Want to be heard on this subject? If you want to be interviewed about the challenges of being a blue collar manager, OR managing blue collar managers, read this…
The single most prominent challenge that managers who have moved from the field/warehouse into the office face is an environmental change. This environmental change actually has subsets such as:
- Why Would You EVER Support a New Manager?
- The Scarcity Issue
- Physical Environment
- Social
- Economical
- Technological
- Financial
- Legal *
- Skill sets *
There are other challenges to be sure, but the next few posts will look at each of the above separately.
We will look at:
- What those changes entail
- What we can do to alleviate or minimize them
What other challenges do you see? Leave a comment and let’s rumble!
Bart Gragg
925.757.7473
Blue Collar University
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Absolutely, Lee Ann, and thank you for the reminder.
To the rest of you, I will continue to add your ideas to the main post and then write about them in follow on posts.
Thank you all.
Bart
Bart, I’ll bet you have a story to tell for each of those challenges for those new managers. Explain to your followers through the stories you know. It will be easy to follow and who knows this better than you?
Lee Ann
Bart, I think the blog is great. It should foster some very interesting discussions. Good job! Mary Ann
Bart,
I think that another addition to your list could be about skills — the different types of skills that people need to make an effective transition between the warehouse and the office. Love the look of the blog!
Bart, I know you have great ideas and that this blog will be useful to many people in every industry. It seems that a problem most supervisors face is priorities and how to establish and manage them. I so often hear “I have too much on my plate and can’t get anything done”. In some respects, time management comes into play, but getting things done throught others within your priority list is key. I liked your handy book, too.
Bart, this will become a good source for new managers, in addition to your book. Good job!
Hello Bart,
I agree with your list and I would add to it. One of the biggest challenges I see is how they view themselves. For example, they have worked hard and successfully as a warehouseman, earned the respect of the management and now they are management. It is often difficult to change this view of themselves, to see themselves as a manager and the differences manner, communication style, lines of communication, etc.
My father owned a moving company and I watched the challenges of these transitions. With focused training on all aspects these men and women can be very successful. The training you provide is essential to that success.
Kay Robinson
Insight Intuitive Consulting
Thanks Bart, looking forward to your thoughts on the unique challenges facing blue collar managers!