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My name is Terri Hamilton. I was promoted a couple months ago to Manager of Technical Publications at a small airline. (small = I would be very surprised if you'd ever heard of it) I have 5 DRs - 4 F/T, 1 P/T.

I used to say I would NEVER want to be a manager! So be careful what you say "Never" about! But actually, the new duties have energized me. I think I was bored and needing a new challenge, and didn't know it.

The previous manager quit because the stress was affecting his health. But I don't believe that's inevitable. So I started looking for education to manage manageably. :lol:

My brother gave me an iPod for Christmas, so as soon as it looked like I was going to get promoted, I looked for podcasts about management... but didn't actually find M-T until I had listened to "Middle Management Lobotomy" for a while and he mentioned M-T. Praise be!

Now I'm enthusiastically trying to catch up on 2 years of podcasts. My new strategy - alternate an old one with a recent one, so I won't be comPLETEly behind and I can at least read the blog. :roll:

So glad this is here too!
Terri

mauzenne's picture
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Welcome to Manager Tools, Terri ... glad you finally found us! :-)

Let us know how we can help!

best regards,
Mike

Mark's picture
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Welcome Terri!

Glad you're here. Couple years ago had to fly on Allegiant (?) out to a Rockford chemical plant, if that's you it was just fine.

Look forward to helping you continue to enjoy your new responsibilities.

Mark

terrih's picture

Nope, not Allegiant.

Ryan International Airlines, if you must know :wink: ... mostly ad hoc & charter. A lot of DOD, "Con Air," and vacation charters to Cozumel and other such destinations.

(not to be confused with RyanAir in Ireland)

Terri

terrih's picture

Why are the hardest (er, most challenging) manager tasks coming at me before I even have 6 months in the role? :roll:

namely...
Firing (almost)
and Hiring

Now I'm just waiting for someone to say, You think those are hardest? Just wait'll you have to (fill in the blank)!

OK, got that off my chest now. :D

--Terri

p.s. I just checked out "First, Break All the Rules" from the library... seems like it might be helpful in the hiring bit, am I right?

RichRuh's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

[quote]Why are the hardest (er, most challenging) manager tasks coming at me before I even have 6 months in the role?
[/quote]

Because you're the best person to do those tasks? :shock:

I think hiring and firing are the hardest part of the job, but I've never (yet) had to go through a layoff.

terrih's picture

[quote]Because you're the best person to do those tasks?[/quote]

whatEVer. :wink:

But seriously, thanks for the encouragement. 8)

--Terri

Mark's picture
Admin Role Badge

Just a word to the wise, folks: the phrase "hire and fire" is widely perceived to be much more punitive and derogatory than most managers know. Among more senior people, it was used specifically to imply that subordinates and lower level employees were not really people, just cogs in the great machine of a big company, and the person using it was the one with the power to "hire and fire".

Nowadays, non-manager employees who hear it often say it's insulting as well.

I know you didn't mean it, but thought I'd give you some background.

Mark

terrih's picture

:idea: That's good to know; a cultural nuance I hadn't actually been exposed to before, but ignorance wouldn't be an excuse if I used it in a sensitive context. Thanks.

--Terri