THE RESOURCEFUL MANAGER AND THE CHALLENGING VOLUNTEER

Mark Price, writer and businessman, shares his workplace fables – true stories from the business front line that can teach us lessons about career success

The Resourceful Manager was to be the charity shop’s fourth boss in as many years. At interview he had heard that sales had been disappointing and some of the staff were challenging, a sentiment only reinforced in his handover with the leaving manager.

“They’re a good bunch by and large, their hearts are in the right place, but watch out for So and So, she’s trouble!”

“Why so?” asked the new manager of his predecessor.

“Well she’s opinionated, very experienced, questioning and not afraid to speak her mind,” replied the departing boss.

At the first staff meeting the Resourceful Manager set out his hopes and ambitions, but it wasn’t long before So and So was butting in and explaining why such and such a thing could not be done, or had been done before and failed.

But the Resourceful Manager was not phased, thanked So and So for her input and asked to see her privately. She told him that “New managers just waltz in, tell us what to do, get all the credit when we make things work, then waltz off to a bigger prize courtesy of us,” she concluded, frustrated.

“That must be very galling,” said the Resourceful Manager. “What I would value is you and our colleagues setting out how we might grow sales.”

So and So felt flattered, agreed and marshalled the team – they came up with 101 ideas on how the shop’s sales could be boosted.

Head Office loved the ideas and the Resourceful Manager was keen to point out they came from his team not him.

He even asked the Chief Executive to write to team members to thank them for what they had come up with.

Moral of the tale:

It is amazing what can be achieved if you don’t mind who takes the credit.

‘Managers get all the credit when we make things work’