A Good Manager Is...Part II

In 2008 when I was a unit head with another bank, my management skills were sorely tested then which you can read about here. Five years later, my skills were again put to the test. After the first incident, I knew that I can handle anything else but it never made it easier.

Back then, I had to make a decision to transfer people to another unpopular unit. This time around, I had to deal with an erring staff who went against our company's code of conduct. Fortunately, I had another colleague with me to help me through it and made the unpleasant task more bearable.

I love my team. I consider them my children--all 58 of them. Like all relationships, our work was based on TRUST. I trust my team to do their jobs and they trust me to take care of them. Unfortunately, this person broke my trust as he managed to find a way around the controls that we installed. Moreover, he still persisted even the previous times that we warned him. That what got my goat.

I asked him if I was lacking as his manager but even before he answered my question, I knew that there are some things that are out of my control which I cannot blame myself for. Nevertheless, that does not stop me from doubting my skills as a manager and think whether I'm good enough for my team.

I've always believed that a team is reflective of the manager. If the output of my team is trash and they are disorganized, it will reflect on me. That's why when I first came in, it was a dictatorship the first few months. I instituted different controls and check and balances. I was aiming for better quality of work and I truly believe that it should stem from discipline. I strictly monitored attendance and overtime and checked their process and productivity standards. I was known then as "The Hulk" as I was the type of person that you would not want to anger ("You won't like it if I'm angry"). Further on, I learned to relax and let go and accept that some things I cannot change. But this type of blatant disregard for company policies is something that I cannot tolerate.

I truly hope that everything will be settled for everyone soon--including me. There's a local saying that goes, "Trabaho lang". But I am still a person who still feels emotions and I cannot help but feel pity for the person.

Oh yeah, I will never take CCTVs for granted ever again.