Manager’s Choice

The Flex-Time Conundrum
Readers Respond

Here are readers’ ideas for coping with this month’s Manager’s Choice dilemma. To post your own ideas, see the instructions at the bottom of this page.

GET A CELL PHONE

The solution to the flex-time problem is easy. Get the guy a cell phone and make him carry it with him when he is not at work. And tell him his employees are allowed to call him when there is a serious problem. Even if he doesn't answer it, people can leave him voice mail and he can get back to them. Assuming there is no personnel policy against making him have a cell phone for short decision-making activities, its a creative way to meet the letter of the flex time law and still make him "manage" like his job description requires.

He may not like having to carry a cell phone on the slopes, but that's the price of freedom. All our senior managers have cell phones and staff is authorized to call them when the need arises. As long as staff doesn't abuse it, managers don't complain. And when they really want privacy they can turn the phone off and just check their voicemail later. Staff still gets responses more quickly than if they wait for the manager to get back into the office.

In the long-term, the flex-time rule needs work. I'm sure it doesn't intend to allow managers to avoid managing.

Jeffrey R. Levine, AICP
Director of Long Range Planning
Office of Housing and Community Development
Somerville, Massachusetts

MANDATE OFFICE TIME

In addition to management training and electronic devices, why not enforce a mandatory block of time when all employees are required to be on site? This could be enforced for specific days and/or times--say Tuesday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. This way, staff would know that every Tuesday during these hours, meetings can be scheduled, questions can be answered, etc.

Becky Rebich
District Administrative Manager
Chicago Police Department
Chicago

ALLOW SOME SUFFERING

I like the good old fashioned consequence-based approach. When a situation arises that normally results in someone covering for the MIA manager, simply don't cover. Stop being an enabler! Issue a cease and desist order against enabling flex-time folly. When the situation won't necessarily cause the whole division to suffer significantly (however, marginal suffering could produce some rather motivating positive peer pressure), allow the wayward son to return to piles of decisions, memos, e-mail, voice mail ... pressure! Maybe even a note from his suffering superior that states how urgently he needed something the day before.

And don't worry that this type of action somehow grinds against the "team" based philosophy of today's government workplace. Motivating one toward his best performance capability is the epitome of the team concept. Sometimes, however, the method of motivation may appear "un-team-like."

I may be wrong in this case, but allowing someone the full harvest of their choices has historically produced great wisdom (in addition to many a good literary work)--kind of the "tough love" approach.

John M. Soulliere
Mission Springs Water District

EMPOWER THE EMPLOYEES

The flex time law is working, but the agency forgot to empower its employees to do their job. Companies are trying to institute work environments physically that are progressive, but we forget to (or it is too hard to) change the way of thinking that is necessary to make the new environment work. Remember 30 years ago, when people who had children were paid more money than people who did not have a family? We take equal pay for the same job for granted now.

This state offers flex time. It should not matter what the employee uses it for; if they qualify for it they should be able to use it. If that same person traveled all week for work, there would be technology available to handle the more serious things that crop up. They can be handled the same way during flex time. The other manager should not cover for him. The agency needs to build or create an enabling workforce.

Cheri Swayne
Staff Development Specialist
Kansas Department of Wildilfe and Parks
Topeka

ATTITUDE CHECK NEEDED

To Lee's benefit, he may not realize that his promotion elevated him above the level of technician. However, maybe Lee does realize this and is finding ways to avoid his new responsibilities. His supervisor needs to have a talk with Lee to help him understand what is now expected. At a minimum, Lee's supervisor should find out if Lee has the right attitude for the job or if he is burned out and avoiding his new responsibilities.

I am surprised that the West Dakota State Legislature would pass a policy allowing state employees so much flexibility as to when they have to work. This policy needs to be revised.

I have two staff on flextime, and they both signed an agreement indicating the days and hours they are to work each week and the hours/day they take off each week. My section's work schedule is posted where anyone can check to see it. At this point in time the flex schedule is working for us.

Lee needs to be more flexible about his time in the office.

Thomas Stewart
CIP Finance Supervisor
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Juneau

OLD-LINE BUREAUCRATIC THINKING

This Manager's Choice dilemma was great. It hit me as one of those tip-of-the-iceberg problems. I read it once, and the issue seemed clear and straightforward. I read it again and then again; I read the responses of other readers, and I read the online chapter from Bob Behn's book. All through the readings, the complexion of the case changed.

It looks like West Dakota government management talks a good game of contemporary thinking, but practices the rules and principles of old-line bureaucratic thinking (here is where Mr. Mr. Behn's book excerpt hit home). Looking at the history of West Dakota (as reflected in past MC articles), the well-intentioned assistant commissioner for regulatory affairs in the current Manager's Choice article has not practiced what he preaches.

A bureaucracy (such as West Dakota's government and many other governments) generally has much organizational inertia. If a leader/manager/supervisor were to suddenly die, be deathly ill, or even be spirited away by aliens from another universe, the bureaucratic organization should survive for a while because of the inertia made possible by existing policies, rules, procedures, etc. But what about when a unique problem, the one not covered by a rule (or policy or procedure), comes along? Do the second- or third-ranking people know what the absent boss would do? Has the absent boss created an atmosphere where the number two or number three can act?

Some managers like to be the center of the universe--maker of all decisions from grand all the way down to the routine. Implicit in the functions of management is a responsibility to train subordinates (one or a bunch) for the time when that unique problem rears its ugly head and the chief problem solver--you--is not there. The West Dakota people have taken the easy way out; they either do not know how or are afraid to act when the boss is away. It looks like the assistant commissioner ought to join Lee in revisiting management and administration principles.

Whatever happened to delegation of authority, acceptance of authority once delegated, and freedom to fail? These go back to undergraduate management 101 circa 30 or more years ago. Mr. Behn is right about new value systems being needed when moving from the operative or staff level to the leadership role at the apex of an organizational pyramid. One of the responders to this Manager's Choice suggested a cell phone. Without other things happening (see training and delegation above), the cell phone would be an extended leash. With enlightenment, training, and delegation, a manager can get away and allow both himself and the subordinates to shine in his absence. He would still be available (via the cell phone, or even a pager) for that earth-shaking unanticipated emergency. This emergency lifeline for the employees can also be a lifeline for the boss while enjoying the fruits of his labors.

David Skaret
Agency Lead Management Analyst
Virginia State Police
Richmond

Agree or disagree? If you think you have a better way to deal with this month's Manager's Choice dilemma or would like to expand on the approaches presented here, share your thoughts with other readers. Send your solution to mailbox@governing.com. Please include your name, location, government or business title or job description, and a daytime phone number (for verification purposes).

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