3 ms·

As a manager the hardest thing for me is "selling company loyalty". I understand selling vision and coolness of projects (they are somewhat tangible?). A larg

As a manager the hardest thing for me is "selling company loyalty". I understand selling vision and coolness of projects (they are somewhat tangible?). A large part of selling loyalty is values and having people's back during rough times - same thing expected from managers. With the layoffs being a clear Kowtow to wall street (and fed's desire to manage up unemployment) how do I not come across as gullible or worse as an outright liar? I can't say that in a 1/1 as then I'd just look incompetent! Yes this is all after we are keeping our heads down and doing our jobs!

addaon 4y ago
Don't sell company loyalty if you don't believe in it. Sell mutual self interest. Why should your directs be excited to be there, or at least not actively looking elsewhere? Cool projects, etc., all help -- but the directly experienced "the company is currently and actively treating you well and rewarding you appropriately for your contributions" is point number one. And yes, the implicit message here is that, if the company stops doing its part, your directs should consider looking elsewhere. So should you.
saulpw 4y ago
As a manager, you kind of have to be functionally clueless. If you're honest, you're not a good manager for the company. If you're dishonest, you're not a good manager for the employee. https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-or-the-office-according-to-the-office/ https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-...
- flashgordon 4y ago
  Oh man this is a classic. Ive read this 3 teams (and watched office e2e after each reading) and new ah-ha moments come up from this to me!
zaphar 4y ago
I'm a manager and I refuse to sell loyalty. This is a business arrangement, loyalty has no place in it, but integrity does. I tell it straight and when I can't share some details I'm honest that there are things I can't share.
- flashgordon 4y ago
  Same here. The hard line to walk is presenting a front to upper management so you dont across as a non-beleiver to them. Big companies have systems in place to catch the non-beleivers. Sometimes I do wonder if we are in the corporate version of the man from the high castle!
  - gtirloni 4y ago
    > Big companies have systems in place to catch the non-beleivers This is an interesting comment. Any examples of such systems? I'm open skeptical of corporate speak but I don't know how my company would catch on it except for the snarky comment here and there.
  - zaphar 4y ago
    Honestly, I don't front to upper management either. I ask what the strategy they want to try is and if they ask me if I think the strategy is correct or not I give my honest answer. If they don't get honest feedback from us then why would we think they could make wise decisions?
quickthrower2 4y ago
If the teams is good but the company is shit it is better to sell team loyalty (as in us lot could move as a team to a better company). That might involve being frank, becoming friends and so on.

addaon 4y ago

Don't sell company loyalty if you don't believe in it. Sell mutual self interest. Why should your directs be excited to be there, or at least not actively looking elsewhere? Cool projects, etc., all help -- but the directly experienced "the company is currently and actively treating you well and rewarding you appropriately for your contributions" is point number one. And yes, the implicit message here is that, if the company stops doing its part, your directs should consider looking elsewhere. So should you.

saulpw 4y ago

As a manager, you kind of have to be functionally clueless. If you're honest, you're not a good manager for the company. If you're dishonest, you're not a good manager for the employee. https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-or-the-office-according-to-the-office/ https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-...

flashgordon 4y ago
Oh man this is a classic. Ive read this 3 teams (and watched office e2e after each reading) and new ah-ha moments come up from this to me!

zaphar 4y ago

I'm a manager and I refuse to sell loyalty. This is a business arrangement, loyalty has no place in it, but integrity does. I tell it straight and when I can't share some details I'm honest that there are things I can't share.

flashgordon 4y ago
Same here. The hard line to walk is presenting a front to upper management so you dont across as a non-beleiver to them. Big companies have systems in place to catch the non-beleivers. Sometimes I do wonder if we are in the corporate version of the man from the high castle!
- gtirloni 4y ago
  > Big companies have systems in place to catch the non-beleivers This is an interesting comment. Any examples of such systems? I'm open skeptical of corporate speak but I don't know how my company would catch on it except for the snarky comment here and there.
- zaphar 4y ago
  Honestly, I don't front to upper management either. I ask what the strategy they want to try is and if they ask me if I think the strategy is correct or not I give my honest answer. If they don't get honest feedback from us then why would we think they could make wise decisions?

quickthrower2 4y ago

If the teams is good but the company is shit it is better to sell team loyalty (as in us lot could move as a team to a better company). That might involve being frank, becoming friends and so on.