Pimms o'clock? Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 ...to taking on the role of part time Manager of a committee run preschool. The new committee are fine, bless them, keen to take on their responsibilities and do their very best. All officers are new to the role with the exception of one who is trying to hold it all together sharing her experience, all really good It's the staff, whatever the committee do is wrong "we don't do it like that, we always do it like this, and XXXXXXX (previous manager) did it this way so thats what we are doing" and so hostile they won't give the the poor committe a chance. None of them wanted the Managers job but now they all know better!! Any tips please before I throw in the towel and run a mile, I'm not usually defeated this easily but this is getting me down. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Oh Pimms :blink: so why oh why did you say yes? Can't give you any advice - have never been involved in any committee run groups....... Good luck - that's the most useful thing that I can think of to say 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Very slowly and with tiny steps! :1b I had similar, but a privately owned setting (me new manager not owner) I was fortunate that the new EYFS came in- and I was able to use that as my back up for changing things. Have to say I now have a fantastic team - and everyone has input/ownership of planning etc. It can grind you down - but try and keep 'work at work' and keep home seperate ............. then learn to laugh at the problems rather than dwell on them. xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Take a deep breath and practice patience - you're going to need lots of it by the sounds of it! I would take it a step at a time too and if possible make concessions to both parties so they feel like their views are being listened to. At the end of the day though if changes are needed then the staff have no choice but to make them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Sit the staff down and give them the things committee want to change and ask for the pros and cons of each one. If they cant think of anything other than 'we dont do it that way' tell them its got the go ahead. I used to try something for half a term and ask the staff to help me evaluate at the end of that time, if it didnt work we changed it but if no-one could give me a reason why we shouldnt keep on doing it, it stayed. Change is a very scary business for some people so involving them in the evaluation might help their thought process.But I have worked with people like that, so GOOD LUCK 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimms o'clock? Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 Very slowly and with tiny steps! :1b I had similar, but a privately owned setting (me new manager not owner) I was fortunate that the new EYFS came in- and I was able to use that as my back up for changing things. Have to say I now have a fantastic team - and everyone has input/ownership of planning etc. It can grind you down - but try and keep 'work at work' and keep home seperate ............. then learn to laugh at the problems rather than dwell on them. xxx Hi Louby Loo The only changes I am trying to make are around the new EYFS, manager left (them in the lurch, no prior warning) over the summer holiday but even that is so hard, its met with "well lets change what XXXXXX used to do" knowing full well that I also manage another setting pretty well if I say so myself. I think I am up for when it comes to the staff but I feel for the committee that don't seem to be able to do anything right in their eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimms o'clock? Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 Oh Pimms :blink: so why oh why did you say yes? Can't give you any advice - have never been involved in any committee run groups....... Good luck - that's the most useful thing that I can think of to say Its a long story Sunnyday, the short version is history. They are a setting I used to support in an advisory role and was asked if I would take on the role as they were likely to have to close without a manager and committee and I feel the families deserve to have the setting in their neighbourhood. The staff don't realise/appreciate that the parent that have stepped up have saved their jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Sorry , should not be amusing, but it made me smile and reminded me so much of the children who come to preschool with the phrase' but mum always does it this way,' or 'mum lets me do it at home' etc.. Like Rea I did the try it out for 6 or 8 weeks and evaluate it... and worked on it from there. depends on the committee & changes they want to make as to if they will get staff support.. but maybe staff need a bit of reminding that they are the employers and need support to do the job they are doing as a volunteer without any wages.. I did find the hardest was being 'piggy in the middle' and dealing with it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimms o'clock? Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 I did find the hardest was being 'piggy in the middle' and dealing with it.. It is the being piggy in the middle, you're right its so hard to try to get the staff to be helpful to the committee all they seem to do is demand "we were promised this, she said we could do that" ans seem to have their heads shuved in a bucket when it come to seeing the other side. That's an idea, must buy some buckets this weekend do that I can do the shuving! :lol: Made my self laugh about it, thats good, thanks Inge 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Its a long story Sunnyday, the short version is history. They are a setting I used to support in an advisory role and was asked if I would take on the role as they were likely to have to close without a manager and committee and I feel the families deserve to have the setting in their neighbourhood. The staff don't realise/appreciate that the parent that have stepped up have saved their jobs. Ah right I see - well good for you that's a great thing to have done :1b Hmmmm - think B&Q might have buckets on special offer this weekend So I take it you are having to leave your setting in the hands of your deputy to enable you to spend time at the new setting? Wonder why the staff can't see that you and the committee are their 'rescuers'..........sounds like good advice to take it 'slowly', but if changes are needed for 'compliance' then the staff will have to put up and shut up 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimms o'clock? Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 The hard thing for the committee and myself is trying to save money and keep everyone in a job as things are running at a loss at the moment and contingency funds are being depleted, with many sessions over staffed. No jobs or hours have been cut it's cutting back on resources and make do and mend that we are using at the moment and they just can't see it, they want the moon, but hey ho maybe if we did cut hours they might appreciate what they do have. I could so easily walk as under the circumstances, I'm not getting paid until we can get things back on track (staff do not know this, so I am as much a volunteer as the committee) but I really don't want to let the families down. I'm now thinking if things don't get any better by the end of the year, get Christmas out of the way, then it might just be a case of being ruthless in the new year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 You need to show them the finances. If you're all to pull together they need to know why things are like they are. We're running on empty at the moment but everyone is aware so everyone is willing to cut costs and help with fundraising. Is there any reason the staff don't know how things are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimms o'clock? Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 You need to show them the finances. If you're all to pull together they need to know why things are like they are. We're running on empty at the moment but everyone is aware so everyone is willing to cut costs and help with fundraising. Is there any reason the staff don't know how things are? Hi Rea, they have been shown the figures to end of July with projections to end of financial year but because they see a large bank balance, the contingency fund, they see no reason to make any cut backs and no amount of reasoning with them seems to make it sink in that this money needs to be kept. I just don't understand their mentality as they don't take it serioiusly and think an xmas bazaar will do the trick! I'll keep fighting as long as I can but the committee are scared of being held liable and who can blame them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I show everyone the bank statements and show the outgoings we've got for the weeks ahead. At the moment we have enough money for Nov wages and rent and then we pray the NEF goes in on time and all fed payers pay. Staff know and are prepared to have hours cut for a while if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 We too showed the finances to the staff and we did cut hours when we were overstaffed.. they had to accept it or find new jobs which left more hours for those there... either that or we had to make someone redundant.. When showing the finances, I did a breakdown of the contingency which we kept in a separate account so was not part of the day to day account .. by the time we had taken the redundancy pay and covered all that. and 3 months rent , 3 months wages it was all gone.. so it showed that we would close in 3 months if we did not manage to cover all on the main account. . and then the main account had a forecast.. usually the income did not balance the outgoings for that time, showing it to be in the red.. so overall it showed that if we did use contingency to cover the loss, we would be closed in 6 months.. We used to give them the bare facts, including anything like if you took a wage then they would be closed now, so only reason they have a job is because you have no wage .. yet... .. brutally honest, showing all. We used to reduce hours with the child numbers and increase them, a flexible contract, no set hours other than a minimum of 6 a week! They all knew in reality without this they would be out of a job ... some did leave which released the hours for the others to have.. but in our case most became very flexible and allowed those who needed hours to get benefits have enough to be able to receive them and others added as we could.. was a big juggling act but they all knew exactly where the money was (or was not in most cases.) Overall sounds like the staff have been too buffered from reality in the finances and been too used to being the ones with a voice and need someone to be very brutal and state the facts... they are the employees and perhaps need reminding of this... and the committee are trying to keep things going but will sometime have to step up and make a decision the staff may not like... maybe the staff need a reminder of this too.. definitely a piggy in the middle and do not envy the task... but probably would have been something many of us would have done to help a setting in trouble out.. its never easy but good luck in what seems lik an uphill task with staff more than committee for a change... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 (edited) Pimms - I think the staff need to be told that you are not drawing a salary......... Crossed posts with Inge....... Edited November 10, 2012 by sunnyday 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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