Very very nervous. This is about as bigtime as it gets, for me.
Shucks, i'm just a country boy, I don't know nuttin' bout' burthin' no big-city babies.......
------------------
“Every mans life is a diary in which he means to write one story, but writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it” ~ Barrie
"I define nothing. Not beauty, not patriotism. I take each thing as it is, without prior rules about what it should be.” ~ Bob Dylan
"Learning sleeps and snores in libraries, but wisdom is everywhere, wide awake, on tiptoe." ~ Josh Billings
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09:12 AM
PFF
System Bot
Flamberge Member
Posts: 4268 From: Terra Sancta, TX Registered: Oct 2001
Everyone nervous the first day, if you weren't you wouldn't be "normal"
Remember you want it to work out but so do they, Have a great day and all the best in your new job.
Oh and in the grand scheme of things...."You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your ****ing khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world."
[This message has been edited by newf (edited 05-10-2011).]
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09:26 AM
Boondawg Member
Posts: 38235 From: Displaced Alaskan Registered: Jun 2003
Oh and in the grand scheme of things...."You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your ****ing khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world."
Just walk in. stand as tall as possible, puff out your chest, and when you address "the troops" make eye contact with an individual you think has the least to offer or less self confidence than the others, then speak in a measured, low, but clearly audible and guttaral voice, all the while, keeping constant eye fixation on that one poor unfortunate employee.... say 'thank you' when you are done. :wink:
We're just running in circles, and taking on water, Cap'n!
"Hard to port! Full astern!"
It's not helping captain, we're going down. And we're on fire.
"Center the rudder on that Kent, Washington-shaped reef! Full ahead! We'll run 'er aground!"
We won't make it Captain Boondawg! Its too far! We need to abandon ship!
"NEVER GIVE UP THE SHIP! Do your duty, sailor! We'll make it! Hoist the mainsail! Top the jib! All hands on deck! All decks on hand! Battle Stations! Station battles! Post to PFF: The Good Ship Boondawg, in heavy seas, going down by the bow. Rescue impossible, and unnecessary. We'll be...."
(Crashing, grinding noises of incredible volume and duration)
"Hey, who put that land there? And what idiot ran my boat into it?"
Uh, YOU did Captain Boondawg. You saved us all!
"Captain WHO? I did WHAT? Wait, what did I do?!"
......Just another day of smooth sailing on the Good Ship Boondawg
Today I Take My Place At The Helm Of My Destiny by Boondawg
You've always been at the helm of your own destiny. Yeah, there are outside influences but, you've always choosen the course. You're just in uncharted waters now but you will become familiar with this body of water and it's currents, storms, safe haven harbors, predators and those on the bottom of the food chain. This is what you've prepared for your entire life, it's also just another step in the endless circle. Have fun doing what you already know how to do.
------------------ Ron
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 05-10-2011).]
EDIT Boondawg, ... I have followed your other thread(s). I just want to throw this out there since I don't know which one my thought pertains to. You mentioned having to do performance evaluations, increase productivity, and the like blah blah blah. Important yes. I want to bring your thoughts to safety. You are responsible for some type of a safety program also. I post out of love. Today, I spent two hours at OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Administration) due to an investigation of a death on the job. It could have been an injury. My past work educated me that a safety program is a must. It could be a plus for you, in that throwing that into the mix of what they want, will give them more. Just a thought for you my friend.
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09:25 PM
Boondawg Member
Posts: 38235 From: Displaced Alaskan Registered: Jun 2003
Tuff first day. The guys under me were frightend I was going to change everything at once. I assured them changes would be slow and measured.
The shop is unorganized, no inventory or inventory control, no manuals, no schedualed Preventive Maintenace program, etc. The last head mechanic made it so he was the only one who knew where stuff was and what was going on. He never wanted to teach anyone anything or include anyone in his system. I've seen it before in this business, it seems to be a percieved way to make yourself "invaluable".
The lane oiler is a very complicated $35,000 system with 39 independently controlled oil-spray nozzles (one for every laneboard) and a stand-alone computer control system. Very daunting programing learning curve. The machines are a newer model, they are 220v instead of 110v, and about 50% different then the ones i'm used to. The biggest hurdle being the very alien & complicated scoring system. Pretty much overwhelming.
And I have a 4 day national tourniment in 1 day. I will have some help, but these are the guys that are supposed to be under me, not teaching me! Just don't look good....
So I got a lot of learning to do, and alot of work infront of me. I'm gettin' too old for this shizz.
Is it wrong to ask for prayers that I pick it up quickly and retain at least a fraction of what I learn?
[This message has been edited by Boondawg (edited 05-10-2011).]
If things were working (for the most part) up till now, I'd wait until after the tourney before making any significant changes...
Read that book I recommended. Listen to your new workers, and see what type of stories they tell.
Have had a lot of experiences with 'information hoarders', and it's important that from the getgo- you document as much as possible (even for you OWN good) - I've found that 75% of IHers are actually IHers. The others are just so disorganized, even THEY don't know where the info is...!
What I HATE most about taking over a position like that is that you often first discover a system AFTER it breaks...
[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 05-10-2011).]
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09:42 PM
Boondawg Member
Posts: 38235 From: Displaced Alaskan Registered: Jun 2003
No, its not wrong. Perhaps unnecessary, though. You've been through this before, you'll get through it again. Look, you {i]already[/i] know the place has to be reorganized, and each guy brought up to speed. If I was one of your guys, I'd like that immediately.
At the last place I worked, they tried to reframe the "Boss" role as "Facilitator" or "Coach". Would you be more comfortable thinking of yourself that way? You're the "Coach" for "Team Dawg." Or, as "Facilitator", your job is to make sure each guy has the tools, parts, and training to get the job done.
When I managed people, I was lucky enough to have a good crew. Every guy knew what to do, and when to do it. I could do a walk-through, and find that jobs I didn't even know had to be done were already complete. You've probably got a good crew. They needed a supervisor, not new crew mwmbers. Point them in the right direction, give them the tools, and they'll solve your problems. Because doing nothing all day is boring!
No, you won't learn it all by the start of the tournament. If disaster happens, you'll all figure it out together. The "old guy from Alaska" knows a few tricks these guy ain't seen yet.
Ready to commence Sea Trials, Captain Boondawg!
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09:57 PM
blackrams Member
Posts: 31841 From: Hattiesburg, MS, USA Registered: Feb 2003
Boonie, You remind me of my first days as a 2Lt in my new unit. I walked right up to my new platoon sargeant and told him that I needed his help getting through this learning curve. He looked me right in the eye and said. Butterbar, you follow my lead and I'll make you look good. You have an informal leader (maybe more) in that group, use him, learn from him and make sure he knows you appreciate the help.
------------------ Ron
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09:59 PM
avengador1 Member
Posts: 35467 From: Orlando, Florida Registered: Oct 2001
Boonie you are the captain of this crew now. They will be looking to you for leadership. This would entail the things you mentioned that are lacking, like making an inventory, manuals, creating a preventive maintenance schedule, etc. If you can actually get down and do the dirty jobs that is a plus for you, but watch out, the employees will then expect you to do their jobs for them, especially if you can do them better or faster. You need to make sure that your role and theirs are very clearly defined. You can make improvements one at a time depending on what you need to happen first or which has a higher priority. I would work on preventive maintenance first. A well maintained piece of equipment will fail less often than one that isn't as well maintained. Next would be inventory. You need to know what you have and how much. This will save on ordering the same parts over and over again and wasting money. You should know what parts you will need to keep in stock after working on the machines for a few years. Most equipment will have a manual if it was purchased as new. If they don't have one you can probably order one from the manufacturer. They are worth their weight in gold. You can write your own manuals too based on your experience with the machines. These would be about what common problems might be expected from the equipment and quick fixes. I don't think the company will have you writting an employe manual as that would be the Human Resources departments duty because of the legalities involved. You should be an old hand at this by now so I know you can do it. You should know what it takes to keep the equipment running correctly and how to keep company costs and equipment downtime to a minimum. You should also learn your workers strong and weak points to know what jobs they will be best suited to doing. It shouldn't take you too long to figure that one out either. Good luck with the new job, it should get easier as you get used to it.
Originally posted by Boondawg: No, they changed and put me on day shift.
Tuff first day. The guys under me were frightend I was going to change everything at once. I assured them changes would be slow and measured.
The shop is unorganized, no inventory or inventory control, no manuals, no schedualed Preventive Maintenace program, etc. The last head mechanic made it so he was the only one who knew where stuff was and what was going on. He never wanted to teach anyone anything or include anyone in his system. I've seen it before in this business, it seems to be a percieved way to make yourself "invaluable".
The lane oiler is a very complicated $35,000 system with 39 independently controlled oil-spray nozzles (one for every laneboard) and a stand-alone computer control system. Very daunting programing learning curve. The machines are a newer model, they are 220v instead of 110v, and about 50% different then the ones i'm used to. The biggest hurdle being the very alien & complicated scoring system. Pretty much overwhelming.
And I have a 4 day national tourniment in 1 day. I will have some help, but these are the guys that are supposed to be under me, not teaching me! Just don't look good....
So I got a lot of learning to do, and alot of work infront of me. I'm gettin' too old for this shizz.
Is it wrong to ask for prayers that I pick it up quickly and retain at least a fraction of what I learn?
Ahh. Nothing new here move along move along... Well it's new to you---so here's the deal. Your situation is nothing unusual, especially at your age. You have loads and years of experience, just not all of it applicable to this exact environment and not all of it in a leadership position. As you get older and have siad experience, the odds are, that one will encounter this same situation several times. You, are the boss. That does NOT mean you have to or are expected to know every little trick and nuance of your work environmnet. It's simply YOUR job, to determine which of your staff to delgate tasks to, and use THEIR experience to your advantage. Make sure, when the situation arises that one or all of them saves your butt, that you give them due credit. THAT, is what makes a boss or manager--a leader.
I've seen this a LOT in the military. A 1st or 2nd Lt right out of Officer school, still wet behind the ears-- arrive in a combat zone and be assigned platoon leader etc. He don't know crap from shinola, but he's got the silver or gold insignia, so he's the boss no matter what---but he knows enough to KNOW he doesn't know crap, so he leans on his junior team members to prop him up till he gets on an even keel with everything.
The guy before you. A POS, but you owe him a debt of gratitude. If not for his selfish hoarding of knowledge and expereince, you would still be at your old job, because one of his underlings would no doubt have been chosen to be promoted 'in-house' to take his place. Never hesitate to teach anyone willing to learn (and even those who are not) anything you know. It makes things so much easier when you get ready to leave a job, to be able to go to your boss, give him the bad news, but temper it by explaining you have one or more qualified people that can step right in and take your place.
Great Potential abounds in your job. It's a mess now, so you have the opportunity to make of it all you can, and recieve most of the credit for it, which usually translates into added earning power.
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10:15 PM
PFF
System Bot
cliffw Member
Posts: 35921 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by Boondawg: I will have some help, but these are the guys that are supposed to be under me, not teaching me! Just don't look good....
Hmm ... wrong attitude. I don't know how to say it. Hmm. I have changed jobs a lot. I have been the boss and I have been the one that every one wants to be the boss. There is no under and I can be taught. In fact, letting them teach is a very good morale booster. No idea is a bad idea. No question is a dumb question. As far as not looking good. meh ... , you are expecting too much from yourself. Relax. Enjoy. Conquer. After all, they were not expecting much when they hired you . Just kidding. They know exactly what they got. Don't overwhelm yourself with doubt. Do the job they know you can. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP OR ADVICE FROM UNDERLINGS OR OVERLINGS.
Oh, and another thing. We are all, always, at the helm of our destiny. Just some of us spend the time looking for the "Autopilot" button, thinking it'll get us where we want to go.
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10:30 PM
Blacktree Member
Posts: 20770 From: Central Florida Registered: Dec 2001
Cliff brings up a good point. Your workers will actually respect you more if you are willing to learn from them. They get to show off their skills. You get to learn stuff. And they'll think you're a cool dude.
Just be careful not to let them walk all over you, and you'll be peachy.
By the way, congrats on the promotion!
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 05-10-2011).]
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11:41 PM
May 11th, 2011
Boondawg Member
Posts: 38235 From: Displaced Alaskan Registered: Jun 2003
Today was a little better. I tamed a known trouble maker machine. Allthough they didn't fall all over me like I thought they should, it was good for me, anyway. In my mind they were lappin' me up like a saucer of milk. I am, an army of one.
[This message has been edited by Boondawg (edited 05-11-2011).]
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08:48 PM
avengador1 Member
Posts: 35467 From: Orlando, Florida Registered: Oct 2001
Today was a little better. I tamed a known trouble maker machine. Allthough they didn't fall all over me like I thought they should, it was good for me, anyway. In my mind they were lappin' me up like a saucer of milk. I am, an army of one.
Nicely done!
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09:20 PM
Boondawg Member
Posts: 38235 From: Displaced Alaskan Registered: Jun 2003
Yeah, it was pretty sweet. Sometimes I get these moments when I almost believe I actually AM somebody. Those are very great moments. It's all me. :rocker:
[This message has been edited by Boondawg (edited 05-11-2011).]
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09:35 PM
Patrick Member
Posts: 36401 From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Registered: Apr 99
You've always been at the helm of your own destiny.
Ahh, no, you are not. The concept of " destiny " is the idea that we are going to a place/time/event regardless of what we do. This is the idea of being "destined" for something. No matter what we do, destiny is the place we are headed, which suggests we are not in control of our lives. The word destiny is used far too often, because it has no value, since, as you were actually trying to say, blackrams, we are in control of our lives. ( Note correct use of commas ) . What you meant was that we are in control and choose, by action or inaction, where we are going and what we are doing. This is correct.
quote
Originally posted by cliffw:
Well said Ron. I might add that destiny is an abstract.
And a wrongful abstract at that.
Now, having given what should be a useful lesson on language error, I need to say, Boondawg, go get 'em.
You've always been at the helm of your own destiny. Yeah, there are outside influences but, you've always choosen the course. You're just in uncharted waters now but you will become familiar with this body of water and it's currents, storms, safe haven harbors, predators and those on the bottom of the food chain. This is what you've prepared for your entire life, it's also just another step in the endless circle. Have fun doing what you already know how to do.
