formality crap is what a lot people don't think about when they start their own business. I've seen that be a few peoples downfall when they tried. Great at what they do. Top notch.  Just aren't cut out for the formality aspects and it  ruined them.
      February 19, 2017 7:48 AM MST
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  • 6988
    The 'manager' where I work was very reluctant to accept the manager position. He wanted to go back to college. He was about 30, so he chose to stay here. 3 years later, he now manages a group of locations in several eastern states. He gets to hang with the company owner and go to big meetings and stuff like that. I'll bet he is pushing a 6 figure income now.  
      February 19, 2017 7:33 AM MST
    4

  • 3907

    Hello Randy:

    The problem your supervisor has is common.  He has RESPONSIBILITY, but not the AUTHORITY to carry it out..  If one can't do anything about what he's responsible for, it WOULD be worrisome.  I've been in BOTH situations..  Certainly, every time I've HAD a job in management, I was TOLD that I had the authority I needed..  But, when push came to shove, the OWNER retained the authority, and I had bupkis..

    In truth, the ONLY place where I HAD complete authority, and KNEW it, was when I was the owner.

    excon

     

    This post was edited by excon at February 19, 2017 12:17 PM MST
      February 19, 2017 7:35 AM MST
    7

  • Very true! Even as an owner, you can't always escape it.
      February 19, 2017 7:39 AM MST
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  • 53509
    I think a lot of people only see the higher salary, and fail to take into consideration the added responsibilities and headaches. 

    ~
      February 19, 2017 7:48 AM MST
    5

  • Yes.  I had a friend I worked with for awhile years back. He took the contract and oversight position. More money and less labour.  In a little under a year he really hated it and was always miserable.  He would be the first to admit the position was much easier but it drove him nuts not being involved in the dirty work.  He just became bored and found that dealing with paperwork and customers was much more stressful and unrewarding than breaking his back and sweating his nuts off. Once he stepped down and went back to turning wrenches and swinging hammers he never complained again.
      February 19, 2017 7:40 AM MST
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  • Been there, done that!
      February 19, 2017 7:42 AM MST
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  • 53509
    Did his nuts grow back also?  Poor guy. 

    ~
      February 19, 2017 7:42 AM MST
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  • Our nuts don't literally fall off.  They just hang to your knees and get beat on like a Newton's cradle.
    This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at February 19, 2017 1:06 PM MST
      February 19, 2017 7:50 AM MST
    5

  • 53509
    Thankfully, that's never happened to my cashews (yet). I hope it never does, either. Ouch!


    ~
      February 19, 2017 1:09 PM MST
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  • Come spend a day next an old Wisconsin flathead running hydraulics in 90F sun for eight hours.
      February 19, 2017 1:14 PM MST
    2

  • 6124
    Just wait.  Age makes that part inevitable.  No way around it my friend.  It's why you rarely see old men wearing anything other than tighty whities or boxers.
      February 19, 2017 1:27 PM MST
    1

  • 6124
    As someone who was in a high level management position, it can really suck at times due to personality issues.  You get caught between the owner(s) and the people below you.  When you try to do the right thing, there is always going to be someone complaining and/or giving you a hard time.  I had a boss that was a real piece of work.  He wanted to look like the good guy so I was the iron hand.  Not a problem, I accepted it as part of my job but, when he expected me to play mind games with employees that he "suspected" of starting their own business and trying to steal customers (there was no evidence, just a "feeling") it was cruel to both the employee and me, not to mention unhinged.  

    The most tiresome part of the job for me was when I had to deal with childish disagreements between employees.  I am not kidding when I state that one time, one of my employees came into my office to complain that another employee gave her a "mean look" when she walked by.  WTH are you supposed to do with people like that?  She was a smart young woman who was good when she applied herself to her work but she was constantly complaining about other employees and creating non-issues.  I found I had to deal with too much stuff that was made more of babysitting material than true work related problems.  

    Randy, with all that being said, a manager should NEVER, NEVER EVER, complain about how hard his job is to other employees, no matter the position.  The one you are talking about is looking for empathy from the wrong people.  So, I definitely understand where you are coming from on this.  It shows a lack of adeptness at interpersonal and social skills needed to do his job properly.  Unfortunately, only another manager on his level or above, is the only person who can bring that to his attention and tell him to cut the crap and grow up or, if he can't handle it he should leave.  I'm sorry you have to deal with that jerk.
      February 19, 2017 7:55 AM MST
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  •   February 19, 2017 8:16 AM MST
    3

  • 53509
    Thanks, Harry, I love what you've written here, especially the one word that sums up a lot of it: babysitting. 

    I first became eligible for promotion to a supervisory position long ago, I have a lot of feedback from both peers and upper managers that I would be a shoe-in, and many such opportunities to advance have presented themselves, yet I have never even applied for them.  I see all the headaches and crap that supervisors have to put up with, the on-call status 24 hours a day 7 days a week, the pettiness of personnel conflicts, the blind eyes they have to turn to ineptness, etc, and I tell myself it's not worth it. One day I may change my mind, but for the time being, I'm where I belong. 

    Additionally, I come from a military background. From the time I graduated high school, I served 3 tours of duty in the US Marine Corps.  While "corporate" or office-related leadership varies greatly from the Corps, certain aspects of leadership are universal.  I believe in an honest day's pay fir an honest day's work, as simple as that.  I don't get paid to plop my feet on the desk and surf the internet all day while bad-mouthing the company and its managers.  My job description doesn't include 3-hour lunches on company time in a company vehicle while running personal errands and visiting strip clubs.  The company didn't invest in a multi-million dollar computer system that streamlines performance only to have it ignored by lazy bums who slept during the training phase only to complain now that it's not their jobs to input information into it. 

    Being former military in a time period of my life where my work ethic was largely formed and shaped, I know for a fact that my personality and my mindset aren't what anyone wants to see in a leadership position in the environment where I work, because I would have no interest in the crybaby side of the equation. I do know how to temper myself, so I'm not saying I would be having flashbacks as Drill Instructor Sergeant D again, not at all. Putting up with " . . . but it's my stapler . . . " is a bit far off the beaten track. 

    ~
      February 19, 2017 1:35 PM MST
    1

  • 6124
    Randy, it's a wise man who recognizes his strengths and weaknesses.  I have faith when the right opportunity presents itself to you, you will know it.
      February 19, 2017 1:40 PM MST
    1