As you climb your Construction or Engineering career ladder, you’ll no doubt work under a number of different people before one day you get the opportunity to manage and lead your own teams. Inevitably along the way you will have managers you admire and those who you don’t get on so well with.
Make sure, along the way, you learn to take the most negative and fear inducing experiences and employ those when you finally get to manage your own team.
1. DO NOT THANK YOUR STAFF!
Whatever you do, don’t thank your staff. They get paid to do a job so let them just do it. If you’re feeling generous and feel that you must show some kind of appreciation don’t do it informally or infront of the team. Wait for the annual appraisal (if they haven’t left) so that no-one else knows that you thanked them. That should do the job nicely!
2. HAVE A GOOD SHOUT AT YOUR TEAM!
Have you just found out that they made a mistake? Did they take a risk or try and do something different? Give those lungs a good stretch and really have a good scream at them! You’ll show them ‘who’s the boss’ and ‘who makes the decisions round here.’ That way you should put a stop to any future innovation attempts and really exert your control over the team.
3. KEEP ALL PERSONAL ISSUES AWAY FROM ME!
You’re the manager and you can’t be bothered with your teams personal issues, and quite frankly who cares? They’re not your issues are they. They’re paid to do the job and they’re going do it anyway, and if they don’t do the job, see point 2 above.
4. DON’T MAKE TIME FOR YOUR TEAM!
You’re the manager, you’re carrying a lot of responsibility and your time is precious. You’re the most important person here and people should fit into your timetable. You shouldn’t have to stay later than everyone else just because you had to make yourself available for other members of your team and now you need to catch up on your own work.
5. DO NOT INVOLVE THEM IN YOUR DECISIONS
What you say goes. Why do you need any more input? You’re the manager and you’re there because of your expertise and experience so you obvioulsy know best. You’ve been there and done it so it’s your way or the highway! Your frontline guys haven’t been here as long as you have and they won’t know anywhere near as much as you. Keep them at a distance and don’t involve them.
6. REHIRE OFTEN
You’ll need a good relationship with a bang average recruitment agency who is happy to keep sending you candidates for you to chew up and spit out. They will also be happy with the repeat business.
Disclaimer 1
If you recognise any of these traits below in yourself, make sure you resign and seek some training!
Disclaimer 2
We do not recommend taking any of the above advice (except Disclaimer 1).