"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
...
DeepDiver wrote:
"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
...

The problem is that I'm working with
18-19 year old kids and they don't see
the big picture.


Excuse me for saying so, but it sounds like you have more of an
instructional problem (and perhaps, a disciplinary one also) than a
tooling problem. I'd rather opt to teach the children to do the job
correctly, than trick them into doing it correctly by limiting their
tooling choices.

Remember: at some point, they will be on their own and having to make
their own decisions. Guide them now and rest assured that they will make
the right choices later on. On the other hand, if they're only doing the
job correctly now because of your artificial constraints, what will
happen once they no longer have you imposing those constraints upon them?

Believe me, I'm trying. But I can't
be watching them every minute and I've
got too much invested in them to let
them go.


When I first read you post, I thought you were talking about your own
children, not employees. That said, the priciples of mentoring and managing
are the same: teach, reward, dicipline, and punish.

Tell them how you want it done, period: no exceptions. For those who do it
right, reward them with praise, a raise, and/or a bonus (doesn't have to be
cash: it could be a hour off early on Friday, your treating them to lunch,
movie tickets, etc.). For those who do it wrong, discipline with some
one-on-one performance reviews. If they still don't learn, then apply
punishment (e.g., deduct the cost of their damage from their paycheck). If
ultimately, an employee is unwilling to do it the right way, then I'd fire
him because there is a bigger problem involved than just your buggered
screws.

Simply lay down the rules, explain the consequences, and then stick to your
guns. (This, btw, is perhaps the greatest failing of parents and employers
alike: they either don't make the rules and consequences clear and
well-defined, or they fail to enforce them.) Your employees, like children,
will be happy knowing exactly what is expected of them in their jobs, you
will have your management duties clearly outlined so you'll never have to
wonder how to handle a problem situation, and you will ultimately benefit
from a well-run shop.

And remember: always praise in public, and reprimand in private!

Regards,
Michael