So You've Hit The Big Time - How To Do It With Grace And Style

There's a reason that managers and supervisorswas turned into a farm animal. Fred and Ethel
get paid more than their employees: managingMertz were always at the Ricardo's apartment,
people is just plain hard.requiring drinks and cigarettes. Poor Laura Petrie
It's even harder to manage folks if you've climbedwas constantly required to dance in black Capri
past them on the corporate ladder. Everyone canpants for the hard-drinking, nicotine-laden writers
agree to affably hate the guy who comes inof The Alan Brady Show.
from three states away to oversee the team,Remember - all of those manager-types smiled
but when it's the person you were eating sushilovingly on their plebes, but they didn't expect to
with just last week on the Friday bento boxbe treated equally. When their employees
special...well, that just makes it personal.performed well for them - or in the case of the
Being really good at your job is a great thing. ItRicardos, paid their rent - the managers treated
helps the company to succeed and hides a lot ofthem as if they were earning their pay. When
faults for those on the team who might not bethey didn't, well - Samantha had to go back in
carrying their weight. The reward for all this hardtime to find a solution to Darrin's employment
work and competence? A management job. Thewoes and Lucy had to go on the air pawning
punishment? Well - the same.Vitameatavegamin.
There is no question that becoming a manager isTo be a good manager, you have to put your
a great event. It gives you a chance to shine - toconcerns for your popularity aside. Treat your
really show what you can do. It is evidence ofemployees like the professionals they should be,
the company's confidence in your abilities.even if they used to be your margarita-guzzling
However, joining the ranks of the top brass canbuddies. Delegate work to them and don't
also mean a departure from the work you reallymicromanage them. If they succeed, reward
love. It also almost always means leaving yourthem. If they fail, don't. Don't be mean, and don't
friends behind. You may still be close, but the factbe critical. Speak your piece immediately,
is that rarely can you be an effective manager ifsuccinctly, and give consequences if they don't
you remain a great friend. A great friend wouldimprove.
put your long-time needs ahead of those of theThe moral of the story is that in order to be a
company. A good manager wouldn't consider it.good manager, you have to expect your
A lot of the old sit-coms from early televisionemployees to have positive results, understand if
hammer home the hierarchy of management,they don't (once or twice), and always, always
even among friends. Larry Tate thought nothingkeep checking on them to make sure they do.
of interrupting Darrin Stephens after hours, evenThere was a reason that Larry Tate kept driving
if Darrin's wife was having a witch baby or Darrinall the way from Manhattan to New Rochelle.