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> I've watched direct reports operate as a "human command line", requiring precise syntax before they'll act. Don't be either of these type of people. I've had

by qsort 3y ago

> I've watched direct reports operate as a "human command line", requiring precise syntax before they'll act. Don't be either of these type of people. I've had managers give stupid orders, and seen them immediately backpedal when asked "would you write that down for me, please?" So yeah, I'll definitely act in good faith but unfortunately I can't assume good faith on the other side, I occasionally need to be a human command line.

jroseattle 3y ago
> I've had managers give stupid orders I'd suggest that "good faith" means turning those stupid orders into sane orders. In a case like this, help your manager -- educate them. If your relationship is tenuous, I get this can be hard. Show your good faith and explain to your manager in clear detail why something is stupid. Manage up, as they say.
- pphysch 3y ago
  Sometimes a manager will just throw something out there. "Can we get a dashboard for this (thing that has come up 0-1 times)". Feeding into those whims is rarely good for anyone, except the manager's ego.
- lazyasciiart 3y ago
  A lot of the time they don’t need education, they need reminding to think. The request to write it down achieves that.
maccard 3y ago
The only time I've ever had a report ask me to confirm something in writing it was clear they were operating in CYA mode, but weren't willing to talk to me about why. It's the sort of thing that immediately escalates a situation, and in reality when the card is played it either breaks the trust, or the trust has already been broken.
- smugma 3y ago
  I often ask people to write up requests and often write up my own verbal requests to provide documentation of the ask and allow for clarification. Over time I’ve learned that my verbal requests often leave out important details and then people make assumptions that aren’t always right.
- marcosdumay 3y ago
  When somebody asks for an order in writing, it's patently clear that the trust has already been broken, and irreversibly so. Nobody asks for that from a position of trust.
  - anonymouskimmer 3y ago
    Unless it's multipart or otherwise complex, then the person asking just wants to make sure they didn't forget everything important. I've asked this on more than one occasion and I think it's clear that I'm asking so I don't forget anything (and have sometimes made this explicit).
  - hiatus 3y ago
    Asking someone to file a ticket does not seem to point to a lack of trust, in my opinion.
  - ReactiveJelly 3y ago
    No it's not. I made it clear to my last team that I'm just super forgetful and if you don't write down your request, I'll have to stop and write it down myself, implicitly making me an over-paid secretary. There was resentment yes, but I did trust them!
  - mock-possum 3y ago
    That lack of trust is reasonable though - what’s in your head and what’s in my head may be completely different, why ‘trust’ that we’re on the same page when we can literally ensure it by writing it down and looking at it. You wouldn’t verbally describe a structure to a builder, and then accuse them of not trusting you when they ask to see a blueprint.

by qsort 3y ago

jroseattle 3y ago

> I've had managers give stupid orders I'd suggest that "good faith" means turning those stupid orders into sane orders. In a case like this, help your manager -- educate them. If your relationship is tenuous, I get this can be hard. Show your good faith and explain to your manager in clear detail why something is stupid. Manage up, as they say.

pphysch 3y ago
Sometimes a manager will just throw something out there. "Can we get a dashboard for this (thing that has come up 0-1 times)". Feeding into those whims is rarely good for anyone, except the manager's ego.
lazyasciiart 3y ago
A lot of the time they don’t need education, they need reminding to think. The request to write it down achieves that.

maccard 3y ago

The only time I've ever had a report ask me to confirm something in writing it was clear they were operating in CYA mode, but weren't willing to talk to me about why. It's the sort of thing that immediately escalates a situation, and in reality when the card is played it either breaks the trust, or the trust has already been broken.

smugma 3y ago
I often ask people to write up requests and often write up my own verbal requests to provide documentation of the ask and allow for clarification. Over time I’ve learned that my verbal requests often leave out important details and then people make assumptions that aren’t always right.
marcosdumay 3y ago
When somebody asks for an order in writing, it's patently clear that the trust has already been broken, and irreversibly so. Nobody asks for that from a position of trust.
- anonymouskimmer 3y ago
  Unless it's multipart or otherwise complex, then the person asking just wants to make sure they didn't forget everything important. I've asked this on more than one occasion and I think it's clear that I'm asking so I don't forget anything (and have sometimes made this explicit).
- hiatus 3y ago
  Asking someone to file a ticket does not seem to point to a lack of trust, in my opinion.
- ReactiveJelly 3y ago
  No it's not. I made it clear to my last team that I'm just super forgetful and if you don't write down your request, I'll have to stop and write it down myself, implicitly making me an over-paid secretary. There was resentment yes, but I did trust them!
- mock-possum 3y ago
  That lack of trust is reasonable though - what’s in your head and what’s in my head may be completely different, why ‘trust’ that we’re on the same page when we can literally ensure it by writing it down and looking at it. You wouldn’t verbally describe a structure to a builder, and then accuse them of not trusting you when they ask to see a blueprint.