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Well Mark & Mike...

I have to say a BIG THANK YOU for Manager Tools Podcast. I would directly contribute my success over the past year to listening to them.

Back in November 2007 I applied for my first manager position as a team leader of 5 workers. The team had some serious team work and personality conflict issues to say the least. Through coaching/feedback and one on ones... I was able to boost moral and get the team back on track. Within 4 months I received a cash award for increasing production by over 50%. I was praise for my accomplishment and even told that I preformed a miracle.

Recently I applied for an even higher position as a Branch Chief. Today I found out that I got it.

The reason that I came to Manager Tools in the first place was that there was NO training in place for beginning managers... such as team leaders. Even though at times the podcasts seem like you were talking to executives, I took the aspects of each session and used it to the bitter end.

I have gone from a simple worker bee to middle level manager in less then 12 months.

Thanks again and keep up the great job of churning out these great podcasts.

lazerus's picture

Congratulations! Managing people is really hard some days. Getting the result you're after is the best reward. I'm like you, thankful that this resource exists. I think Mike and Mark are doing something really important here, and that we as mangers can sometimes show evidence that these methods really work (in many different and diverse kinds of organizations). We too are doing important work by changing how managing is done, the MT way.

Fantastic comments. Thanks for sharing.

BJ_Marshall's picture
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Congratulations on your promotion! Mike and Mark have shown you what they can, and you deserve great credit for applying it. Well done.

As another Federal employee in the D.C. area (I work for the Census Bureau), I do not know of any other managers at Census that follow the M-T way, despite my sharing it openly. It's really encouraging for me to read the success of another civil service manager.

I hope to meet you at our next Baltimore/DC Meetup!

BJ

jhack's picture

Congratulations, and welcome to the forums!

John

RichRuh's picture
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Congratulations!

--Rich

FederalWorker's picture

[quote="wmarsha1"]Congratulations on your promotion! Mike and Mark have shown you what they can, and you deserve great credit for applying it. Well done.

As another Federal employee in the D.C. area (I work for the Census Bureau), I do not know of any other managers at Census that follow the M-T way, despite my sharing it openly. It's really encouraging for me to read the success of another civil service manager.

I hope to meet you at our next Baltimore/DC Meetup!

BJ[/quote]

I tried to attend one of conferences, but my senior level manager said that he looked at it and thought that I could find a better way to spend the agency's money.

Yes I have told others about MT but they all said "they don't have time to do one on ones".

Some people you can hit them over the head with a rock but they don't seem to get it.

I was a little worried at first that I might lose my edge by telling them about MT, but they don't want to change, oh well, some day they will be one of MY directs.

:lol:

FederalWorker's picture

[quote="jhack"]Congratulations, and welcome to the forums!

John[/quote]

Thanks John... I have actually posted numerous times before but, wanted to be more low key after listening to the PODCAST about Myspace and other social networks.

FederalWorker's picture

[quote="RichRuh"]Congratulations!

--Rich[/quote]

Thanks Rich

RichRuh's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

[quote]I tried to attend one of conferences, but my senior level manager said that he looked at it and thought that I could find a better way to spend the agency's money. [/quote]

That's the funniest thing I've heard all day.

Pay for it yourself- the raise that you get afterwords will more than pay for the cost. :)

--Rich

FederalWorker's picture

[quote="lazerus"]Congratulations! Managing people is really hard some days. Getting the result you're after is the best reward. I'm like you, thankful that this resource exists. I think Mike and Mark are doing something really important here, and that we as mangers can sometimes show evidence that these methods really work (in many different and diverse kinds of organizations). We too are doing important work by changing how managing is done, the MT way.

Fantastic comments. Thanks for sharing.[/quote]

Thanks Jeff

I wanted to yell from the roof tops that this MT Stuff works... It is not some gimick...

The thing that really gets me is that I went up against seasoned managers... I thought I might not have a chance... but just goes to show you if you have you act together and work hard and take chances... it pays off in the end!!!

mauzenne's picture
Admin Role Badge

Congratulations, FederalWorker! Of course, you did ALL the work and deserve all the credit. And we're happy to have played even a small role.

And you discovered one of the greatest secrets ... there are no secrets. It's all out there (whether we're talking about management or anything else for that matter) and the difference between excellence and mediocrity is simply the willingness to listen and apply.

Well done!

Best Regards,
Mike

JoeFuture's picture

Congratulations! I'll pile on - without MT, I'm sure I would not be in the position I'm in today. The podcasts came at the perfect time when I was in a rut in my career, and today I can honestly say that the MT advice was THE major factor in turning my career around.

As far as the 1:1s go, I recommend you do them & keep espousing their effectiveness, and when your manager finally asks you why your team is so much more effective than all the others, you can tell him to ask your team members. I'll bet most if not all will say, "1:1s, feedback, delegation, and coaching" :)

mdave's picture

Congrats! I too, as a first line public supervisor, found MT on a hunt for some much needed resources on how to do my job. My supervisory training was more along the lines of how to hire and how to fire. MT made a huge huge difference to me and the performance of my team.

I love it!!! And every week I get to subject myself to about 45 minutes of the highest caliber management training known to man.

Again congrats. As a taxpayer, it is reassuring that there are managers out there with a high sense of performance and accountibility. Best wishes!!!