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Just Don’t Screw It Up
This is possibly the strangest instruction I have ever heard a new manager receive from a superior. It happens when a new, up-and-coming manager gets a shot at running a segment of business that has already been operating successfully.
Typically it is related to a big factory or facility setting like a large warehouse, terminal, refinery, or machine shop. But it can also relate to a well-established team.
The idea is centered on the belief that if you just keep things going as-is, the unit will continue to be successful, make the money it’s been making, and keep the stakeholders happy. There really are companies that own large scale assets that operate like a fly-wheel. Once they get going, they are hard to stop.
There is no need to tinker with the mechanism. Just do basic maintenance, follow procedures, and the ‘machine’ makes money. Therefore “don’t screw it up” can make sense.
The New Manager
If you get appointed to be the newest manager of such a facility, your duties will be to keep the status quo. How exciting is that?
Well, if it involves keeping turnover low, avoiding accidents, and not creating down-time, then you have a big challenge. Therefore, yes, this kind of assignment can be a challenge.
