How Good Is A "Good Guy"? (1960)

[Music] this man is a supervisor he's been a part of management for almost 20 years this man is also a supervisor he got his promotion just about two months ago and this man has been head of his department for about four years they each work for different companies and completely different Industries but they all have one thing in common when a man becomes a supervisor he finds himself in charge of a group of people and is responsible for their efforts he is told by management by those over him that he must maintain a productive flow of work but no matter how much technical knowledge he might have there's one factor which can seriously limit his chances of success one element that can distort everything he does weaken him as a supervisor impair the efficiency of his Department lower the morale of his workers and cause him more trouble than any other single problem and he may not even be aware of the cause of his trouble now let's see if we can discover what this factor is and what we can do about it we start with our new super supervisor Steve Wilkins as he begins an appraisal interview with one of his men you know about this appraisal stuff sure every 6 months if I put it off any longer I'll have two to make out of course I know the kind of work you do but this is for personnel I know I've U I've been through him before you want me to look at it yes but understand it isn't my idea after all how can you rate a guy you've worked with for so long that's okay Steve don't worry I went through last year's form the one Mr Perry made out and wrote out what looked well reasonable nobody's going to look at it anyway hardly the way appraisal interview should go here's a chance to go over past performance let the worker know where he stands how he can improve his work Steve's company also hopes these interviews will help supervisors understand their people better become more sensitive to existing problems appraisal interviews properly conducted can accomplish all this now Steve should know he's been briefed thoroughly on the matter but there's more than what we see on the surface let's dig deeper into the minds of both men Steve the supervisor and art the worker that everything's all right no everything's not all right but how can I tell him he's causing friction in his section always some problem isn't there well let's knock off this paperwork if something's wrong I'd be better off knowing what it is sure you want me to do anything just look it over and sign it maybe I should open up and be honest with art he knows his work could be in line for a promotion too if he could only get along with the rest of the men but if I tell him about the complaints he won't like it or me I better not say anything these things usually work themselves out something is wrong he's rating everything okay but he's not telling me what he really thinks I wonder why what's he holding back I hate a brush off like this good or bad I'd like to know what goes on where I stand everything look all right I suppose so all right I got to get back to work guess that does it thanks a lot sure see you revealing isn't it what people really think but what about the supervisor who compromises his actions out of fear of what his men might think of it it's actually a common weakness one that causes many different problems now here are two men who work for another company how are things going okay I've been wanting to talk with you Dave I guess this is as good a time as any I don't quite know how to say this but well our Department's on the spot no why what's wrong the front office is putting on the pressure they are why know we're making more mistakes than ever we're way behind in our schedule I suppose I have been slacking off well here's where I get it well now look H you know I'm holding up more than my end of the job sometimes you do and other times you don't but what can I do whenever I had to really level with someone I felt they resented it Dave I'm not trying to fix any blame I just want to locate the trouble spots that's all well we've got a lot of rice jobs lately and we're overloaded I've heard that one before well I I know you turn out all you can under the circumstances but no when the front office sees our figures they put on a lot of pressure well I wish I could suggest something Hal but nobody downstairs wants to do more than he has to I know but I don't want to antagonize an entire department I know well anything you can suggest let me know oh yeah there's not a suggestion I could make that you wouldn't resent oh we'll all have to try harder that's all sure I could try harder if I had to but when you can sell the boss of warnout Alibi Why Try still it would be nice to get some clear Direction around here well you know you can count on me I guess we better get back right again need for approval took precedence over job requirements results Hal failed to cope with the problems of his department and Dave ended up feeling his boss was an easy Mark a man he couldn't respect too highly now here's a supervisor who fortunately is not faced with any immediate problem who in general is satisfied with his men's work Jim I have an idea to simplify things considerably it should cut our cost as well oh look at this flowchart since it affects your section I I wanted to talk it over with you before going ahead what do you know he's really worked this up looks like a good idea too what do you think never can tell how much work these changes might mean better play it K I don't know a change like this could disrupt an awful lot of uh relationships if he doesn't support this change it'll never work I I suppose it'll move people around some still they have to get used to changes don't they especially for the better maybe but I think you're better off leaving things as they are the work's getting done everybody's getting along oh you know I want everybody satisfied but don't you think this would mean greater efficiency never did see everybody satisfied and this change will probably mean more work at first so why ask for it Phil I know how the men think they won't like it and maybe they won't like me for suggesting it maybe he's right it will take some more effort at first I thought it was a a good idea but if you're sure the men won't buy it then I'll go along with you if you think it's so hot why drop it so quickly well I guess it's worth thinking about but for the moment leave well enough alone well I suppose that settles it wonder why he let me talk him out of it so easily sorry that's the way I see it oh that's okay don't worry I'm not going to worry you're the boss and another supervisor fails to do his job why how could these failures have been avoided now let's analyze what we've seen first a man who couldn't tell his subordinate where he stood because he himself was insecure another who so needed approval that he was afraid a perfectly reasonable correction would be taken as personal criticism and bring resentment and finally a man so preoccupied with his men's feelings toward him that it influenced his decision to make a needed change we saw how all these men tried to do a job and be liked yet ended up by achieving neither Their Fear of not getting approval was so great that they acted frightened insecure and even immature this fear made it impossible for them to think about their situations realistically made them unwilling or unable to say what they really thought and felt a fact which was easily apparent and which made it practically impossible for their men to respect who can like an evasive boss how can a worker have much regard for a supervisor who is so wrapped up in himself that he doesn't try to understand his employees problems supervisors like these fear that legitimate requests will be considered too demanding they evaluate everything in terms of their men's probable reactions now how can such people be very valuable either to their men or to their companies but what if the conversations we saw had never taken place what might have happened if these supervisors had been different free of fear of loss of approval willing to look at their men as as people with needs similar to their own does it make any difference if we stop worrying about how popular we are with the people we supervise let's find out if we can be firm and forthright without damaging good relationships with our Personnel now would this have had any effect on Steve and the worker who couldn't get along with his group what's up Steve time or another periodic appraisal art but let's talk for a few minutes first this is a good chance for me to find out where I stand with Steve you mean another six months have passed six months it seems more like two weeks since AR and I worked together and now I'm his boss making out his appraisal form I don't relish the job but it's got to be done and done right that's right 6 months ago Mr Perry made one of these out for me you know art before you're made responsible for the work of other people you don't have to think of them according to these standards and even if you thought they could improve you wouldn't mention it I wonder what he's leading up to looks different from the other side of the desk huh I'm glad he realizes that well you have to size up a problem more objectively not let friendship influence your judgment you're leading up to something Steve what is it you'll probably resent my even listening to the men's complaints but I can't ignore them an experienced manlike art shouldn't make it so rough on the new men well you know the purpose of these interviews is to give us a chance to sit down and go over the records of the past 6 months find out where we stand today and learn what we can do to improve ourselves yes I know the records here indicate that your output is the best in the department I don't know of a job that you've tackled that you haven't gotten out ahead of schedule yeah but look at the low rating it gave me on working relations but yes there is a butt I've been able to give you a good rating on everything except your ability to get along to work with other people lately I've been getting some complaints complaints I wasn't aware of any trouble oh what kind of complaints I heard there was some dissension recently and I feel it's only right to tell you so that together you and I can find out what's causing it this must be more serious than I thought well I don't know who you've been listening to and I don't care but I think things would be a lot better if people were just mind their own business mind their own business I mean all these Jokers that don't know what they're doing half the time then complain because I'm getting out more than they are you mean the new men yes you mean you don't think they're trying to do a good job well I don't know I suppose so I I don't bother with them very much mhm oh sure some of them come around asking me questions about things and you couldn't help them well I guess I could but it means dropping what I'm doing and then picking up again well if the older men can't help them how else are they going to learn sure but what sort of annoying being interrupted with questions yes that's always a problem so how do you know what you're supposed to do art there's more to a job than production I'm sure that's most important but helping out these new men is important too especially from your Viewpoint more than anything I'd say it's what's holding you back I I see what you mean comes under the head of cooperation huh cooperation is right and it looks like that department is going to get more of it now I think we've seen enough to learn that a supervisor who feels free to express himself creates an atmosphere in which problems can be solved it's interesting too that art seems to have more confidence in his boss like everyone he feels more secure with the channels of communication open now let's look at Hal and Dave again Hal you remember was faced with the problem of what to do about Dave whose work had become unsatisfactory well how are things Dave okay no problems no everything's fine Dave sometimes turns out very good work but he's not very consistent it may not be pleasant but we've got to talk it over get to the bottom of the trouble I've been meaning to talk with you Dave but this isn't the right place how about stopping by after your break well I can come in now okay all good it sounds like a great game Dave it certainly was wish I'd been there pull up there thanks Dave I want to talk to you about your work I suppose I have been slacking off well here's where I get it now wait a minute Hal you know I'm holding up more than my end of the job looks like I hit a sore spot wonder what's bothering you you used to but something's wrong Dave what is it that last job was a mess I knew he wouldn't Overlook it wrong nothing's wrong why I don't think there's any point in comp beating around the bush when you started in this section Dave you did a fine job but the records show that recently you've fallen off quite a bit now it's to your interest as well as mine for me to see if I can help what do you mean there's nothing I can't do I'm sure you can do all the work very well maybe I haven't made it clear what's expected if he can admit he isn't right all the time I guess I can too no that's not it I suppose sometimes I slack off a bit that's what I'm trying to get at Dave why well you know how it is certain jobs are more interesting and some you don't like so much you sort of ease off so that's it you think it's okay to ease off because you're not interested in the job well no but I didn't think it was all so important I guess you're right don't worry Hal I'll pick up okay Dave I just want you to understand that we have to keep the entire job in mind not just a part of it I guess I can't argue with that how do you think Dave is going to feel about HAL now didn't how's awareness of the problem and his honesty with Dave provide the kind of direction that Dave needed and won't Hal's firm yet appropriate action result in better work greater satisfaction for everyone now in our third case due to his fear of being unpopular Phil gave up a good plan to improve the work methods in his Department would a more realistic attitude have made a difference here Jim Ian idea to simplify things considerably it should cut our cost as well now look at this flow chart since it affects your section I wanted to talk it over with you before going ahead what do you know he's really worked this out looks like it might be a good idea too what do you think never can tell how much worth these changes might mean better play kg I don't know a change like this will disrupt an awful lot of uh relationships he seems sort of afraid of this change yes it'll take a while for everybody to get used to it but if we can get over that hurdle how do you think the idea will work it might work but if it doesn't we'll disrupt our section and get behind in our work well I don't know it might work but it seems risky what if it doesn't pan out he must be worried about something else but what what do you mean risky well it's hard to say how the men will feel about it okay so for a while I might not be the most popular guy around here but in the long run it'll be to everyone's advantage and eventually they're bound to see it why would they object to this Jim well you know how it is if they don't understand something they begin to get worried and they start listening to all sorts of rumors worried what about well how much work it means I see well it might look that way at first but just look here again and see if in the long run you don't think this is to the men's advantage well once we all get used to it I bet everyone agrees it's easier than our present setup well I don't mean to say it's not a idea but we're going to have to be careful how we present it that's right as a matter of fact what we should do is have this made into a poster and then call everyone together and explain it to them we have now seen two different kinds of Supervisors first men who were ineffective because of their overwhelming need for acceptance and approval those were inadequate leaders lacking an understanding of themselves and their men failing to communicate their own thoughts and feelings unable to recognize and cope with the needs of the situation on the other hand when our supervisors were not overly concerned with their own needs they could devote full attention to the requirements of their jobs they were able to understand the responsibilities of leadership and express themselves without fear of any resentment they might incur able to provide the understanding recognition and sec SEC their men needed now would it not be a good idea therefore when judging others to ask ourselves whether we are really being honest and straightforward when we mistake actions we don't like are we so influenced by the other person's reaction that we can't do what we know is right in handling the problems for which we have responsibility Are we more concerned with ourselves than with the welfare of our men and our company when a man becomes a supervisor he must develop as an individual accurate Ely understand his role and sharpen his personal qualities to fill it most important he must have insight into his own needs for approval the more he can do this the more he will be free to apply his technical abilities the more interested in his people rather than himself the more they will think of him the company and their jobs the more self-respect he has the more confidence his people will have in him the more attention he can devote to his men's needs the more opportunities he will give them to improve and the better work they'll do if a supervisor can accept the fact that he should not put his desire to be a good guy ahead of his responsibilities to his men and his company he'll not only be a better supervisor but he'll get the respect and the admiration of his people as well [Music] oh [Music]