I Am Not Your Friend

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October 14, 2024

 

A client of mine sent me the transcript of a talk given by a newly appointed manager, to the staff of her department. I am publishing this transcript in its entirety.

 

“Good morning team. My name is Mary Smith (not her real name) and I am your manager. I’m looking forward to working with you in achieving the results that the company expects from this department. But before we move into my first day, I would like to explain a few things.

 

I would like you to understand the parameters of our relationship - I am not your friend. I am your manager, and as such there are certain aspects to the relationship that each one of you and I will have:

 

1)      It is my responsibility to make sure that this department delivers what it is tasked to deliver, consistently and with as little drama and as few problems or hiccups as possible.

 

2)      It is your responsibility to be very clear in your understanding of what the company expects of you, and to deliver on that expectation. My personal expectation of you is irrelevant. The company’s expectation is not negotiable.

 

Now this means that both you and I are required to have a clear understanding of your KPI’s, and to ensure that every activity that you undertake contributes to the achievement of those KPI’s. Therefore, during working hours, if you are doing anything that is not contributing to the achievement of your KPI’s, you are wasting time that the company is buying from you through paying you a salary.

 

Now I should not have to manage this, but I will if I must. I however trust that each of you have the honour and integrity to stick to these rules without me having to enforce them. If I have to enforce them, I will do so without fear or favour. Why? Because there is a commercial relationship between you and the company – the company buys your time, competence and expertise through paying you a salary, and in return you are contracted to deliver on the expectations of your role in the company. This is not negotiable.

 

Now should you meet those expectations or are visibly trying your best to do so, you will have my wholehearted, unquestioning and unqualified support. And when I say wholehearted, unquestioning and unqualified, I mean exactly that. For me there are no half measures in this. Please be clear on that. But if you are neglectful of the activities that you are required to perform to meet the company’s expectation of you, I will bring the full force of the company’s performance management and disciplinary processes into the picture to either correct your behaviour, or to give you the opportunity to find alternative employment. There is no middle ground here, or as people like to say, “wiggle room”. You either meet the company’s expectations of you, or visibly try your best to do so, or you will be disciplined.

 

So the degree of support that you experience from me is entirely dependent on how you approach your job. If you see your job as you doing as little as possible or just enough so that you can receive a salary, you are going to experience me at my worst. But if you see your employment at this company as a vital and important part of your life, you are going to experience me as your greatest supporter.

 

So the success of our personal work-related relationship is entirely in your hands - the way that I respond to you will be dictated by your attitude towards your job and this company.

 

I know this sounds harsh, but the shareholders of this company judge its performance on three parameters – how much money has the company made, how much money has the company saved and how much risk has the company managed to reduce. Therefore, it’s my job to make sure that this department contributes positively to those three scores.

 

You may feel that I am being harsh. In fact, I’m not. I’m being kind. I’m telling you upfront how I manage so there can be no surprises. Work hard at meeting the company’s expectations of you, and you will find out just how much we’ll all enjoy our work and its rewards. Be neglectful of your work and you will find out how difficult it will be for you to work in this department.

Good, now let’s get to work.”

 

Written by Mark Deavall

 

If you would like to talk to me, please call me on +2782 465 5481 or email me on markd@markdeavall.com

 

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