Meeting with the Boss.

How do you approach the boss man?

If you are not carrying your end of the stick, and you tell him how to carry his, he will not take it well.

If you have your shoulder carrying your end of the stick, and you make a helpful comment, it will be taken well.

Saying: Those that complain the most, contribute the least.

Important contributors get listened to.

N

Point out the advantages.

He must have seen so many amazing changes in Surveying in the past 30 years: Total Stations, GPS, Scanners, CAD... Huh, maybe there are more changes that you are not taking advantage of...

I am taking over the family business in a similar circumstance (most of the work in one town, 30+ years of survey data, outdated, i mean old school filing system). Fortunately, I told the old man, this is how we are doing it now period.

I don't think you will offend him. He might even appreciate your input.

From my point of view "being the boss" for the last jillion years:

I always appreciate input. I don't always solicit input, though. If you don't hear from me, then everything is probably running like I like it.

My one pet peeve is an employee that thinks something that would make his or her job easier is something that the company 'should' adopt.

Example: I had an employee that was top-notch, insightful, intuitive and professional. He had only worked at one other place his entire professional career. I got really tired of hearing about what software and equipment we "should" use because that is what he used at his previous job. I repeatedly replied, "We got what we got...learn how to like it."

Just tell your boss just what you said in your post. I bet he can handle your opinion.;-)

Thank you for the input already. I certainly would not be complaining, and I would not suggest anything if I did not feel I was carrying my end of the stick.

spledeus - I know old filing systems (that is why I put database in quotes). That is one that just drives me crazy. The filing system is horrendous. But I do not want to bite off to big of a piece. And the technology progress in the last 30 years is exactly how I have been thinking of approaching this.

paden - thank you for the example of the guy that thought everything should be like it was at his old job. If it was so great there, why don't you stop complaining and go back to work there? I need to remember that!

Start off discussing what you see that is truly positive about how things work. Ask how that came to be the standard. Then phase in to talking about results that could probably be better if handled in some other way than the norm. Don't focus on your solution. Focus on wanting to work together to get better results. Toss out part of what you have had in mind. See how it goes. Build from there, or start backing off.

I tried that when I was young and naive and the key employee in the company.

I wouldn't do it again. Maybe I lack the gift of diplomacy. It takes a lot of diplomatic skill to talk to the owner of the company about changing the operation; people get attached to their baby.

The best way to see change is to go somewhere else. At this point I have learned every workplace has some issue or other. You just learn to live with it or if you can't then you go somewhere else. I worked in a small private firm for 10 years (a lot of sibling rivalry among the partners), then a small City for 6 years, Parks and Recreation (just like the TV show-I kid you not) for 8 years and now the State Fire Department (traditionally a Forestry department). My current job is about as good as it gets so I have no plans to go anywhere until retirement.

Small Strokes Fall Mighty Oaks

You are not going to convince a guy to change his whole career outlook in a meeting. While there may be better way to do things you can't argue that things have been getting done. Pick something minor to work on. Make it a success. Then pick something else.

As far as staff meetings go, I believe them a poor substitute for communication.

Small Strokes Fall Mighty Oaks

agree on the staff mtg comment.

If he's the kind of guy who's "always done it this way", is fairly conservative, doesn't care for continual improvement and isn't interested, then I'd say you've got stuff all chance. He's happy moping along and until more efficient companies start taking work from him because they have better methodology, then nothing is likely to change.

However, even if he is this type of person, then tactfully approaching him with an idea is no harm. Just watch the reaction and decide from that whether it's worth pushing it or not.

In my company, I don't care how you approach me with an idea, but you need to be prepared to fight for it. If you can point to the evidence and prove it's a good idea, then it gets implemented, regardless of who or how it was introduced.

I have been the "boss" for a while, being solo is obvious, but there was a day i had employees also.

I would welcome good honest comments from a good hard working employee.

My son will be joining me in 4 months when he graduates college and he already has many worthwhile changes in the company that he will be implementing with my blessings.

Some of these will cost some good money, but I felt he was right.

Change is good when its a good idea.

Randy

No boss in his right mind would get upset if you were able to present suggestions for chnges in several areas that will result in time savings and increase production and thus increased profits. Have very specific suggestions and be able to clearly show the benefits.
I fought this same battle for 3 years, but when I showed them that if we switched from a VERY ecpensive AutoCAD LDD to Carlson we could use ONE descriptor list for ALL of our jobs AND the CofE jobs and then have 95% of the line work come in from the coordinate file, plus all of our labeling, thus reducing drafting time by better than 60%.
Only promlem is that where I used to have 60 hours weeks in our peek season, I do good to justifu 40 hours a week. Compamy profits are up but my OT really sucks!!
Profits talk,nothing else needs to be on the table. Hit the bottom line REAL hard and be able to verify your figures on your planned changes. Don't go in "just for a talk", go in loaded for bear and fully prepared.

Introduce Benjamin

If you can show him how your proposals will effect time, efficiency and money he may be influenced. Some good advice in the posts above, just try to connect the cost benefit too.

Oops...just realized you were meeting with the boss this weekend....which is almost over.

Hope you post on Monday and let us know how successful you were....or if you're now starting your own firm.

It went well.

No, I am not starting a new firm or moving elsewhere. It went fairly well. Thank you all for the good suggestions. I picked a top few off my list, and they went over fairly well. Only hit resistance on one. One out of about six isn't bad. The one I mentionsed last, after it was pretty much over, he said will be looked into this week. Could be implemented immediately, and I am confident it will increase profits. Funny how my after thought is the one that got the most excitement.

I did not bite of a huge chunk, but let him know that there were other things that I had thoughts on, and if he is curious to just ask.

I think I mentioned... my boss is a great listener.

Thanks all.

It went well. good listeners

Good listeners are far and few between these days.
I have been complimented on my "shut up and listen" abilities of recent.
In recent years I offer up no commentary unless I'm asked for it.

Good that it went well.
E

It went well. good listeners

Use caution doing this. It is his company, and if he has been doing it 30 years, he probably knows a lot that you don't. Also keep in mind that he simply, as owner, might not want to have meetings.

Sometimes suggestions to an owner go over better if they are made gradually sort of indirectly. For example, if your company is using a COGO or drafting software that needs improvement and you get Carlson demo disk, see if the drafter can put it on computer and fool with it to see how excellent it is. Then it expands.

If you sit down on the weekend with most experienced "bosses," sort of all keyed up about changing things it could hurt you in the long run. Maybe not, but highly possible that it will. It can drive a subtle wedge there.

The best way to induce change is to do it quietly and subtly and without ego. The cream will rise to the top; don't force it.