New Managers – Blow your whistle
Are you a manager who has been appointed few days / months back and don’t see your team looking up to you or giving you trouble.
Here is a tip – “Blow your whistle”
I remember the movie – “Kindergarten Cop” in which Arnold Schwarzenegger is a hardened inner-city undercover policeman who suddenly finds himself teaching kindergarten in an idyllic little town in the Pacific Northwest and becomes afraid after few classes as none of his 5 and 6 year old students listen to him and admits that they are “walking all over” him.
One day, He brings with him two things – a whistle, and a new attitude. After scaring them with a blast from the whistle, he announces that from now on they will immediately respond to a series of signals from the whistle indicating that they do something other than what they’re doing at the moment.
It is made perfectly clear to the first little girl who objects that any deviation from this herd mentality will not be tolerated, and that her tears have no effect on the program, or her large teacher.
Soon Arnold has them marching everywhere, exercising vigorously, and competing with each other in tests of strength and endurance. I can still see Arnold’s face light up as he watches his little herd moving as one, saying to himself, “It’s vurking, it’s vurking!”
It is this new attitude and discipline that has to be enforced with your new team members.
So, next time you see your team not listening – “Blow your whistle” and show who is in command.
What has been your experience?
Share your thoughts with me.
Other resources to help you grow:
Team Taskmaster – Get more out of your team and your time
The Practice of Leadership – It’s only in the practice of leadership that we influence our world…
