Submitted by pdcb on
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Just starting my new management position and only just discovered MT in the last few weeks - lucky I have time to prep! I am excited to finally be given the reigns and use my people skills in a brand new light! That being said, I now have a large budget to help facilitate any workshops/lunches/group and team building exercises that i think would be beneficial. I used to think that HR did all of this but now it seems that I am the one that needs to come up with these suggestions (which I think is much more appropriate anyhow).
I will not be changing anything for the first few months (as mandated by MT) but since there will be reorganizations that will be happening by upper-management pretty much on the doorstep of my arrival (which I do not have control over), I think something needs to be happening to keep morale up - and I think I need to at least do that part since these people will be my group that will be going through yet another change). I am a huge supporter of ensuring that morale stays up throughout a transition process and not just bringing someone in to do this at the end......any suggestions would be appreciated FYI - I have not worked with any of these people in the past just being hired new to bring a new perspective......thanks
Save your budget
Don't do any team building, don't do any workshops. Before you assume you have to spend that money, find out whether you can moves into a different budget bucket. If you can balance your budget by not spending it, and you won't lost it next year, that's what to do. If you are forced to spend, ask your top performers what training they want. Wait until you understand the needs better. Mark Sent from seat 6b, aa flight aa753, lga-DFW.
Sorry for all the edits - sooooo tired after three days presenting - emc and ecc in Newark, and then a day with a client in NYC.
Thanks for the
Thanks for the reply....funny, though that my timing was a bit off. As I have not even come close to reading/discovering all the insiteful podcasts on MT, it shouldn't be surprising that I had missed the one specifically geared toward my question regarding workshops (and how they really are going to build the team) called TeamBuilding_101. I think I found that podcast about an hour after posting my original question. The funnier thing is that I KNEW all of this beforehand - managing is about people and not about special events made to get everyone in a room and say "let's build a team". But I thank you just the same for the reply!
One exception I would look
One exception I would look at, if you have anyone below you managing people, I would suggest sending them along to a MT Conference ;)
Kind Regards
Mads Sorensen
Disc 4536
I am being "pushed" by my
I am being "pushed" by my manager to make a big splash and do something that puts my name on the place - good things are encouraged of course (although he sounds more like he would be happy to even have an unhappy reaction....ugh) - and I've been told that the budget is there to make things happen. besides lunches out and lunches in, I almost stress that I won't be able to "find that thing" that makes a statement......
good book for new managers
I am in a similar position, 7 months into a new job now with much more managerial authority/responsibility than I've had in the past. I would highly recommend the book "The First 90 Days" by Michael Watkin. If your boss is pushing you to "make a splash", if I were you I'd try to nail him down to more specific goals. Also, as I'm sure you know if you're reading MT, the best thing you can do to build your team is get to know them, via team meetings and one-on-ones. And when your big splash does come, be sure to share the credit with them!
Thanks for the book
Thanks for the book suggestion. I absolutely agree with getting to know the staff and I have been concentrating on that task. It is proving informative as these people seem to be screaming for a change and more management involvement - they want rules (for lack of a better term). I am not changing anything yet as there is more information gathering that I must absolutely do at the moment. The big splash is something that I want to do to ensure them that they are important to my team and the organization - the big splash doesn't have anything to do with me making a name for myself but it's moreso an activity, event etc, that will make them happy they are part of the group and are no longer struggling to be noticed - this is a very intricate group of people that have worked together for a long time, have been bought and resold a couple of times and really feel left out of the corporate goals and strategies. As an outsider coming in, I understand their disinterest in anything outside the scope of the "daily routine" but I am trying to build those relationships to foster a team mentality that I think they have been without for a long time. The "team building" excercises seem smushy to me.......I think I'm rambling on......