You have heard the story about the famous Rock band who’s manager placed a rider in the band’s contract that they be provided with a a bowl of M & N’s in their dressing room but with no brown ones. This strange request was seen as an example of rock star Diva behaviour. How ever there was a serious reason behind this bizarre request. A big rock band has a large lighting rig and a vast sound system containing a lot of dangerous electrical equipment. If the prompters attention to detail is such that they take the time to remove all the brown M&N’s then they are more likely give the same painstaking attention to the Health and Safety issues involved in setting up the equipment.
The head bar manager responsible for all the bars in a well know holiday camp used to routinely sack casual bar staff after 4 weeks. His rational was he believed it it took them 3 weeks to work out the fiddles
An experienced duty manager always Instructed workers to sit down and have a cup of tea before responding to an urgent referral. Experience had taught her that there was a tendency to rush to act rather than think how best to respond. The time taken to make and drink a cup of tea was enough to ensure a calm well thought out next step.
The head PE teacher had a large cupboard full of unused rugby and footballs yet every year end he ordered more. A carful budget manager he ensured he was always slightly underspent at the end of the financial year. However he did not wish to show an underspend for fear it would result in his budget next year being reduced by the same amount. So at the end of every financial year he made a one off purchase of rugby and footballs to the exact sum of the remaining amount in the budget. His ability to come in bang on budget every year enhanced his reputation amongst senior management. ( Change head PE teacher to any budget holder and rugby /footballs to office supplies and equipment )
You were required to sign out on leaving the office and for personal safety reasons state where you were going and when returning. This particular manager was in the habit of ringing up your destination - the offices/establishments and asking to speak to you. He would then give you a piece of information that could have waited till you were in his office the next day. I asked a colleague why he kept doing this and was told “ He’s checking up on you. He used to do your job and was notorious for skiving off work claiming he was visiting establishments.”
We all have our odd little ways managers are no exception but sometimes what appears bizarre behaviour is perfectly rational.
Blair Mcpherson former director author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk
