My former boss, about 3 years ago, went from being a decent guy to being a complete monster. Was it just him cracking under the stress, or this required of all management now? Glad to be retired.
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I retired a little over three years ago as a result of totally impossible/unrealistic goals related to changing sources for complex aero castings. About two years earlier my immediate supervisor, my director and my vice president all moved on within about six months of each other. They clearly saw what was coming and didn't want to participate; I knew all of them well and had worked with or for them for over a decade. They were the canaries in the coal mine, but I didn't make the connection until MM got going full bore. I enjoyed my job right up until the end, but it had become much harder to execute when MM eliminated all the supplier support funding.
Former "manager" who had regular interaction with top tier leaders. Watched managers (decent people) promoted up the ladder break under the stress from the top and become Mr. Hyde. Watched some push back and either get elbowed and RIF'd or they quit in frustration. Most of my peers who did all they could to protect their teams are gone after the 2020 COVID RIFs. Last few years were a very toxic environment. Glad to be gone. Much healthier mentally and physically now.
Without knowing the person, it’s hard for me to say, but I would lay the odds on both. Generally, speaking from past experience (retired now my terms), ALT dumps on site leadership and expects them to take the ball and run and accept the consequences on their own.
Former manager from aero here.
- manager training dictates that you cannot have personal friend relations with your reports. It goes so far to say that if you are invited to dinner at an employee's house, you should say no unless it's an open invite to the entire group.
- there is no motivational speech, no burning platform, etc that can get employees to work the amounts of free overtime your VP demands. The only possible way is the threat of layoff or outer L. And if a manager isn't willing to do it, they get put in an outter L.
- HR doesn't just let you put someone in the outer L at the end of the year if their mid year was good. So you need to criticize year round so you can justify anyone that you eventually select.
@nmp - That should work. Great way to run a company.
Upper management dictates policy, managers must apply it or face termination / career end / disciplinary action. The good managers try to apply it with the least amount of downside for their team, try to reduce the pain level and minimize damage.
Their reward is hostility from their managers regarding how they are applying the changes, and hostility from their team because they are not fighting the changes hard enough. And they can't explain to their team what is going on because those people immediately spread that information around in the grapevine info exchange, which gets back to the manager's superiors with the accompanying castigation for letting the information out to the troops. Managers are boxed into a corner and get it from all sides, so the path of least damage to themselves is mostly to do what they're told.
Definitely seen the 2 face behavior. Plenty of people going from individual contributors to manager/director and they become total di-ks. Maybe the power gain, or maybe better to be a di-k from the start in case you need to PIP half your team to motivate them
Former manager's response. I remember the day my boss told me that my direct reports are not my friends -- never mind that I had great relationships with many of these folks for over a decade. When you are mandated to put a certain quota of people on PIPs every year, it changes the way you have to relate with them! I was not one of the people "good" at the new job description, so I jumped at my first chance to get out.
I’m the first reply. My experience was a very explicit step change in behavior by many managers. I think a directive flowed down. I don’t think this management style is conducive to long term success.
I agree with you both. I do think it comes from the top - there must be some "guidelines" on how to behave / communicate. It is now much harder to engage a manager to help with any problems / issues / escalations. Everything is just pushed back - go make it happen. From where I sit managers are in "dodging bullets" mode. Better to find someone to take blame than jump in and get blamed. Everyman for himself. I still work at Hon and now work for people I have know for about 15 years.
I have witnessed similar behavioral changes. I’m curious if others can provide insight here. I’m glad to be out of Honeywell.