A New Take on Trust

What do managers do? That's a pretty broad question so let's take me for an example. I am a manager, what  do I do? Well, when my daughter asked me that very question a few months ago, I started to think and came up with this, an example of my typical day.  But that is not the whole story.

When I returned to work on Friday after spending the week away on business, I spent the first 1 1/2 hours at my desk doing one thing over and over and over again. No, I was not banging my head on the desk but close :).  Sometime between Friday and today, I realized that I didn't mention this task in my recap of a typical day. How could I have left it off? What was I thinking?

Well, it can be a seemingly small task and something done routinely and often without thought. However, it really is much more than that. This is a task fraught with responsibility, accountability, and more. The first few times it was ceremonial, it was exciting and yes, I was young and naive. The novelty wore off rather quickly and now it has turned into something else. Let's just say that when I go down, it is going to be because of this task. When I go down, it is going to be for something that I signed. Yes, the thing that takes me down will have my name all over it. My signature will be my downfall.

I sign because that's what manager's do.  Research your action, do the leg work, get the facts straight and when I ask, be prepared to answer with information not emotion. Yes, at times I absolutely do have to see everything in writing. Tip: DO NOT respond, "well you signed it" when asked about an action. This is about as non recoverable as it gets for me.

I sign without much question or fanfare. Why? Because I trust you. Don't take that lightly. I don't.

Comments

[Bruce]

Great point. As both a signer and a petitioner of signatures higher up the food chain, I'm lucky enough to see this from both sides. I don't have time or energy enough to second or third guess everything brought to me for my okay, nor can I beg, plead, and explain for everything I need signed. Trust in your subordinates is priceless, on both ends.

[Lisa]

Agreed. At times when discussing an action up the chain I get back, "don't worry, you will not have to sign it" but really, that that is not the point. If I would not sign it, I would not advocate or advise anyone else to either.

[tina marie]

lisa,
hi, i was trying to pull up a blog of yours that appeared on hr capitalist, but the url is not working. it was titled "when employees blog about pending harassment claims...". if you still have it available, could you let me know how to find it? thanks!

tinamarie