mrorwell wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in
> :
>
>> Exactly, Dean. I've had performance appraisals written by many a
> person who couldn't sit down and do my job in a crunch. How the hell
> are they supposed to judge whether I'm doing a poor, adequate or
> outstanding job when they don't understand and can't do the job
> themselves?
>
> Two comments... one about a friends situation, the other about my own.
>
> His situation: My friend is a programmer. He has had a dozen
> different supervisors over the past 30 years. He complains bitterly
> that the WORST supervisors he has had have been fellow programmers
> who were promoted to management. Why? Because they can't MANAGE...
> but they love to MICROmanage the work. They don't understand the
> nuances of management... they don't know how to get things done in
> the company, and they don't know how to do appraisals.
>
Programmers are a different breed altogether. Their heads are stuck in the
technical, not the "business" end of things. They are itching to get their
hands on that program, hence the micromanagement. So I can see your point
there. They probably took the manager position to get a raise and bonuses
but you can't take the programmer out of them.

> My situation: I currently manage a purchasing department for a
> government IT contractor. We deal with a dozen different
> manufacturers. To configure and order from them, you need a VERY
> intimate knowledge of their product lines. Each of our ordering reps
> has a specialized certification from two of the vendors so we have
> back up. The certification involves anywhere between one and four
> tests on different product lines and frequent refreshers as new
> products are introduced and specs change. Because the wireless and
> security worlds are changing so rapidly, the certifications need to
> be renewed every 1-2 years.
>
(snippage)
> To do a proper performance review of someone, I don't NEED to know
> what gizmo plugs in to the whatsits board. I need to know if the
> orders are being placed in a timely manner, if our customer
> satisfaction rating is being maintained, if costs are contained and
> if our profit margin is being met. I need to know if the employee is
> following company guidelines, if they are on time and ready to work
> and if there are any "issues" that need to be resolved. I do NOT
> need to be able to do their job.
>
All depends on the job, of course. In my example, a grocery store, the
manager should be perfectly capable of manning a cash register or even
bagging groceries if need be. It's either that or see frustrated customers
walk out for lack of adequate help. And I know, because I've done exactly
that. (And yes, I called the store to complain afterwards.)

Jill