Putting u point across without losing my cool

Your first task is to understand the current process, not challenge the process.

You are your own worst enemy. Instead of being an active listener, you think the path forward is to challenge. You are not there to challenge, you are not there to change things, you are not there to question if it is the best way to do things, your first task is understanding.

The technique I can share with you is to stop using a challenge process and start using a process of discovery. Use open ended questions and observe. Don't challenge.

That makes sense, however I then struggle with my objective. My manage (also his manager) is telling me to fix the situation. Don't get me wrong, I understand the process. At the end of the process, I comment on how to move forward. When I put my suggestion forward, he makes an excuse as to why not to do it any other way and wants a quick fix rather than a solution. Am I being defensive in this very reply, or am I listening, processing and responding?

We have only had a single exchange. Do you believe a single interaction is all you require to gain understanding and now you know how to move forward? That is not how change works. Change is a process that takes time.

I have been in your situation...many, many times. I managed men in their 50's and 60's with decades more experience than me. My boss was in his 40's and as a manager I had to set goals and implement process improvements.

In your first post you said your task was to understand the process. Now in your second post you are saying your task is to fix it. Well, at which stage do you think you are? In this second post it sounds to me you believe you understand, that you have gained all the understanding you need and now it is time for you to challenge. Yet, this is different than your first post where you said your task was understanding and you were challenging during the process of understanding.

It sounds to me like instead of asking and discovering how the process works, you were immediately questioning, "Why do you do it that way, why don't you do it this way?"

Why do you think he is making an excuse and prefers a quick fix? Is it possible he sees your suggestion as an ineffective solution, is it possible you don't yet have a good understanding? Is it possible that by challenging that even if you have a good solution, you have established an adversarial relationship?

Another question. Why is your solution so important to implement in a timely matter? Why is it so time sensitive...will everything still be okay if your solution is not implemented immediately?

My guys, the guys with decades of experience. They had seen young guys like me come and go. I was their 5th boss in 4 years. Now they are on I think their 7th or 8th boss in 10 years. The bosses come in, make changes, then the next boss comes in and makes changes again. It gets tiring for those employees watching everyone come in thinking they have a better way of doing things, knowing that after you get promoted and the next boss comes in they will just have to change it again, maybe even reverting back to the way things were.

Don't get me wrong. I made some fantastic changes. I got one process reduced from an average of 11 days down to in some cases a single day. I was eventually able to make some changes that had wide sweeping, multi-million dollar impacts across an entire industry. And in some cases these changes were made even without the approval of my guys. They resisted some of the changes.

Anyway, based on your first and second post, it sounds to me you are still in the understanding phase and not yet ready for the solution phase.

P.S. what do you mean when you put "your suggestion forward". Why is it your suggestion and not a collaborative effort where this person that wants a "quick fix" is included in the process? Have you had collaborative sessions, brain storming, white boarding, mind mapping where you work together to develop a solution instead of it being "your solution"?

Thanks again for your detailed reply. I think I can now see what you mean and where my approach is too far forward. I will try today to take a step back and listen more, suggest we collaboratively come up with an idea.

Wow!

Richard is Great on This One.

Christian, you are Really Lucky here!

I only have relatively stupid things to add. The Guy presently In Charge of what you have been Charged with Finding Problems with... well, He Won't Help. You were effectively given the Job to Find Out what He was doing Wrong, and to give the Company a Good Reason to fire him... or downsize him... or make him Redundant.... what ever is the Current Nice Way of saying 'Give Him the Ax'.

Yes, it is All Supposed to be for the Good of the Company. But, really? You Expect some Guy with a Big Family and a Big Mortgage to Agree with you that He is Inept and the Solution to the Problem is to put some body in place who thinks 'Newer, Better, and Faster' than he does. After all, as with most Problem Situations, the Easiest Solution is to Recommend a Process... or a Process Manager who is "More Up with Modern Technology, Better and Faster, than the preceding Manager.

I think you would be Aware of the Process... in Modern Capitalistic Management Practices, the Ordinary Thing to do when something seems to be Not Be Working... is to Fire whoever is in charge and bring in Somebody Else.

Here. In this Situation. YOU are the Go Between. Whether You Like It Or Not, your Job is to find a Credible Reason for Firing that Old Fud. He knows it... that is why he is resisting you... and probably hates you with every fiber of his body.

But, in order to Do a Good Job... the Job they Already Expect of You, all you need to do is put forward a Report that declares everything the Old Mid-Level Supervisor did was Wrong, and the Solution would be to Fire that Old Fud and replace him with the New Corporate Darling. Your Job was basically to Protect the Corporation from Subsequent Law suits.

BUT... I am just kind of a stupid amateur with all of this business talk. Listen to Richard. confide in him and don't let him get away. He will get you through this.... for sure....