No Respect? Here's What To Do About It.

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Eye on the Workforce

  by - Joe Wynne

From big workforce issues to interpersonal interactions, we'll look for the latest and most effective solutions.

Communication | HR Mgmt | Leadership | Learning | Performance Improvement | Worker Selection

No Respect? Here's What To Do About It.

How do you feel about being a middle manager? That’s what you are if you are a project manager – between a rock and a hard place. You have higher-level managers and stakeholders squeezing you for results on one side and an unevenly performing workforce on the other. And, if you are like many, you are required to spend more hours with fewer clear objective achievements to show for it – although you have an ever-growing stack of meeting minutes to show for your time.
 
You should not be surprised that many are leaving middle management positions and others are not in a hurry to take their place. Accenture says that roughly 40% of managers are extremely or very satisfied working for their employers. About the same number felt that they were doing all the work but not getting paid for it. Funny those numbers are similar.
 
Do you have the same problems as other managers?
  • More work being piled on
  • Requirement to be available all the time
  • Belief that termination is coming
  • Meetings meetings meetings
 
Perhaps you should do something. Well, here’s my take: If middle managers are not getting any respect I your organization, move on. But only move on to another organization that supports middle managers. If there are fewer and fewer middle managers, and you get extra training and development in that area, then you can quickly become a hot commodity! Start your research now.
| Posted: August 15, 2007 09:28 AM | Permalink | Email Notifications: ON |


Rudolf Melik says:

I enjoyed this post and blogged about it on Talent On Target.

I was inspired by your advice that project managers who don't get respect should find employers who value them. This will be especially critical as more and more work becomes project-driven.

Employers who don't make the Project Workforce Manager's title a hot one, through respect and good compensation, should get what they deserve--inferior Project Workforce Managers. On the other hand, the employers who understand the value of managers who can manage remote teams, match talent to tasks, and make work happen smoothly should not be afraid to seek employment where they will get the most for their abilities.

Sunday, September 9, 2007 8:31:09 PM EDT

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