Conflict of Interest

[Richdewtan]

I have multiple sites - A Quality personnel assigned at each location - yet each answer to the production manager and not myself at those locations. I have expressed my concerns to my superiors and though they agree somewhat, the response is because I'm not physically able to be there all the time how am I suppose to manage them. Yet, they are in that same scenario with whom they manage at those other locations.

How do I effectively address this?

 

[gakiss2]

Let's dig into "I have multiple sites". Are you responsible for the quality performance of these sites? If so then this is classic 'Responsibility without authority'. In short that won't work.
If, on the other hand, your responsibility at these sites is more specific then the set up could make sense.
So, first step is to make sure there is an understanding of what you are responsible for and where.
The comment about not being able to manage people unless your physically there is simply ludicrous. Its obvious lots of managers handle responsibilities at other sites all the time. It is more challenging at times but certainly possible.
To me it seems more like that 'superior' needs a bit more confidence in you before entrusting you with that authority. One approach may be to develop your relationship with the production managers and see if you can't exert some influence through them. Perhaps if your boss sees you accomplishing improvement in the other sites then they may be willing to give you more sway.
I try to keep in mind that the words printed on my business card aren't the only force that defines me.

 

[Randy]

How do I effectively address this?

Assign specific tasks with some time frames or some other measurable to each and they either do them or not. Management 101

 

[Richdewtan]

Let's dig into "I have multiple sites". Are you responsible for the quality performance of these sites? If so then this is classic 'Responsibility without authority'. In short that won't work.
If, on the other hand, your responsibility at these sites is more specific then the set up could make sense.
So, first step is to make sure there is an understanding of what you are responsible for and where.
The comment about not being able to manage people unless your physically there is simply ludicrous. Its obvious lots of managers handle responsibilities at other sites all the time. It is more challenging at times but certainly possible.
To me it seems more like that 'superior' needs a bit more confidence in you before entrusting you with that authority. One approach may be to develop your relationship with the production managers and see if you can't exert some influence through them. Perhaps if your boss sees you accomplishing improvement in the other sites then they may be willing to give you more sway.
I try to keep in mind that the words printed on my business card aren't the only force that defines me.

I am responsible for the quality performance at each. From Car salesman to managing other managers in a manufacturing environment - this is his first rodeo as it were. Don't get me wrong he has good business sense, yet even he admits that much of how things are ran is new to him. His confidence in me is not an issue (his words) - I think his issue of managing from a distance is Quality is an everyday thing and should have more hands on management. Yet, I have managed quality and been a part of multisite organizations quality teams both locally and internationally and it worked. So how do I convince him (get his buy in), his boss agrees with me but we (including myself) will not go around him as that would not be professional.

 

[ChrisM]

Do these "Quality Personnel" report to you at all? If not it is difficult to prove that you have overall responsibility for quality - surely the main reason that these people are at the other sites is because you cannot be in more than one place at the same time?

 

[gakiss2]

I am responsible for the quality performance at each. From Car salesman to managing other managers in a manufacturing environment - this is his first rodeo as it were. Don't get me wrong he has good business sense, yet even he admits that much of how things are ran is new to him. His confidence in me is not an issue (his words) - I think his issue of managing from a distance is Quality is an everyday thing and should have more hands on management. Yet, I have managed quality and been a part of multisite organizations quality teams both locally and internationally and it worked. So how do I convince him (get his buy in), his boss agrees with me but we (including myself) will not go around him as that would not be professional.

Maybe I didn't use the right phrase regarding his confidence in you. He can have a general confidence in your ability but, back to specifics, confidence in your ability to do what? He is making it clear that does NOT have confidence in you (or perhaps anyone) to control quality at a site that you are not present at.
The product managers are there on site. Your boss' confidence is in them and that is why they have authority. Now I am not at all agreeing with his assertion that you have to be there to manage quality but he is making it clear that is his opinion.

All that to say that by gaining his confidence, I mean for him to eventually learn that you can successfully assure quality at sites that you are not personally on site. So I didn't mean the confidence crisis is with you specifically.

Unfortunately this still leaves you in an untenable situation. Responsibility without Authority.

 

[Johnnymo62]

His boss agrees with you but will NOT direct his subordinate to do something new? You have two problems.

 

[ScottK]

I've worked in scenarios like this. It can work just fine if you have a good relationship with the site managers and the site quality managers.
Is this something you feel needs to happen, or is it something you want to happen? Either way you'll need to show the boss the objective benefit of the site quality people working directly for you. If there is no real tangible benefit, then why make a change?
IMO - let the local site manager deal with all the HR stuff that comes with the direct reports and leave yourself as a dotted line supervisor, where you give more strategic guidance to the site and hold them accountable for their local operations.

 

[Golfman25]

I have multiple sites - A Quality personnel assigned at each location - yet each answer to the production manager and not myself at those locations. I have expressed my concerns to my superiors and though they agree somewhat, the response is because I'm not physically able to be there all the time how am I suppose to manage them. Yet, they are in that same scenario with whom they manage at those other locations.

How do I effectively address this?

Please clarify "each answer to the production manager and not myself at those locations." What exactly does that mean?

For example, if the quality rep has an issue with a part, do they go directly to the production manager and develop a resolution? Or do they work thru you? I can see where it would be an issue if they work thru you because it is easier to work these real time problems if you're present on location.