How New Managers Make a Business Unmanaged

In every form of business  there’s always a little unmanagement.  Usually it comes in the body of a new manager/supervisor.

Managers/supervisors are,  in a sense necessary.   They are like borders.   When there is a new border, if it isn’t too disruptive, people will deal with it.  Once that border denies access,  people will find ways to circumvent.

New managers/supervisors who have a nascent ability and recognise that any change they make must be gradual, can enter without disruption.   Those who need to make their mark create a lot of problems.

This is one of those people

Enter Mr. Miniboss

The first action Miniboss did was to remove the trash bin.  He felt that it didn’t look right that as visitors entered the building they would see it.

Unknown to Miniboss was that the bin was perfectly placed between two divisions divisions of the company.  He didn’t notice that employees would enter with their trash in hand, put it into the bin,  and go to their post.

He had the bin removed, thinking that it would be better to have a poster in its place.

OBLIVIOUS

People don’t look at certain things.  A trash bin isn’t the most attractive thing, so people, who ‘know’ it is there, don’t look at it.   So the staff, assuming the bin was there, pitched their trash where it was supposed to be, but wasn’t.

Then they’d ask where it was, learn Mr. Miniboss had moved it, and suck their teeth and keep going.

By the end of the day there was quite a bit of rubbish beneath the  poster.  One of the secretaries saw the trash, made an alarm.

Everyone ignored her.

It had become a kind of ‘rebellion’ against Miniboss.

When Bigboss came, tossed his empty cup into the rubbish bin that wasn’t there, he shouted; “Where’s the Bin?”

Everyone hurried to tell him Miniboss had removed it.   Bigboss made a NSFA remark, ordered it returned to position.

Clearly,  no one was going to tell Miniboss that His Boss had ordered the bin returned when he came in the next day.   So the bin was gone again, the trash was tossed on the floor, and then someone went to tell Bigboss that Miniboss had deliberate moved the bin, although HE had ordered it there.

Controlled Explosion

Everyone was silent when Bigboss summoned Miniboss to HIS office.  People stood, some trying to get in hearing distance.

It wasn’t a long explosion.   Bigboss said whatever, Miniboss slunk out and went back to his office, and the Trash bin returned to it’s place of honour.

There was some applause.