A lot of the time we moan about the groundies/climbers/workers, but after 9 years in tree care and 20 odd in the workplace in general I am now wondering if the main problems dont stem first and foremost with the EMPLOYER!! I see biased behaviour in favour of the "favourites", I see unfair bonus schemes, I see petty company rules that only seem to work to undermine the workforce. I see bosses who want to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds,eg. be best buddies then expect to have some kind of authority. It is so disillusioning to see repeatedly the best of teams wrecked by the bosses. No wonder this country, and probably everyone elses country is in such a mess. Its high time some butt was kicked!!
What makes a good boss?
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John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
While i have seen a bit of what you mention, more of my experiance is that the whiney, selfcentered employee puts the ky-bosh on things.
Seems to me that you "want your cake, and eat it too" the employer cannot win. He's eaither too bossy or too much of a chum.
If honest people work together and let expectations be known, eg the boss is not bipolar, and occilates betwixed the above two charichters, then people can work. Often time it does untill the one guy takes advantage of the employers good will, or said employer gets taken too many time, or just runs through so many good for nothings that he looks on everyone who comes to him as beneath his contempt. (though do know there is a bit of a self fulfilling prophesy here, what with many companies pay the help)
So I guess what a good employer does, regardless of his management technique, is to
Seems to me that you "want your cake, and eat it too" the employer cannot win. He's eaither too bossy or too much of a chum.
If honest people work together and let expectations be known, eg the boss is not bipolar, and occilates betwixed the above two charichters, then people can work. Often time it does untill the one guy takes advantage of the employers good will, or said employer gets taken too many time, or just runs through so many good for nothings that he looks on everyone who comes to him as beneath his contempt. (though do know there is a bit of a self fulfilling prophesy here, what with many companies pay the help)
So I guess what a good employer does, regardless of his management technique, is to
- be consistant with that technique
- allow new people a chance to live up to (or down to) your expectation
- be willing to winnow the chaff in a search good people
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
While i have seen a bit of what you mention, more of my experiance is that the whiney, selfcentered employee puts the ky-bosh on things.
Seems to me that you "want your cake, and eat it too" the employer cannot win. He's eaither too bossy or too much of a chum.
If honest people work together and let expectations be known, eg the boss is not bipolar, and occilates betwixed the above two charichters, then people can work. Often time it does untill the one guy takes advantage of the employers good will, or said employer gets taken too many time, or just runs through so many good for nothings that he looks on everyone who comes to him as beneath his contempt. (though do know there is a bit of a self fulfilling prophesy here, what with many companies pay the help)
So I guess what a good employer does, regardless of his management technique, is to
Seems to me that you "want your cake, and eat it too" the employer cannot win. He's eaither too bossy or too much of a chum.
If honest people work together and let expectations be known, eg the boss is not bipolar, and occilates betwixed the above two charichters, then people can work. Often time it does untill the one guy takes advantage of the employers good will, or said employer gets taken too many time, or just runs through so many good for nothings that he looks on everyone who comes to him as beneath his contempt. (though do know there is a bit of a self fulfilling prophesy here, what with many companies pay the help)
So I guess what a good employer does, regardless of his management technique, is to
- be consistant with that technique
- allow new people a chance to live up to (or down to) your expectation
- be willing to winnow the chaff in a search good people
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
I've never seen a bad boss surrounded by good workers.
And vice-versa.
And vice-versa.
SteveBullman
User Formerly known as stephenbullman
interesting thread....i think bottom line is the boss needs to be the boss and nothing else. sure he should be friends with the staff but both parties need to know where to draw the line. at the end of the day its always going to come down the the individuals in question.
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
MasterBlaster said:
No bads ships, just bad Captain? I've heard that somewhere before.
Being a "whiney, self centred employee" could be my right. However its not how I see myself. I am not employed, but self-employed freelancer and as someone once told me the onlooker sees the most. I see things from both sides of the coin, the irresponsible behaviour of some employees, and equally the unfairness of some employers. I usually find my opinions are valued by both sides and have successfully mediated in the past during employer/employee disputes for a large company. I'm not against the employers per se. In fact I do everything in my power to do my work and then some when the regular employees are long gone home.
I did once, he lost his crew, empire crumbled at his feet. Had a few nervous breakdownsMasterBlaster said:
Try not to take this too much to heart, I just got pi$$ed off today seeing a good man pushed aside for a less good one, but if you have a good crew please appreciate them. Thank you. 
ozy365
ArboristSite Operative
People behave differently in relation to others than as an individual. I find most often I can work with anyone within their skill set. BUt if two low skilled guys get together they becoma a mob. Behavior averages; people rarely rise to the highest skill or sink to the lowest within a group. Keep yur standards high and encourage growth. Toss the bad apples and explain to the remainders. If you can trust your lowest performer, the teaam average has to be adequete.
wct4life
ArboristSite Operative
Hmmm.
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wct4life
ArboristSite Operative
I guess I'm trying to say "respect for the employee" is what makes a good boss.
fpyontek
ArboristSite Operative
Be fair.
Don't ask someone else to do something you have reservations about doing, or wouldn't do yourself.
Don't just criticize the poor performance, praise the good work.
Say what your doing and then do what your saying.
Fred
Don't ask someone else to do something you have reservations about doing, or wouldn't do yourself.
Don't just criticize the poor performance, praise the good work.
Say what your doing and then do what your saying.
Fred
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
fpyontek said:
I would have to qualify that, since people are often hired for the very reason the boss cannot do the job, or do it well.
Heck, one of the reasons for hiring a meanial is to get the $hitjobs done (anyone hear have to burn the latrine waste while in the military
) People hire me to do scary trees because they do not feel qualified to do it. I've walked away from a few too.
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
John Paul Sanborn said:
That's what keeps me in business!
fpyontek
ArboristSite Operative
John Paul Sanborn said:
The guy that hires you is not your boss, technically, since you are a sub. As a boss I cannot ask someone who works for me to do a tree that I think scary. That might be different if I hired someone that was more qualified than me. But that's another thread.
Fred
tnttreeman
ArboristSite Operative
Agreed. I own the company and am out on every job. I don't ask any of my guys to do something I myself wouldn't do, and I have proven this several times, jumping in to give a hand with what they're doing. I've even went to the extent to do the sh!t jobs myself, just to keep morale up.
Tom D. Wilson
ArboristSite Operative
my boss knows that at the end of the day if he's pi$$ed us off - which can be quite often at times we will go down to the nearest pub and not invite him! But then when the boss does come for a pint he'll always get the first round in but woe be-tied anyone who skips a round. When i first started working for my boss i got shouted at quite rergulary - being 2 hours late 2 days in a row on my second week didnt help, the fact that really i was only one hour late turning up to base camp and spending another hour driving to the site useing my own fuel probably saved my job, i still have the little prize they gave me on a little white plant tag saying 'i am a pr1ck' for the second time i was late. i got shouted at for not moving quick enough, not knowing my notts, not knowing how to operate the winch or diff lock on the trucks, forgetting spanners and braking things, including one of the kitchen door windows. yet now i'm up to speed and know what i'm doing so apart from the odd nudge i havn't been shouted at for a good while. I'm the first person who has worked for him who has gone on to college on my holidays and when i work weekends and stuff i get food and lodge as well as accses to his years of experience and information. I do get the ????ty jobs because i'm the apprentice, retreiving stuff from ditches and the like, but i know that my boss would do it if he had to - he doesn't particulary want to so thats why he passes it down- but we cant all start out at the top.
