The Cub’s toys have got out of control so we told him that there would be no TV, card games or excursions until they were all picked up. Much grumbling and wailing resulted, but he eventually buckled down.
Towards the end of the gruelling exercise, I was pointing out various bits and pieces that needed to be restored to their resting places, and he interrupted: “Why aren’t YOU helping?!?”
I replied. “I am helping. I’m providing supervision and direction.”
In the time-honoured complaint of worker drones in history, he replied: “THAT’S NOT HELPING!”
Speaking of middle management:
My company just received certification of compliance with international management standard ISO9000. Therefore, I was required to sign a statement saying that I had received proper instruction from my immediate superior on how to perform my job.
My company consists of the boss who owns it, and 3 employees. But now we have lots of important new forms to sign. NorthernPiper: Your org chart also consists of 3 people–BUT YOU HAVE NOT PROVIDED THE CUB WITH A SINGLE FORM TO SIGN.
You need to explain to him the seven troop leading procedures.
Step 1. Receive the Mission
Step 2. Issue a warning order
Step 3. Make a tentative plan
Step 4. Start necessary movement
Step 5. Reconnoiter
Step 6. Complete the plan
Step 7. Issue the complete order
Step 8. Supervise and refine
I’m particularly concerned about the occupational health and safety violations here. Was a pre-job hazard analysis performed? Were precautions taken to avoid the hazards so identified? Was the Cub provided with personal protective equipment? Has the Cub even had any safety training?
Just as an aside, it would appear that whoever set up your ISO 9001 compliant Quality Management System did not do the right thing by your company. A 4-person company shouldn’t have “lots of important new forms to sign” unless there is a good reason for them, and “because the auditor wants to see them” is not a good reason.
Sorry for the interruption, but I hate seeing companies who are trying to do the right thing being forced to waste time for no benefit. But then again I’ve been implementing Quality Systems for 20 years, so I know how to avoid the common pitfalls.
Lord Mondegreen, have we been in meetings together? Because I thought exactly the same. Northern Piper, have you tried standing at the door with your arms crossed? I know people who hate that even more than the “you’re missing a lego piece there” style.
Ummmm…“because the auditor says so” is the ONLY reason to do anything when you need ISO9001 certification.
Just like “because Mom says so” is the only reason to pick up your toys.
(except that Mom is usually more reasonable than ISO. )
[off topic rant]: ISO is to business what the TSA is to airlines. It was a good idea when it started–after all, who doesn’t want safe air travel? But now, the TSA has morphed into a huge, living monster–an all-encompassing bureaucracy, which has completely forgotten its original purpose, and whose only concern is feeding itself and providing job security for its employees.)[/rant]
Not such a bad idea. What you need is a good specification. I suspect that where the cub is working to MIL-STD-1695 (Military Standard: Environment, Working, Minimum Standards) parents tend to expect MIL-HNDBK-407 (Precision-Cleaning Methods and Procedures).
I’d throw in ASTM F24: Standard Method for Measuring and Counting Particulate Contamination on Surfaces.
As a kid, I tended to work to ASTM G144 Standard Test for Determination of Residual Contamination of Materials and Components by Total Carbon Analysis Using a High Temperature Combustion Analyzer. Or simply put, clean it to the point that Dad says it’s clean or he’ll blow a gasket.
So, first – an inventory.
Next, the list of authorized users
Third, operating instructions for each toy.
Fourth, deployment and storage instructions for each toy.
Finally, the signature pages for each set of instruction to verify that each authorized user has read the instructions, signatures required at least annually.
Northern Piper supplied the capital for the toys. I bet Northern Piper has 99% of the assets. Any complaints about this is just class warfare. Tsk, tsk.
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