Issues to Address lack of social feedback - lack of innovation - cultural separation management narcissism negative perception - expectations - miscommunications I had been hired by Aluminum Elements Corp. and went back to his machine. I could hear him still (AEC), and it was my first day of work. I was 26 swearing as I left. Later I realized that most of the years old, and I was now the manager of AEC's cus- office staff were also offended by Tony's language. tomer service group, which looked after customers, On the way back to my office, Lesley, a recentlogistics, and some of the raw material purchasing. ly hired engineer from Russia, approached me and My superior, George, was the vice president of the pointed out that the employees were not accustomed company. AEC manufactured most of its products, a to managers talking to them. Management only is majority of which were destined for the construction sued orders and made demands. As we discussed the. industry, from aluminum. different perceptions between office and floor staffs. As I walked around the shop floor, the employees we were interrupted by a very loud lunch bell, which appeared to be concentrating on their jobs, barely startled me. I was happy to join Lesley for lunch, bot. noticing me. Management held daily meetings, at she acked me why I was not eating in the office lunchwhich various production issues were discussed. No room. I replied that if I was going to understand hovel one from the shop floor was invited to the meetings, AEC worked, I had to get to know all the people ber: unless there was a specific problem. Later I learned ter. In addition, I realized that this was not how thingr that management had separate washrooms and sep. were done, and wondered about the nature of this arate lunchrooms, as well as other perks that floor apparent division between the management and the employees did not have. Most of the floor employ- floor. In the lunchroom, the other workers were ees felt that the managers, although polite on the amazed to see me there, commenting that I was just surface, did not really feel they had anything to learn new and had not learned the ropes yet. John, who worked on the aluminum slitter, a cru- about his recent confrontation with John, George from the floor employees. cial operation required before any other operations was surprised that John got upset; he exclaimed, 1 could commence, had had a number of unpleasant just wanted John to know that he did a great job and, encounters with George. As a result, George usually as a result, we will be able to ship on time one large sent written memos to the floor in order to avoid a order to the West Coast. In fact, I thought I was coin: direct confrontation with John. Because the directions plimenting him." in the memos were complex, these memos were Earlier, Lesley had indicated that certain behmior often more than two pages in length. was expected from management, and therefore from One moming, as I was walki.

1. Issues to Address lack of social feedback - lack of innovation - cultural separation management
narcissism negative perception - expectations - miscommunications I had been hired by
Aluminum Elements Corp. and went back to his machine. I could hear him still (AEC), and it
was my first day of work. I was 26 swearing as I left. Later I realized that most of the years old,
and I was now the manager of AEC's cus- office staff were also offended by Tony's language.
tomer service group, which looked after customers, On the way back to my office, Lesley, a
recentlogistics, and some of the raw material purchasing. ly hired engineer from Russia,
approached me and My superior, George, was the vice president of the pointed out that the
employees were not accustomed company. AEC manufactured most of its products, a to
managers talking to them. Management only is majority of which were destined for the
construction sued orders and made demands. As we discussed the. industry, from aluminum.
different perceptions between office and floor staffs. As I walked around the shop floor, the
employees we were interrupted by a very loud lunch bell, which appeared to be concentrating on
their jobs, barely startled me. I was happy to join Lesley for lunch, bot. noticing me.
Management held daily meetings, at she acked me why I was not eating in the office lunchwhich
various production issues were discussed. No room. I replied that if I was going to understand
hovel one from the shop floor was invited to the meetings, AEC worked, I had to get to know all
the people ber: unless there was a specific problem. Later I learned ter. In addition, I realized that
this was not how thingr that management had separate washrooms and sep. were done, and
wondered about the nature of this arate lunchrooms, as well as other perks that floor apparent
division between the management and the employees did not have. Most of the floor employ-
floor. In the lunchroom, the other workers were ees felt that the managers, although polite on the
amazed to see me there, commenting that I was just surface, did not really feel they had anything
to learn new and had not learned the ropes yet. John, who worked on the aluminum slitter, a cru-
about his recent confrontation with John, George from the floor employees. cial operation
required before any other operations was surprised that John got upset; he exclaimed, 1 could
commence, had had a number of unpleasant just wanted John to know that he did a great job and,
encounters with George. As a result, George usually as a result, we will be able to ship on time
one large sent written memos to the floor in order to avoid a order to the West Coast. In fact, I
thought I was coin: direct confrontation with John. Because the directions plimenting him." in
the memos were complex, these memos were Earlier, Lesley had indicated that certain behmior
often more than two pages in length. was expected from management, and therefore from One
moming, as I was walking around, I noticed me. I reasoned that I do not think that this behavior
that John was very upset. Feeling that perhaps there works and, besides, it is not what I believe
or bow 1 was something I could do, I approached John and care to behave. For the next couple of
months, I inply. asked him if I could help. He indicated that every- walked around the floor and
tookevery opportunity to thed was iust fine. From the looks of the situation, talk to the shop floor
emplovers Often, when the on- sent written memos to the ifor in order wavoide vier wue west
codst. In lact, I thought is was comp direct confrontation with John. Because the directions
plimenting him." in the memos were complex, these memos were Earlier, Lesley had indicated
that certain behavior often more than two pages in length. was expected from management, and
therefore from One morning, as I was walking around, I noticed me. I reasoned that I do not
think that this behavior that John was very upset. Feeling that perhaps there works and, besides,
it is not what I believe or how I was something I could do, I approached John and care to behave.
For the next couple of months, I simply asked him if I could help. He indicated that every.
walked around the floor and took every opportunity to thing was just fine. From the looks of the

2. situation, talk to the shop floor employees. Often, when the emand John's body language, I felt
that he was willing ployees related specific information about their workto talk but that he knew
this was not the way things places, I felt that it went over my head. Frequently, I were done at
AEC. Tony, who worked at the ma- had to write down the information and revisit it later. I chine
next to John's, then cursed and said that the made a point of listening to them, identifying where
office guys cared only about schedules, not about they were coming from, and trying to
understand them. the people down on the floor. I just looked at him, I needed to keep my mind
open to new ideas. Because and then I said that I began working here only last the shop
employees expected me to make requests and week and thought I could address some of their is-
demands, I made a point of not doing any of that. Soon sues. Tony gave me a strange look, shook
his head, enough, the employees became friendly and started to accept me as one of their own, or
at least as a different One morning, George called me into his office type of management person.
During my third month of work, the emplese complimented me on the levels of customer
sershowed me how to improve the scheduling of joyes vice and the improvements that had been
achieved. especially those on the aluminum scheduling of jobs, As we talked, I mentioned that
we could not have greatest contribution was made by slitter. In fact, the done it without John's
help. "He really knows his onstrated better ways to combine bohn, who dem- stuff, and he is
good, " I said. I suggested that we conslitting sizes and reduce waste bye most common sider him
for some type of promotion. Also, I hoped the "common-size" material for retaining some of that
this would be a positive gesture that would imthe opportunity, I programerial for new orders.
Seeing prove the communication between the office and the opportunity, I programmed a
spreadsheet to cal- shop floor. culate and track inventory. This, in addition to better George
turned and pulled a flyer out of his desk. planning and forecasting, allowed us to reduce our
"Here is a management skills seminar. Do you think new order turnarounds from four to five
weeks to a we should send John to it?" single day, in by 10 a.m. and out by 5 p.m. "That is a
great idea," I exclaimed, "Perhaps it By the time I was employed for four months, I real. would
be good if he were to receive the news from ized that members from other departments were
com- you directly, George." George agreed, and after dising to me and asking me to relay
messages to the shop cussing some other issues, we parted company. employees. When I asked
why they were delegating That afternoon, John came into my office, upset this task to me, they
stated that I spoke the same lan- and ready to quit. "After all my effort and work, you guage as
the shop employees. Increasingly, I became guys are sending me for training seminars. So, am I
the messenger for the office-to-floor communications. not good enough for you? ? n Potential
Solutions - Communication improvement: Click to add speaker notes