Friday, June 11, 2004

From an employee's point of view

... or in other words, the idiot's most recent blunder?

I am of the opinion that if your subordinates performs badly, it reflects badly upon you as the manager/supervisor.

Now correct me if I'm wrong but as a manager, isn't it your responsibility to make sure that your subordinates do well? That they are performing well and also that they are consistently working efficiently as well a happily under your care?

And if they are performing below par? Who is to blame? Them or you?

Recently, I was arranged to attend a meeting with a potential client for a project. Besides myself, one of our business development guys (BD) and the idiot (PM) were to be in attendance as well. The meeting was set at 3pm. I left at 2.30pm as the previous trip to that client's office was approximately a 30 minutes ride. The other two left earlier to attend to some other matter; unrelated to this client.

So, there's three cars heading towards the city for the same meeting. BD arrived first. Followed by PM. Me? I got stuck in traffic. Bad selection of route since I'm not familiar with downtown traffic at that hour. At the appointed time, I was still stuck in traffic with and estimated ETA of 20 minutes? However, since I was going to be late and the 'important' people are already at the meeting, I SMSed them to go ahead with the meeting and not to waste time.

I arrived an hour later at 4pm, apologizing profusely about my lateness citing bad traffic and having chosen the wrong route. We went on with the meeting. The client and BD cotinued their discussion and I intermittedly interrupted which my concerns. PM just sat there.

An hour later, having concluded the meeting, while the three of us was waiting for the lift to arrive, I apologised again for being late citing the same reasons. Then we left in our separate cars.

The next day, sometime after lunch, I receive and email from PM, requesting an explanation for my being late for the meeting. He further wrote that he has noticed that this was not the first time that I have been late to a client meeting and HR has record of my lateness as well. This email was CC-ed to the HR Manager and his superior.

Now ... I find this baffling. Is verbal explanation to your superior not enough? Was my explanation on-site insufficient? Are further written evidence of 'misconduct' necessary? Lastly, why is there a need to inform others in the company? If he has a bone to pick with me regarding the matter, shouldn't he talk to me first?

Maybe this is why he's the manager and I'm the subordinate.

I did not understand that Managers are suppose to tattle about every one of their subordinate's misdemeanors.
I did not understand that Managers are time keepers of their subordinates. Keeping a record of what time they arrive in the mornings, goes out and comes back from lunch and goes home.
I did not understand that Managers do not have to confront with their subordinate's when they have a problem with them. That is the HR Manager's task. [ I must really keep this one in mind. ]
I did not understand that Managers are not responsible for their subordinates not being able to make deadlines. It's the subordinate's responsibility. Theirs and theirs alone.


What's your take on this?

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