There are Two Kinds of Managers. Those Who Criticize and Those Who Don't.

The good thing about being an introvert is I'm never alone. Being with people is work for me, but being alone is how I recharge. In my mind I'm a busy guy. Not effective, but busy. I have stuff to do, find out, process, research, develop, read, plan, it never ends. Most of it doesn't include other people. This is not deliberate, it's just the way I am. I am a contented introvert.

My dear Colombian lady, the quintessential extrovert, has hundreds of very close friends. I can't assume to understand her suffering before cell phones, email and social media were invented but it must have been unbearable. She went to funeral recently, and suffered less than when her iPhone died.

One of these friends is like some of your critical bosses. I found there's a third kind of manager, the kind who pretends to support you while they're criticizing you.

Some months ago one of those friends, all smiles, told me "Wolf, you paint so much better than you used to. Your boats and seascapes are so much more realistic. Your colors are stronger. I like how much you have improved."

This wasn't new, she's done it before. This time, I told her to stop criticizing me. You've never seen all smiles change to shock and disbelief. You heard right, - it's code for "shut-up." If she thought my previous work was garbage, let it go and say nothing. Nobody said I was a painter. It's cheap therapy and people buy the odd painting. She began a half hearted defence, but she knew I was right. I sipped my wine and painted more improved seascapes.

It's a nasty trick, complimenting someone's emergence from the dung heap. "But I complimented you, why get upset," is their response.

If you want to be great manager, the right thing to do is ask for what's required, (not criticize on what went wrong). It's more difficult to talk about what a great seascape looks like than it is to tell me I paint bad ones. Don't tell people why their work is bad. Tell them what good work looks like. You'll be a great manager!

Now when the wounded lady comes over she picks and chooses her words as she struggles to say only nice things about my paintings. She doesn't yet know that I don't care. I'm an introvert, I'm happiest alone!

See you for breakfast,
Wolfgang

p.s. If your boss fits this story. Add them to our mailing list. No charge.

p.s. The odd extrovert will ask, "aren't you afraid to die alone?"
I reply, "I'm not sure. What's your plan, - to die in a group?"

Managers just show up more often!

How did you become a manager? You thought it was your experience, wisdom, education, and intelligence that got you into this management role? Wrong. The real reason is, managers show up for work more often. Yes, - you just showed up! Whether attendance causes managers, I don't know, but manager's attendance is 14% better than line workers.

Personally, I don't do "sick" very well. It's annoying and at half energy I don't know what to do with myself. Sick means not in the game. And life is good, - matter of fact, - it's great. I know I've been lucky and my heart goes out to all those people with illnesses, handicaps, and all the other obstacles life throws at us.

The benefits insurance industry profits or doesn't, on accurate risk assessment. Here are trends they look at to predict absenteeism.

1. The higher the rate of pay, the longer length of service, the fewer absences.
2. The larger the organization grows, the higher the rates of absenteeism.
3. Single people are absent more than married people.
4. Younger people are absent more frequently than older people.
5. Older people are absent for longer periods of time.
6. Unionized employees have higher absenteeism than non union.

That may all be well and fine but you can beat the odds and the statistics. Human beings, married or not, old or young, union or not, show up where they are appreciated and having fun. Add to that interesting growth work and challenge, involvement, and they won't stay away from the workplace!

The number one motivator is not money, - it's involvement! Sick days are only taken by people who are not involved. They're either chosen wrong or managed wrong. Either way, - they push back by being sick.

Certainly, 1 out of every 3 sick days is because someone is legitimately ill. The other 2 days were taken by people who just don't care!

Join me on Sept. 14th and I'll show you how to cut your team's sick days in half, (at least)! Seriously.

See you for breakfast,
Wolfgang

p.s. Hiring interview question: How many sick days did you have last year? And yes, we'll verify it when we check your references.

p.s. Source: Benefits Interface Inc.