Front Line Manager
Pondering aspects of management and leadership

I am back and.......

22 July 09 - 08:46

Not long after starting my blog I got busy at work and also endured a period of ill health. This means I have not posted for a good while.

However, I am getting back on my feet and plan to start blogging again soon.

Given that I have a host of other functionality over at Google, I have decided to move my blog there as well, just to make life a little easier.

The new blog will be a much broader focus, including opinion pieces on whatever subjects take my fancy, along with leadership and management.

Come visit The Occasional Soap Boxer @ http://occasionalsoapboxer.blogspot.com/

Change & Tough Times

01 January 09 - 03:12

Welcome to 2009.

I recently had the honour of presenting my team on stage in front of several thousand other staff from the company I work for, as the guys had just won the company's half yearly team recognition award. This was a great reward for a team that is truly a team. The guys know each other well and work hard to compliment each others strengths and support each others weaknesses. They are not afraid to show a bit of joy and make a bit of noise at work, always staying as relaxed as possible. They are a great group of people and it has truly been a privilege to lead them through the last two years.

So, what next?

Everyone knows that things are tough right now, especially in financial services where I am employed. Things will get tougher and I am truly grateful to have a strong reputation (backed by the award above) to highlight mine and my teams value to the company.

Is such a strong reputation enough to help each of us make it through the ... (more)

Quick update

31 December 08 - 23:33

Hello there

Just after getting my blog started I hit a patch of poor health and have been unable to direct energy to much apart from work and family.

I look forward to catching up very shortly with some new articles.

Cheers
Scott

Leading with integrity

23 September 08 - 11:24

In a previous post I attempted to give you my thoughts on courage. Today I will explore the idea of integrity and its importance to a leader or manager.

"Courage is the foundation of integrity" - Keshavan Nair

"Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you" - H. Jackson Brown Jr

I do like this quote from H. Jackson Brown Jr but why should it apply solely to my role as a parent? If I live a life of integrity in front of my family it will naturally form a potent part of my professional personality as well. Why? It is because integrity, if I truly posess it, can not be worn, changed or removed like a suit jacket.

"Integrity is not a 90 percent thing, not a 95 percent thing; either you have it or you don't." - Peter Scotese

So then. Assuming that my claim to integrity is accurate, what does my integrity bring as a part of my day to day leadership style? ... (more)

Work Life Balance

24 August 08 - 15:52

Time for another amateur post. With a bit of luck and effort you should all see a gradual improvement in my writing style, so stick with me.

Work life balance. Is it a reality, a myth or simply not understood?

My employer has always made a pretty big deal about selling the idea of work life balance, and as someone who wanted to achieve a workable balance between my work and quality time with my family this suited me fine. I am sure also, that my peers have always understood work life balance to be about time. Is this how employers see it? Is a work life balance even possible?

This is a subject that since becoming a front line manager has plagued me constantly. Is it possible to give my employer value for the extra dollars in my pay cheque, meet deadlines and stakeholder expectations and also give my wife and kids the time and attention that they deserve?

I was recently beginning to see the glimmerings of a possible answer when I came across a blog ... (more)

Courage in Leadership

22 July 08 - 12:47

What does the word courage bring to mind for you?
    - Bravery?
    - Knows no fear?
    - Never back down from a scrap?

When I consider courage, I think of none of these things. The first and central thought that comes to mind is that courage is doing what is right despite your fear, misgivings, reservations or natural inclinations.

How does this apply to me in my role as the leader of my team?

Following are some scenarios where courage is required to lead.

1. A member of your team is not performing well. If you let it ride because the thought of taking that person aside and confronting the issues makes you intensely uncomfortable, are you doing any favours for them, your team, your business or yourself?

2. A client has overheated and has resorted to abusive and personal comments to one of your team members without cause. Do you fall back on the old saw 'the customer is always ... (more)

Belated introduction

19 July 08 - 04:28

Hey there everyone, this post is a simple introduction to my blog, even though I have already posted on one subject.

My Name is Scott. I am a people manager in a large financial services organisation in Sydney, Australia. I have been a manger for only a couple of years but would like to think I have been a leader for much longer.

Understanding the need for continual development, I have set up this blog as a part of my Personal Learning Environment in the hope that by exploring the blogs of others, thinking upon my own skills and experience and writing about it all, I may continue to learn and expand my own knowledge.

All of that said, I see myself as something of a 'noob' and as such will always embrace comments and constructive criticism of my ideas and thoughts, as this is sure to aid my growth as a manager and leader.

FYI: I am attempting to get a blogroll up and running so that I can display links to blogs that have caught my eye. More on this later.

It's that time again

17 July 08 - 12:56

I along with Team Leaders everywhere am currently facing the prospect of working through that most mysterious and often stressful time. Half yearly performance reviews.

I am very aware that many managers see this activity as something to be dreaded, something that is difficult, stressful and maybe even counter productive. It is my belief that there is absolutely no reason for this to be.

How can the 'performance discussion' become a tool for positive growth for every member of your team and even you yourself?

Some questions to address.

Do I have regular discussions with each member of my team in between the formal 'discussions'?
If not, I am short changing everyone including myself. This is not always easy to achieve but if I am serving my team well, I am going to have the courage to push back where necessary on all of those extra jobs and projects that companies load on the shoulders of ... (more)

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