How to handle a huge promotion?

Thanks, Pharon. :wink:

The s**t is actually hitting the fan this week. I'll keep ya'll posted!

For those interested, said s*it has hit the fan. I've never worked at a circus before.....

well?

i know i've been wondering how things have been going for you. I started a new job just about 3 months ago, and i know that some of the earth tremors are just getting started where i am.

Oh my! Circus, eh? Eek. Very curious as well.

Sorry for taking so long guys.....

This job is consuming my life ~ in a good way.

A previous 'go to' person was terminated ~ which has totally discombobulated everyone's idea of job security. There is no such thing. And my associates are learning this quickly.

I know that when I began this post, there was a lot of concern about 'change' and the affect it would have on employees. What I failed to mention is that this business has been run by the employees alone for years ~ but, their only concern has been for their wages. Which is fine, but the purpose of having a business is to make a profit for owners, investors and eventually employees.

For those who were concerned about me (and the new manager) bullying our way in, please rest assured that we are taking things very slowly.....We have plans, but don't want to cut off our noses to spite our faces.

Setting an example seems to be the best way to go about it with this group, so that's what we're focusing on.

An associate (that I recruited) and our two teenage sons spent all day on the property working. We weren't scheduled to be there, but we worked (hard) all the same. Showed up in grubby clothes, bribed our children to help out and we tackled 'organization' and inventory. The looks we got from the results of our tasks were unbelievable. And, I think our respect level has risen ~ we're trying to prove to these folks that we're in it for the team and not ourselves. This has always been my work ethic.

Getting back to job security.....

The 'go-to' person who was terminated was revered by all because this person knew everything there was to know about the property and no one thought things could be operated without this person. Simply not true. When push comes to shove, folks will get things done if their heart is in it.

I don't own this hotel/restaurant, but I treat everything about it as if I did and this is what my boss and I are trying to instill. Caring goes a long way.

So, things are hectic and chaotic. We are handling one crisis at a time. And doing the best that we can with what we've got.

Thanks for listening.

Rae, I'm afraid job security is a thing of the past everywhere. The best anyone can do is work hard, learn as much as possible and keep an open mind. Sounds like that's what you're doing and sounds like your achieving some success already.

When my son first graduated from college, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life. I told him then, and have repeated it from time to time when needed, that he will succeed at anything he tries. If you are reasonably intelligent and have a good work ethic, you will succeed. It constantly amazes me just how many people don't know the meaning of 'work'.

bandylu, ain't that the truth.

Rae, that sounds encouraging. I totally agree about showing rather than telling, in terms of management, not just writing. If you say, "I expect you to work hard," it's so much more powerful if they see YOU working hard.

Is there a way you can explain about the go-to person's termination that will help them feel better? I'm assuming there was a good reason for it; not that he was about to become eligible for a retirement package, or anything. Perhaps you can use whatever the reason was to clarify the new state of affairs for your employees. I think bandylu's point about job security is a good one, but I do think that people don't want to feel that they'll be fired for no reason at all, and if they are feeling that way about the go-to person ("no reason at all"), explanations might go a long way towards restoring morale and keeping things positive.



Darn tootin'.

Thanks, guys.

Unfortunately, there really is no way to make anyone feel better about the 'go-to' person's termination ~ they've all been accustomed to doing everything the way they see fit ~ even with 'management' in place, it's been a joke.

Again ~ on the touchy subject of change ~ this property needs it. Ya'll will just have to trust me when I tell you that it can't be avoided ~ and yes, it's important enough that positions will have to be re-evaluated or eliminated.

I've spent twenty-one years as an auditor (my natural disposition is that I question everything) and I'm a bean-counter at heart. Management is not my bag, but I do know when things aren't right. I'm a background person and that's just the way I like it. Give me the beans to count and I'm a happy girl.

The job-security issue is very important to me because I don't believe in it an I don't practise it. Maybe it's my accounting (accountability) background.....If any person were to walk into my office, I want them to be able to find whatever it is they require.

Enough rambling for one night. Thanks again for the kind words.

It just gets better and better <she says sarcastically>.

Don't know how much more I can take of this.

oh my.

Wow! I'm not sure I want to get started here. I have lots of opinions. Mostly because I'm troubleshooting all day - internal and external. Today I defused a customer that was like a A-bomb!

Rae, a lot of good advise has been given here - and it seems to me that you are coping pretty well.

One of the biggest factor in trying to implement a change in an organization is the time which the senior management has given you to turn the bloody thing around. If there is plenty of time, then it can be implemented slowly, gently in a way that the staff does not feel threatened, but if the organization needs to be turned around yesterday, then I am afraid, you need to be ruthless.

Let me share my example with you...

Sometime ago, I was asked to take over a large deparment in the bank. It was a new venture being setup and things had gone horribly wrong. We had spent over $6,000,000 in 2 years without having to show anything for it. I was given three months to come up with a plan turn it around, implement change and show some results on the ground. The department had 45 people, and some older and more senior to me who naturally resisted my appointment. I spent abt 2 weeks going through what had happened, the financials, talking to various staff (which was not easy, some of the people were outright hostile) and 2 weeks to finalize my strategy. After that called a meeting, outlined my strategy and told everyone that people who do not agree with the new strategy, org structure and way forward can resign on the spot. It's either my way or the highway. Even after we started working on the strategy, there were a couple of people who were hell bent on throwing the spanner in the works. A couple of sessions with them did not work, HR got involved, that did not help. I fired one employee publicly, in the middle of the floor - that bought everyone around.

In hind sight maybe that was not the correct way to do it, but when you have tight deadlines, and intertia in the department, you have to be ruthless.

Guatam ~ love your signature line.....

Thank you for the kind words and advice. If I'm repeating myself, please forgive me.....

The implementation of change is the crux of my concerns. My boss and I have over fifty years combined experience and by our second day on the job, we pretty much new what needed to be done.

But, instead of the proper thing ~ an entire staff meeting to relay (even in rough draft) change, it's being done here and there.....when the mood strikes. The associates who have been in this business for a long time understand what we're trying to do and are looking forward to running a professional and accountable business. The associates who are 'newbies' and/or not used to any type of structure are in a constant state of panic, understandably.

Anyway.....my own crisis right now is that I arrived to work Monday morning to find the accounting program (and a few other programs) completely wiped off of my computer. I have exactly ten days to get my P & L for November to our DOF. Isn't that special?

Better stop ranting.....It's almost 9 p.m. ~ a twelve hour day at work, and I've brought home a box of things to do tonight because there isn't enough time or solitude to get everything done.....

How long since the last backup, Rae. I one time had to reconstruct six weeks, thanks to a faulty Zipp drive. Check stubs, vendor files, and payroll registers will give you almost every thing you need. Sadly, it's a moving target. Tomorrows payroll has to be met tomorrow, vendors have to be paid, and guests still need that lovely smile.

Hi Roger. Back-up was never done on disk ~ just on the computer hard drive.....which conveniently disappeared when the program was uninstalled. That little procedure has changed!

Yeah, I do have hard-copy back-up of everything. The (not unsolvable) problem is my office is still undergoing major organization.

Here's something you'll appreciate the humor (not) of.....

For the last three years, the practise has been to write a check for every invoice that comes in whether or not the bill gets paid. So the invoice and the check just sit there.....waiting patiently.....until a new invoice comes in. A new check is issued, the previous being ignored and not voided. Could be that they've just had inaccurate figures for the last three years, or that someone has been doing some fancy bookwork.

My head hurts.....

A little update......

My manager and I have since had meetings with every department and everyone appears to be on the same page.

And rumor has it that I am 'liked'. I know that sounds pretty pathetic, but I go out of my way to make sure everyone is comfortable, even with all of the changes going on and even though I've been the 'bad guy' for some of it, it appears to have gone noted, but forgiven.

Since my employment, one of the owners is making an appearance next week.....oh, joy.....I'm sure he'll avoid me like the plague.

I'm a bookkeeper! All I want is money!

I've found positive motivation and time makes more sense than anything else. The only problem is that as you "older" or "more experienced" they will almost always see you as the "other" against them. Really there is no way to affect change in this situation except to expect it and have a plan for those who don't respect you. It's a hard thing to do actually. By all means don't try to be a friend because in my experience that *never* works out the way you want it to in the end. Expectations can be a positive thing if handled correctly.

Rae,

Good luck - just read through. It seems as if you're moving in the right direction.

Always helps if your staff understand that it's your role they don't like and that you, as a person, are OK!

KP