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Richard Lloyd Cederberg, click here
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Non-fiction. Birthed from personal experience
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MOVING FORWARD (MR. MONTURE''S SOLUTION)
He was not at all what senior staff had expected. The new Manager’s appearance – a narrow tie, ‘Beatlesque’ hair, horn-rimmed glasses, and a tailored sharkskin suit – seemed inapposite for a modern executive. Upon entering the room he first put down his briefcase and then, as he looked about, his inner-feelings began to chase over his face like wind-driven undulations across the surface of a lake. With hands on hips, elbows outward, a snotty expression, and totally self-absorbed; he stayed stationary in one spot staring (seemingly offended) at everything around him. After some moments he shook himself from the spell and assumed a more dignified demeanor. Opening his briefcase, and then squaring it to the corner of the table; he cleared his throat, adjusted his tie, brushed his bangs aside, and then, with notes in hand, his eyes finally met everyone’s around the table. Quietly aghast; the staff stared back.
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“Ladies and gentlemen; good morning. My name is Mr. Monture, and I am your new GM/COO. As you know, the Board of Directors wants changes, and they’ve engaged me (he pointed at himself) to do whatever I deem necessary to elevate our functionality and profitability in the current market. I’ve read all your files, and I must say that I feel fortunate to be working with so gifted a group. I hope that the path we forge together will be one we can all be proud of. Now… moving forward, and, please feel free to interact. There are problems that must be addressed at once; in keeping with the Board’s wishes I am going to make recommendations this morning to better improve the way the company functions. So... what I need from all of you first is an exact list of specific unknown problems we might encounter. This will help me make decisions moving forward.”
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One woman raised her hand. “Sir.”
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“Yes.” Mr. Monture smiled.
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“You want an exact list of specific unknown problems we might encounter?”
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“That’s correct. Is that a problem?”
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“An exact list of unknown’s seems antithetic, sir. How can we…”
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“…I’m sorry.” He cut her short with a darting-scowl. “We have much to cover. Would you mind if I continued please?”
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The woman looked around at the others puzzled.
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“Thank you! Moving forward. There’s been on-going problems with e-mailing. Please remember that e-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only for company business. Is that understood?”
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Several raised their hands, now too, with puzzled expressions.
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“Sir…” One of them took the lead. “Isn’t it requisite for company business that we pass information and data to one another regularly?”
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“Of course it is. Why do you ask?”
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The staff remained stone-faced.
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Completely incognizant Mr. Monture rifled through his notes. When he’d found what he was looking for he continued. “Ok… There’s been problems lately with disgruntled ex-employees breaking-in and vandalizing the property. Because of this I’ve instructed our security contractor to change all the access codes this morning. Starting tomorrow; employees will only be able to access the buildings using ISC’s, or, ‘Individual Security Cards’. Personal pictures for the cards will be taken next Wednesday, and employees will receive their new cards in two weeks.”
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“Mr. Monture.” Another Dept. Head interrupted. “What do you propose we use in the meantime?”
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For a moment he stared blankly. “Well… that would be a departmental challenge. I’m far too busy to deal with minutiae. They don’t pay me to resolve your problems, only the companies.”
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“But sir… your first request was that we compile an exact list of specific unknown problems that we might encounter to help you moving forward.”
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“That’s correct,” the new manager nodded.
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“Doesn’t this qualify, sir? If the access codes have been changed today, and we don’t get our new security cards for two weeks, how will the employees access the property tomorrow?”
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“Call maintenance.” He snapped. “Now, please… let’s continue.”
Richard L. Cederberg
2/2016
“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to empower good people to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” Theodore Roosevelt …
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Web Site:
richardlloydcederberg.com
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in one form or another I think we have all met someone like this during our career
mine came when on the day of testing in a school where I taught; a little lad was brought to my classroom, and I was instructed to issue him a test booklet along with the rest of the class.
within days of the testing the vice principal came to talk with me ... and how do you explain that this student has apparently not learned one thing during his time in your classroom this year, how do you explain that you taught him nothing?
--I have no explanation, the student was not in my classroom this year previous to the day of testing, and I have not a clue what he may have been taught and why it did not stick
YOU ARE MAKING EXCUSES FOR NOT TEACHING THIS CHILD
he muttered as he was walking away
I still, many years later, do not quite follow his reasoning....
I would like to see this story on video… Might even make a good commercial.
Ron