Who hear is a leader/boss?

[Curtis Reed]

I am not a boss or supervisor but just the fact that you came on here seeking advice makes me think you’ll do great. 

[Basser15]

Much easier to run a tight ship and loosen up to where you need to be then to start loose and then tighten up.  Not always going to be able to be their friend.....but that's OK as long as you are respected.

[TOBY]

If your company has an hr department you will need documentation even on the slightest things. Getting rid of an employee who does just enuf to pass an hr interview but you know fucks off all day is real bitch to dispose of. Plus everyone has a different speed and idea of what a job done right is. 

[DUG]

Donuts/Bagels a couple times a month especially if they are busting butt and working OT. Maybe pizza after a great quarter. Document the slackers and like someone said "praise in public". Make everyne feel included.

[Wrangler]

Show up early, leave late and lead by example

Keep doing what you did to get to your new position

Good luck

[muledeerarea33?]

Sorry if I haven’t “liked or quoted” on all the responses. I’ve looked at them all and am trying to absorb all the info. Today was supposed to be just changing shops and organizing myself. But I found myself organizing others and changing stuff around already! Most were 100% on board (knowing they needed it) and few were not. I'll be observing for the next week or so before I call a meeting and explain what I expect. Luckily I’ve worked with some of these guys before and already have the respect built with them. Thank you all again for the responses. Day -1 was rough! Hopefully day 0 will be better!!

[oz31p]

21 hours ago, Flatlander said:

Looks like you are getting plenty of advice here. I won’t add a whole lot but emphasize the difference between leader and manager. A couple practical things. Your job is to A) Provide direction B ) Remove roadblocks.

It doesn’t matter how technically sound your work is, now your job is to help people figure out how to be effective in their own way. So just telling people is not nearly as effective as helping people figure out how to figure things out their own way.

If you need more reading material I would suggest The First 90 Days. Great book for new managers and leaders. I still reference it often.

Emphasis on remove road blocks

[Flatlander]

There are no bad teams... only bad leaders.

[muledeerarea33?]

1 hour ago, Flatlander said:

There are no bad teams... only bad leaders.

But when specific skilled workers are non existent and a shop needs skilled, AND! The skilled guys are not so skilled and being pre Madonnas and acting like they’re fully trained but they’re not!! I thrive off chaos!! Hopefully I can handle this amount of it!

[Delw]

1 hour ago, muledeerarea33? said:

But when specific skilled workers are non existent and a shop needs skilled, AND! The skilled guys are not so skilled and being pre Madonnas and acting like they’re fully trained but they’re not!! I thrive off chaos!! Hopefully I can handle this amount of it!

sounds like a Machine shop That I worked at in the late 80's lots of union guys from the east coast and Chicago, Detriot areas

[Hoss50]

4 hours ago, muledeerarea33? said:

Sorry if I haven’t “liked or quoted” on all the responses. I’ve looked at them all and am trying to absorb all the info. Today was supposed to be just changing shops and organizing myself. But I found myself organizing others and changing stuff around already! Most were 100% on board (knowing they needed it) and few were not. I'll be observing for the next week or so before I call a meeting and explain what I expect. Luckily I’ve worked with some of these guys before and already have the respect built with them. Thank you all again for the responses. Day -1 was rough! Hopefully day 0 will be better!!

Get them on board early, but if they won't get on board, show them the door. Bad attitudes breed and that doesn't help success. 

[AZAV8ER]

Be as competent in your area as possible, communicate and have plan for the day, for the week and idea of whats the pertinent goals and always calm. Know and cultivate others in different parts of the organization that can help you remove roadblocks or whatever problems pop up. My son is an apprentice pipe fitter and he calls me about once or twice a week during his AM break time. Praise is huge, he was so proud his supervisor gave him credit for spotting a problem that left uncorrected would have been big bad. Take care of your guys, my son and his team did something that was safe but not per rules. His supervisor deflected the plant operator from hammering them the way they wanted to, also was a teaching moment that if you don't follow all the nitty little rules you put yourself and your boss in a bind. Communication, my son gets frustrated if the plan for his day is not clear. Good  luck and sounds like you have the perspective to be successful.

[Ringer]

I managed 100 people at 30 years old and 156 when I left the corporate life at 52. I now own a small biz. If the first guy gets to work at 6AM i have always been there at 5. Let them know they are more important than you are. They are. Mine know they will get paid even if I don't. You will always have an butt kisser that bugs the heck out of you. Treat him like your dog and rub his head every day. You will also have a lazy sack of shoot too so figure it out and get him to resign. He will poison the well. Your people will know if you are a stand up man and will walk through a wall to take care of them. They will also take care of you. You will do fine.

I have also taken many fishing trips to Alaska and Mexico and included some of my key managers. Some are now my best friends. At 71 I have seen it all but there are some real freaks coming up so never know. Good luck.

[mattys281]

I saw a lot of good tips on here, but didn’t read through them all so forgive me if I’m redundant.  I was the general manager of. 45+ employee aerospace machine shop for a number of years before striking out with my own company.  I had no leadership experience what so ever prior to getting that job, I went from being a manufacturing engineer/Cnc programmer to being everybody’s boss all at once.  It was definitely one of those experiences where I had to learn to swim by being tossed into the deep end.

Based on that , I’d say communication is probably numeral uno for successful leadership.  First step for you is to define your role with your employer.  Are you a manager or a supervisor?  They’re not the same thing.  What level of responsibility do you have and what authority?  Have a meeting with your boss, take notes.  Always take notes and keep them.

After that you should address your subordinates and make sure they understand your new role as well as you do.  Also make sure they know you’re there to support and help them as much as possible, you’re not I interested in busting balls, but be clear that the priorities that the boss has flowed down to you are the priorities of your team.  If there’s entrenched people (also known as ‘unfireables’) I’d address them separately and be honest about your new role.  Make sure they know you respect their experience, you recognize your own inexperience and you are counting on them to help make the team successful.  
If part of your new role is to address employee performance and discipline, make sure you take good notes and keep a log of employee accomplishment/praise as well as disciplinary issues.  I had several managers under me, so I made sure there was always two of us in the room for these discussions, and documented who was there on my log.  This is log is vitally important if someone has to be fired and hen they try to sue or file a bs unemployment claim.  I had to fax my discipline log to the unemployment office a couple times, but nobody I fired ever got a dime out of the company afterwards.

its an exciting growing and learning experience.  Your boss should be your safety, make sure you use it!  When in doubt, ask questions.

best of luck!

 

[muledeerarea33?]

Just an update to this. I don’t like leaving things unanswered. I’ve been reading a whole lot less “.new content” here and answering texts less frequently. (Kevin, I’ll find a shotgun for your kids!!) this job has taken over my existence but that’s ok, I welcome the challenge! I’ve used the advice of almost everyone here and so far you guys are not wrong. Thank you to everyone again. Time to get my short sleep now.