Meme Thread... no politics

Seems about right.

93EXCivic said:

Seems about right.

There is a reason Dave is the first to go. He is the easiest to replace. Its not personal, it's a business decision. Good managers are hard to replace.

Toyman01 (Forum Supporter) said:

93EXCivic said:

Seems about right.

There is a reason Dave is the first to go. He is the easiest to replace. Its not personal, it's a business decision. Good managers are hard to replace.

That's what managers keep telling themselves, anyhow.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

We have what we call 3 year plans and 5 years plans.  How high level the new manager is depends on how long it takes for them to get fired and we can move on from their great new plan that didn't work 10 years ago when we tried it last.

Keith Tanner said:

Toyman01 (Forum Supporter) said:

There is a reason Dave is the first to go. He is the easiest to replace. Its not personal, it's a business decision. Good managers are hard to replace.

That's what managers keep telling themselves, anyhow.

If you polled the 11 people in that pic above, you'd get 10 nominations for best manager

Keith Tanner said:

Toyman01 (Forum Supporter) said:

93EXCivic said:

Seems about right.

There is a reason Dave is the first to go. He is the easiest to replace. Its not personal, it's a business decision. Good managers are hard to replace.

That's what managers keep telling themselves, anyhow.

Nope. Just a fact.

If FM needed to lay off people, would you lay off the guy that manages the shop and take the chance of losing him to the competition, or the guy turning wrenches and doing oil changes. The manager can turn wrenches for a few months to keep them employed, but the lube tech/wrench turner can't step up and take over for management. 

I can find a no nothing ditch digger on any street corner. Someone capable of running the job and and making sure the ditch digger doesn't do stupid things, on the other hand, is more difficult. Getting rid of your best people to keep the general laborer is just foolish. It makes coming back from the slump much more difficult because all your experience/talent is lost. 

I already know the exact order I will lay off employees if that becomes necessary. It's not personal, it's not a popularity contest, it's not an emotional decision, it's business. The decision is based on the best for the company.

Y'all are looking at it from the perspective of the guys in the picture. I'm looking at it from the perspective of the guy that is employing them. 

You are underselling the trades. Managers are not necessarily capable of doing what those they manage can do. Sure, there are a few ditch diggers - but management is a much more generic job than a skilled tradesman. I could find a new shipping or shop manager tomorrow but I'd have to look worldwide to find a customer support rep or wrench turner that meets our standards. I know this because we've had to replace all of those positions. 

The experience and talent critical to the success of the company is not necessarily at the managerial level.

I tell people all the time that if they want their problem managed then ask for the manager.  If they want it fixed then ask for a technician.

Toyman01 (Forum Supporter) said:

93EXCivic said:

Seems about right.

There is a reason Dave is the first to go. He is the easiest to replace. Its not personal, it's a business decision. Good managers are hard to replace.

It is from a site called World of Engineering. IMO my experience is that finding a good manager is much easier then finding a good engineer.

Toyman01 (Forum Supporter) said:

Nope. Just a fact.

If FM needed to lay off people, would you lay off the guy that manages the shop and take the chance of losing him to the competition, or the guy turning wrenches and doing oil changes. The manager can turn wrenches for a few months to keep them employed, but the lube tech/wrench turner can't step up and take over for management. 

I can find a no nothing ditch digger on any street corner. Someone capable of running the job and and making sure the ditch digger doesn't do stupid things, on the other hand, is more difficult. Getting rid of your best people to keep the general laborer is just foolish. It makes coming back from the slump much more difficult because all your experience/talent is lost. 

I already know the exact order I will lay off employees if that becomes necessary. It's not personal, it's not a popularity contest, it's not an emotional decision, it's business. The decision is based on the best for the company.

Y'all are looking at it from the perspective of the guys in the picture. I'm looking at it from the perspective of the guy that is employing them. 

 

It also depends on the size of the business and what the labor is doing. In your examples of small business, that's probably true. In a large company, cutting some management might make more sense than cutting out the guys keeping the lights on, the sales guys, the technicians keeping it running, etc.
 

Cat memes make everything better

Like with everything, the answer is it just depends. I'm an engineering manager but I also do engineering work when my employees get stumped. My past managers were way better at engineering than their employees, including me. Doesn't mean I expect a construction manager to be good at swinging a hammer.

Relevant for me today:

Back by (apparently) popular demand.

In reply to Floating Doc :

/died