What are managers for?

[Orang Utan]

#notallmanagers ,natch, but it seems that managerial roles in some organisations are what would be called secretarial administrative roles (and be paid less and be considered lower status) in other hierarchical organisations.
They don’t know how to do stuff the rest of the team know how to do, so can’t pitch in when times are busy or staffing is low, so they just fuss about stressing everyone, who can get on with things swimmingly when they’re not around.

This is probably some basic observation already made by Marx, so forgive me if I’m stating the obvious, but I was kept awake by this last night.

 

[maomao]

Goons and thugs whose job it is to make sure workers don't step out of line.

 

[Orang Utan]

Goons and thugs whose job it is to make sure workers don't step out of line.

Some of them are just nice but incompetent so can’t be trusted to do anything important so are entrusted with management roles instead. But they get paid more and can sack people.

 

[cesare]

#notallmanagers , natch, but it seems that managerial roles is some organisations that would be called secretarial administrative roles (and be paid less and be considered lower status) in other hierarchical organisations.
They don’t know how to do stuff the rest of the team know how to do, so can’t pitch in when times are busy or staffing is low, so they just fuss about stressing everyone, who can get on with things swimmingly when they’re not around.

This is probably some basic observation already made by Marx, so forgive me if I’m stating the obvious, but I was kept awake by this last night.

The role of most managers is to make sure that there is someone or many someones doing a job at the right place at the right time to the right standard so that the entirety of the manager's remit is doing what it's supposed to be doing currently and in the future. Anyone that's employed full or part-time doing integral parts of the remit (such as admin) might just be a part-time manager or manager by vanity title.

 

[muscovyduck]

Worked somewhere once where "manager" just seemed to mean that you had a specific job doing something. Most of these people weren't managing anyone lmao

 

[JimW]

The baby Jesus was born as one iirc.

 

[extra dry]

Well today, after reminding someone to put on a tie when at work, I was rather rudly told to

'teach his grandmother how to suck eggs'

, to which I should have replied,

'only if she is wearing a tie'

But I did not, I walked away, thus winning via default.

 

[moochedit]

Worked somewhere once where "manager" just seemed to mean that you had a specific job doing something. Most of these people weren't managing anyone lmao

Yeah my work has sales people called "account managers" that have nobody working under them.

 

[Santino]

Agree that 'manager' often just means a senior or well paid administrator or technician.

 

[The39thStep]

The role of most managers is to make sure that there is someone or many someones doing a job at the right place at the right time to the right standard so that the entirety of the manager's remit is doing what it's supposed to be doing currently and in the future. Anyone that's employed full or part-time doing integral parts of the remit (such as admin) might just be a part-time manager or manager by vanity title.

And I think there’s a difference in managers who see their role as managerial ie overseers or those that try to maximise staff potential and capital .

 

[Orang Utan]

Well today, after reminding someone to put on a tie when at work, I was rather rudly told to

'teach his grandmother how to suck eggs'

, to which I should have replied,

'only if she is wearing a tie'

But I did not, I walked away, thus winning via default.

This is the kind of daft shit that makes managers superfluous - ‘they make sure their staff obey daft rules’

 

[StoneRoad]

I agree with cesare - IMO the main role of a manger is to ensure that the people do specific tasks to the correct standard and in a timely manner, this may be to produce tangible objects or carry out a service.
The manager also needs to ensure that there are enough supplies to hand.
A further role would be to make sure staff have adequate breaks each day and deal with other admin matters such as pay, holidays etc when that's not dealt with by others.

IME, it helps if the manager can also do the tasks in question - and can demonstrate that, not to mention a willingness to "roll up their selves" when necessary.

 

[Supine]

Yeah my work has sales people called "account managers" that have nobody working under them.

That would be because they are managing an account rather than a department

 

[StoneRoad]

Actually, IME, some supervisors [charge hands] are also managers, and vice versa.
Whether that role is in running a department or section within a much larger organisation - or is the whole system.

 

[Poot]

At my place of work, managers use words. Lots of words. Sometimes for a very long time. But when you vacate the meeting room - and this is the great mystery - nothing has been said.

And that is my understanding of what managers are for.

 

[Orang Utan]

That would be because they are managing an account rather than a department

Whereas the rest of us are just about managing

 

[Supine]

Whereas the rest of us are just about managing

You manage books don’t you? A good management job

 

[extra dry]

This is the kind of daft shit that makes managers superfluous - ‘they make sure their staff obey daft rules’

That's my point.

Gosh my job sucks, yes however, it's a paid wage, plus teachings hours on top so I do save money, I live basically on the same road. I am not saying its great, but better than most i.e.? the people I force through our door everyday, to work for my boss who also verbally crixifies people she hates, the past 2 years me included. And now 2 of the teacher's are out for my scalpe?

 

[extra dry]

Anyway sunday should be fun, i will say next weekend is casual dress, in every month we'll have a casual dress weekend.

 

[danny la rouge]

#notallmanagers , natch, but it seems that managerial roles is some organisations that would be called secretarial administrative roles (and be paid less and be considered lower status) in other hierarchical organisations.
They don’t know how to do stuff the rest of the team know how to do, so can’t pitch in when times are busy or staffing is low, so they just fuss about stressing everyone, who can get on with things swimmingly when they’re not around.

This is probably some basic observation already made by Marx, so forgive me if I’m stating the obvious, but I was kept awake by this last night.

Yes, Marx observes this, but actually doesn’t spend a lot of time on it. You might enjoy reading Parecon books. That’s more directly aimed at addressing this.

 

[weltweit]

I know some people who are called "Manager - Europe & Middle East" .. some task eh

 

[Orang Utan]

Yes, Marx observes this, but actually doesn’t spend a lot of time on it. You might enjoy reading Parecon books. That’s more directly aimed at addressing this.

I still have that Bullshit Jobs book on my shelf to read. Probably has a lot to say on the matter

 

[extra dry]

Thats something else a manager is supposted to do improve moral, or my case not.

 

[danny la rouge]

I still have that Bullshit Jobs book on my shelf to read. Probably has a lot to say on the matter

Probably does. I haven’t read it, but I’ve read other Graeber and it’s probably good.

 

[JimW]

I've been well managed on collaborative translation projects that involved a fair amount of coordination on their part and saved the rest of us headaches.

 

[maomao]

Well today, after reminding someone to put on a tie when at work, I was rather rudly told to

'teach his grandmother how to suck eggs'

, to which I should have replied,

'only if she is wearing a tie'

But I did not, I walked away, thus winning via default.

why should they wear a fucking tie?

 

[weltweit]

Managers are there to insulate Directors from reality.

 

[danny la rouge]

Ties are fucking ridiculous. A thin piece of cloth round your neck with no purpose but to hide buttons badly. What have people got against buttons?

 

[maomao]

Ties are fucking ridiculous. A thin piece of cloth round your neck with no purpose but to hide buttons badly. What have people got against buttons?

I thought the purpose was to point at your penis in case potential partners couldn't find it. That's why they're pointy at the end.

 

[danny la rouge]

I thought the purpose was to point at your penis in case potential partners couldn't find it. That's why they're pointy at the end.

You’re obviously younger than me and don’t remember these: