Managers, How do you deal with staff perception?

[Illmarinen]

I work at a small facility in the Bay Area as a unit manager. Currently, I'm taking serious measures to make a stride and take the open ADON job at my facility. It'd be a great accomplishment for me, especially considering I'm only 24 years old right now. But today I heard some things from my staff members (MHWs/MHTs, basically UAPs with a different title) that got me thinking about how to deal with how my staff perceive me.

They very plainly stated that the current perception of me is that I have a stick up my keister. No uncertain terms. There was even a gesture involved. I was taken aback but I dug a little deeper. And apparently the current perception of me a right proper jerk, it almost sounded like. That I follow the rules a little too much, that I'm not as much fun to work with as I used to be. I've been there a little over a year and have made some serious strides, at least from my point of view, in being a good, professional nurse who maintains great rapport with my clients (we are a longer term psych facility). The whole deal was very startling. I thought of myself as being a least well-liked among the staff I usually work with, as I'm a very jokey, light hearted person who enjoys good food and hard work. But now I'm not sure how people feel about me and I don't know what impact it will have on me. One staff mentioned that the administration would be asking staff members how they feel about having me in this new position, and it was mentioned in a way that very heavily implied that quite a few of the staff would not be okay with that.

So, what would you do in this situation? How do you manage your coworkers' perception of you in a way that allows you to get work done while still maintaining a good enough rapport? Is it more of a Machiavellian thing, where it's better to be practical and playing by the book than to be loved by everyone? Typing it out makes it seem so simple, but I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it. My gut feeling is to keep playing by the book, stick to policy, and to just be myself. My hope is, if I can get into this position, I'd like to straighten out a lot of the organizational turmoil among nursing staff and get the facility back to a smooth flow while still maintaining our ability to have fun.

[Davey Do]

So, what would you do in this situation? How do you manage your coworkers' perception of you in a way that allows you to get work done while still maintaining a good enough rapport?

A supervisor once said to me, as I was being reprimanded for not fulfilling a job duty, "My job is no more important than yours. We just have different responsibilities. One of your responsibilities to (perform this duty) and one of mine is to make sure the task is done. You don't have to like it, you only have to do it".

I could get behind that when he put it that way and I followed his direction without issue. He was a good role model for when I became a supervisor.

My gut feeling is to keep playing by the book, stick to policy, and to just be myself. My hope is, if I can get into this position, I'd like to straighten out a lot of the organizational turmoil among nursing staff and get the facility back to a smooth flow while still maintaining our ability to have fun.

You sound as though you answered your own question, Illmarinen. You're young and have a lot of energy, so go with your gut.

I wish you the very very best!

Oh- and welcome to AN.com!

If the Mods don't move your thread, Illmarinen, you might want to check out this forum:

https://allnurses.com/nurse-management/

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

This often happens with very young managers. I was the same my first attempt at being a NUM. I was so busy focusing on achieving targets and keeping the budget under control and being seen to follow the rules that I became a real stick in the mud.

I needed a role model which was severely lacking in my division at the time. I did not get the permanent position when it was advertised. I went to another role in the organisation where I had tons of responsibility but no power only influence. This opened my eyes to another set of of skills that are needed for senior management roles. Stakeholder engagement is a set of skills that you may need to develop.

This time round the most frequent comments from my team are that "you get stuck in" "you provide the tools for me to do my job" (personal bug bear of mine not having the right equipment to do the job) " you back us up". This and sometimes a subtle finger to some organisational suggestions has actually resulted in a reputation as a good leader. Sorry to say sometimes age is a great teacher.

[klone, MSN, RN]

That's hard. My only suggestion is to be genuine, and remember that as a manager, your main job is to take care of your staff, so that they can take care of the patients. You work for them, not the other way around.

[Guest219794]

Do your job as you know it needs to be done.

As far as maintaining good relationships with staff- Help out when the going gets rough. Get in and get your hands dirty.

Just an expression- I suggest gloves.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

You work for them, not the other way around.

I love this! If managers would remember this, every team could accomplish so much more. I'm lucky that we do have a manager that will help out anytime we need it

[Glycerine82, LPN]

I will tell you that our unit manager has built good rapport by getting her hands dirty whenever she needs to. There is not one task she will not do if it's needed and staff really appreciate her. She also is down to earth and knows that we aren't going to do everything like we do when state comes, because its not practical. BUT she take zero crap and is the first one to point out when something could be done differently.

[JKL33]

And apparently the current perception of me a right proper jerk, it almost sounded like. That I follow the rules a little too much, that I'm not as much fun to work with as I used to be.

Credit to you for hearing things that are hard to hear and taking on a little introspection related to what was said.

Although the comments might inspire a little bit of personal change that you feel good about, I have to say they sound a little nit-picky to me, meaning that when I've witnessed situations (not many) where there was dislike of a manager, the concerns were way more worrisome: Inappropriate blaming, outright lying about things, gossiping about staff members, inciting staff interpersonal difficulties and distrust, lack of support, abject disrespect/disregard...haughtiness, things like that. Which to me are a might bit worse than following rules and not being as "fun" as one used to be.

So I say if the comments are useful to you, great. But...(how to say this...?)...perceptions are never 100% about the subject of the perception. They are interpretations by their very nature. They are interpreted opinions.

Be genuine and treat others the way you would want to be treated to the largest extent you are able.

Best to you~

[JKL33]

a might bit worse

Ugh!!

...a mite bit worse.

duh/geez.

....carry on...

[Truth_be-told]

Do you step in and help the floor nurses when they are swamped or burned out? Are you asking them to do things that you know full well that you yourself are not capable of doing?? Do you take long breaks while your floor nurses don't have a second to spare? Do you eat food, talk on your cell phone, and sit in your office with all these creature comforts while those who work the floor are constantly threatened or bullied by you for doing the same because or your title? If you are honest and answered "yes" to any of the above, then do not act so shocked when your staff hates you. Lead by example. The arrogance of most "managers" never ceases to amaze me.

[TessLJ]

"The whole deal was very startling. I thought of myself as being a least well-liked among the staff I usually work with, as I'm a very jokey, light hearted person who enjoys good food and hard work. But now I'm not sure how people feel about me and I don't know what impact it will have on me. One staff mentioned that the administration would be asking staff members how they feel about having me in this new position, and it was mentioned in a way that very heavily implied that quite a few of the staff would not be okay with that."

This is evidently a blind spot for you, if your perception of staff opinions are so far off base from what they are saying. Stop trying to "manage" their perception and try to be a leader. You may benefit from reading, "Leading from the Middle," By W Robinson. Also, "The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team," is another good one.

Are you trying to be a 1 person show with all these plans you have to straighten out the organizational turmoil? One of the best ways to get staff buy-in and involvement is to include them; as for the input. You're concerned about what they think of you, but have you made sure that they feel valued? If not, what can you do to help them know they are valued?

Sticking to policy...does the policy make sense, or is it part of the turmoil? There is nothing wrong with re-evaluating policies to see if they are still relevant or should be changed. What do the staff think? Have you solicited their feedback on the policies and what they think needs to be done?

[rearviewmirror, BSN, RN]

Lots of good advice. 24 is really young, no offense, but you got things done at least it seems. The only managers I saw who were respected in hospital were ones who didn't mind getting dirty in the floor when things got crazy, made sure jobs were being done, but not to the point it drove everyone mad. Fine balance there. From my experience though, most nurses in "leadership" position are hated for this reason: I am at a desk.... and that is not my problem anymore. I.e: constant staff burnout d/t staff shortage and heavy patient load: I am at a desk. That's not my problem.

Good luck