Manager/deputy Relationship

[Guest]

As a manager, how do you delegate things between yourself and your deputy?

 

Do you have set things that each of you do?

[Guest]

oh, great question.....

 

me and my deputy started on a ropey footing anyway (as i got the job over her).

my deputy is also 30 years older than me, and has affectionatly been adopted by most as the mother/granny figure (she knows this and is okay with that)... but she is a bit set in her ways!

 

some days we get on fine. we seem like minded in terms of our values and opinions (on most things) and i feel i can talk to her relativly easily about work related things (and some personal things too)... she has the ability to be a bit nosey about other staff issues that go on, i.e if a member of staff comes to me in confidence my deputy will later come and ask me what the staff member has said.

 

my deputy is also a bit of a gossip, and sometimes speaks before she thinks.. she is the leader in the bitchiness (we only have a bit, but she leads it)... she bitches behind my back all the time, i am fortunate that the other staff will tell me.... but i hate having a deputy that instigates most the bitching, this has been an ongoing problem that i know the other manager had with her too.

 

my deputy has not yet challenged me over any decisions i have made, even though i know she disagreed with one decision. instead of challenging me she just bitched behind my back.

 

whilst i am at work my deputy will be consientious and work hard, but when im not there i know she slacks off, she hides in the office doing nothing but reshuffiling paper work from A to B and having a nosey (well that's what my 'spies' tell me anyway!!). last time i was off two days my deputy was in the office all day for both days, when i returned nothing has been done in the office so what she did for two days i am not sure.

 

so im dreading seeing what has (or rather hasn't) been done whilst i am off this week.

 

anyway i went off on one and moaned about my deputy... to answer your question....

 

my deputy always does the cleaning order,

she occasionally does the nursery shopping if she is spare from a room.

she is room based so really doesn't do much in the office.... sometimes again if she is spare she may sort the invoicing file out, or show parents round / answer the phone etc....

previously she used to be in the baby room and numbers were low so she could operate as spare and be in the office, but now she is in pre-school room she will be more room based now.

 

i would be interested to see what others do with their deputies (bar be tempted to lock them in the cupboard all day LOL ) and how jobs are delegated between manager/deputy.

 

Dawn

[Guest]

My deputy doesnt do much she checks first aid once a week and any student inductions but thats about it really i did want her to take over fire checks but she wasnt too keen x jojom x

[Verona]

My deputy is wonderful. She has been with me for more years than I care to remember. She does the extra planning for the older group of children, she has lots of ideas both for the children and the running of the Pre-school. In fact, she does so much I couldn't list it all. She is extremely conscientious and loyal and she is very supportive and caring of the other staff and extremely supportive of me. I have full confidence in the way she runs the Pre-school when I am on holiday or when I have a day off. I don't have any worries when I am not at work.

 

And NO!!! ......you can't have her - she's mine !!!!

 

 

Sue J

[Guest]

my deputy is now a really good friend.

 

I met her when i worked at her childrens school, when she knew i was opening my own pre-school she asked if she could come and work with me.

 

We have been away for girlie weekends (with another play assistant) and our husbands get on great too, we have meals at each others houses, go shopping etc.

 

When at work we seem to read each others minds, dont think i could ask for a better deputy, for better staff come to think of it, we all get on really well....even my mum works with us and the kids love her, nanny Ann

[Andreamay]

my deputy is a big help to me.She runs the sessions while i do the paperwork etc which is 4 sessions a week (Im meant to have 2 sessions off!!!)She is brilliant on the computer so will put together any documents i want.I have just given her a non contact session so she can do the btt planning and overseee the staff with the profiles ,obs and playplans for btt I do the fs.She alos uses this time to do any jobs i havent managed to get to.She does all the name labels for our pigeon posts,and name cards.

[hali]

my deputy is brilliant..she does risk assessments and checks each morning, she is H & S officer, child protection oficer, does anything i ask of her

[Guest]

hmmmmm,

 

Can Shelley and I please borrow your deputy then sue J, Joanne, andreamay and Hali we will share them around, honest!!!!!

 

sounds like your all very lucky to have supportive and consientious deputies, now why was i not so lucky. I inherited an unmotivated, largely lazy deputy... hmmmm

 

Dawn

[hali]

it is hard Dawn, ive just been on a series of workshops to do with recuirment, delegation, conflict etc , had an absolutly fab trainer but came up each week as 'you cannot be overfreindly with staff' (shh dont tell but deputy and i are best friends) now dont get me wrong we both know when at work its business and when at play we just giggle with a glasss of wine but it is tricky!!!!

[Andreamay]

that is exactly the same with us hali when I was deputy however the supervisor kept us all at a distance(altho we are freinds now)all the staff were petrified of her

[Guest MaryEMac]

My deputy is very hardworking and does all the ordering of hand towels, uniform and resources. She does come up with some good ideas for special occasions and topics. She and all the other staffare about 20 yrs younger than me and have younger children (I have grandchildren!) so I don't really socialise with them which I think is a good thing. On the other hand my deputy does have set ideas about certain groups of people (travellers) and wants to hide things like the computer in case they see it and desire it , so I do have to occasionally tell her to chill and think about what she is saying.

On the whole we all work as a team and I couldn't function without them.

Mary

[Guest]

My daughter is my deputy , the only drawback is that the family have 2 of us whittering on about preschool when we get together at home

 

I see the deputy role as the 'back-up' person for the manager. In other words he/she should be able to 'step-in' and cover for the manager at any time. This could be for example if the manager is dealing with a parent then the deputy continues the 'supervision of staff and children and maintains the flow of the session' and/or take over compeletely in the managers absence.

 

Specific roles such as child protection officer, H & S etc I have shared between all staff depending on individuals knowledge, skills, aptitude and attitude to do the role, irrelevant of position.

 

Peggy

[bubblejack]

My deputy has been working with me for 22 years and will do anything I ask. We sometimes have different opinons but we discuss things,try them and come to a solution.All my staff are able to take over the session if need be and I am confident that they are all so capable. I feel very lucky that we all get on so well.There is a difference of 30 years between the youngest and the eldest.

[Guest]

Hi

My deputy is able to cover for me in my absence, she is also my risk assessment officer. She writes up the evaluations for the afternoon sessions, while i do the morning ones, If i ask her to do anything she is quite happy to do it. we do get on quite well, i have to say though at the end of the session when everyones gone home we do seem to stand their moaning about the day etc, but its good to get it out of your system.

[hali]

very true simcity we do the same....

[Guest]

HI,

My deputy is fab. We are best mates as well and have been working together for 5yrs. Luckily we are able to seperate our friendship and professional working relationship separate.

There are times that I have had to pull her up over something and then gone out later for a drink. Work is work.

We also havewritten job roles that we both drew up and agreed on.

eg - planning

 

 

 

I hope that attached, first time.

We also have our other jobs planned, such as we both do general staff appraisals but she then does separate appraisals as well on the staff about the day to day planning and how they getting on etc

She also is in charge of the foundation satge within the setting, I focus on the pre school group, which is aimed at providing more stimulating play for the children who require it.

Net x

[hali]

net that makes me feel better as is axactly the same as mine.

[Guest]

Glad to oblige.

Now I know how to attach docs, I will hopefully be able to post more things

 

Net x

[Guest]

My Deputy is fantastic, we are very different as people, she is young and neat and methodical and organised, I am old and messy and a bit disorganised at times. We are a team ! we get things done and bounce off each other. I know that I am so lucky to have her and would be truely lost if she left. I have encouraged her to start the Foundation Degree and I know one day she will leave or be very capable of stepping in my shoes if I left. She is bright and enthusiastic, coming up with ideas and working with her own initiative.

 

I am glad that I chose her at interview. She does the Risk assessment folder and is responsible for Fire Drills etc. She is responsible for everything in my absence and has never let me down.

 

Teri