Contact Us     |     Customer Support     |     Login

AMPT
  • PLATFORM
  • CUSTOMERS
  • RESOURCES
    • AMPT Knowledge Center
  • COMPANY
  • DEMO
  • PLATFORM
  • CUSTOMERS
  • RESOURCES
    • AMPT Knowledge Center
  • COMPANY
  • DEMO

I learned these three hard truths about managing others in a large company

April 6, 2017  |  By Craig Spilker
what-i-learned-from-large-companies

I worked at a very large, internationally held insurance company when I was 25. When I say “very large”, it fits the description of large company by our U.S. Census Bureau. So large, in fact, I would regularly get lost…..on my own floor.

There are many benefits to working for a large company. Many. There are also many detractors from working for a large company. Many.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEXT WEBINAR: CULTIVATING A CRAZY CULTURE

But it wasn’t until I was promoted to supervisor that I realized what the real differences were at a company of that size. They were felt immediately and none was more evident than my very first day as supervisor.

BAPTISM BY FIRE

I was tapped to be the supervisor of our extended warranty call-center, Midwestern states division. I would have 10 people that would directly report to me. I reported to my floor director, and so on up the food chain the management went.

I never knew anyone more than two steps above me but it wasn’t the staggering size of the management chain that initially intimidated me. It was the transition from front-line employee to supervisor.

My very first day as supervisor was nothing short of a dumpster fire.

There was literally a fire on the second floor which caused a building wide evacuation but that wasn’t the issue. The issue also wasn’t that I was tasked with being the resident “leader” for those who had just weeks ago looked at me as a colleague.

The issue was that on my very first day, I was asked to let someone go. I worked up all my might and repeatedly couldn’t do it. I was terrified. Eventually, I along with my direct supervisor, sat this person down and recounted the issues they were facing. Once the HR lead associate entered the room the writing was on the wall. This particular employee knew what was about to happen.

For those who have been let go or who have let others go (I have experienced both) it’s not worth recounting. You get it. But what’s noteworthy here was my reaction after I left that meeting.

I was just a number. And so was that person.

It’s not easy to manage or lead others regardless of how big your team is but managing in a large company is especially unique. These are the three big things I learned about managing others from my time working at a large company:

1) YOU’RE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT (IF EVER)

It’s easy to think that as a manager the “buck stops here” with you. But it doesn’t. It rarely (if ever) does. Not only that but in large companies the target for managers moves daily. The same isn’t always true for front-line employees. Most large corporations know what their day-to-day employees need to be doing to meet deadlines and bottom lines alike so it’s with management that the most change often occurs. The main thing I learned here which helped me survive, was that I wasn’t always right.

As a result I always promised my employees that I wouldn’t answer any question unless I was 100% accurate. That was rare but that built trust among us. They knew I was only going to respond to them immediately if I knew exactly what was expected and required. I also always told them a deadline for when I’d get back to them and fight hard to keep it.

2) YOU ARE A NUMBER

This one is especially hard to realize but it’s true. You are always something to someone, and even inside large companies, leaders and employees make major efforts to make sure this isn’t true (we see that a lot). The fact is, large corporations have many stakeholders to answer to, and that means it isn’t always you or your employees.

Understanding this was never made more clear to me than on my very first day as supervisor when I was tasked with letting someone go.

3) TEAMWORK ACTUALLY WORKS

This was, and still is, my favorite thing about working in a large company. If you can pull your team together through common goals and a shared vision, you really can create an impressive force.

Working together doesn’t mean pooling resources to share work but it could mean finding ways to lean on each other when the going gets tough. It could also be as simple as having a support group to confide in each other during these stressful periods.

Key to remember as a manager: this usually doesn’t involve you. However, if you stress to your employees how important this support structure can be, you can rest easy knowing your team is pulling together for each other.

business
Previous StoryRecognition Matters: An Infographic of Why
Next StoryThis 5 second attitude shift will make your day.

Related Articles

  • bonus
    End of The Year Bonus Your Employees Actually Want
  • Personal
    It's Not Personal

Leave your comment Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

ABOUT US

Our AMPT resources page will provide you with the latest in employee engagement, recognition and organizational effectiveness.

  • Articles on industry trends
  • Latest hacks, tools and tricks
  • Employee engagement in the 21st century
  • Best practices and more!

CATEGORIES

  • BLOG (15)
  • BUSINESS (17)
  • Core Values (14)
  • Culture (34)
  • DESIGN (2)
  • DEVELOPMENT (7)
  • Engagement (18)
  • General (23)
  • HR (6)
  • Leadership (29)
  • Management (15)
  • Updates (2)

ARCHIVES

  • December 2018 (1)
  • November 2018 (1)
  • August 2018 (1)
  • May 2018 (2)
  • February 2018 (1)
  • January 2018 (2)
  • December 2017 (1)
  • November 2017 (3)
  • October 2017 (2)
  • July 2017 (2)
  • June 2017 (1)
  • May 2017 (1)
  • April 2017 (4)
  • March 2017 (7)
  • February 2017 (4)
  • January 2017 (6)
  • December 2016 (4)
  • November 2016 (3)
  • October 2016 (5)
  • September 2016 (6)
  • August 2016 (4)
  • July 2016 (3)

CALENDAR

March 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Dec    

TAGS

AMPT Appreciation Attitude business care Communication Company Culture Core values Creative Culture employee Employee Recognition employees employe recognition Engagement Features Feedback focus Halloween healthcare Holiday Parties HR Ideas infographic Leadership Managemment Millennial Motivate Netflix Culture Document Office Opportunity Party Personal Platform podcast Potluck Purpose Recognition Site Tour social recognition platform Solutions Updates Value work Workplace Culture

MORE ABOUT US

AMPT believe that every last individual should be recognized in their moment of greatness. That's our belief...and we are sticking to it.

PRIVACY POLICY

END USER LICENSE AGREEEMENT

TERMS OF SERVICE

LATEST RESOURCES

  • Snapchat Biases
    I learned about my own leadership biases from my daughters’ Snapchat shenanigans [again]
  • We’re sorry but real change takes time
    We’re sorry but real change takes time
  • Focus on good blog
    Explained: Why Leaders Struggle to Recognize Employees for Good Work

COME VISIT US

We open our office to anyone who wants to stop by and talk about anything under the sun. So if you have time and ideas…stop by!

432 South 11th Street,
Lincoln Nebraska,68508

AMPT
  • PLATFORM
  • CUSTOMERS
  • RESOURCES
  • COMPANY
  • DEMO
Copyright © 2020 AMPT. All Rights Reserved.