Do Your Managers "Get It"?
January 12, 2016

Don't Take Knowledge For Granted. Some managers “get it,” and some managers don't. I was recently talking to a good friend (who just happens to be a client). In the course of our conversation, he said one of the biggest (and most frustrating) issues he sees is managers who simply follow the formula and go by the book. They don’t take the time to communicate with or think about an individual or his/her circumstances. We came to the conclusion that taking the easy way out may be why it’s sometimes hard to get supervisors truly on board when trying to win a union campaign. In their minds, it’s probably easier for them to manage by the contract than to use some common sense.

Unfortunately, individuals who are not given the proper tools can sometimes cause more problems. They don’t have ulterior motives, and they don’t mean to create trouble, but in a lot of cases they are promoted from within the ranks (which is a good thing), but then are expected to lead the guys they used to work beside. Without proper education, we’ve seen favoritism run rampant and short-cited decisions being made. Those issues can and do lead to union activity if not attended to quickly. It’s happened on far too many occasions 

To help rectify those problems, we’ve recently been producing educational videos for supervisors that give them examples of real life situations, like FMLA and, of course, union avoidance. (Click the link above to see video samples.) The videos are short and typically shown in stand-up teaching situations. The teacher shows the clip and then opens up discussion about how the situation was handled. When I’ve attended some of the classes I’ve actually been amazed at some of the comments that arose from these clips. (Some would curl your hair.) The clips hit hot buttons and typically start discussions on what was done correctly and what was not. Often the discussions last 15 minutes or more. 

 

For clients whose organizations are spread out all across the country and even globally, we can also provide self-contained videos to ensure that everyone hears the same message system-wide. In those circumstances, we recommend they have a contact to reach out to if there are additional questions that arise. Please let us know if you would like more information about generic clips or if you can use some specific courses. As always, we’re here to be of service to you and your company. 

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