The 4 Times Your Techs Are Guaranteed to Get on Your Nerves

“I’ve only got 1 nerve, and you are jumping all over it!”  My mom loved to say that to my sister and I.  It was her way of communicating that she had lost her patience with our non-sense.  She was serious about being left alone, but we thought it was the funniest thing ever.  We would laugh, and then immediately run out of arms reach.

It stopped being funny to me when I began to manage techs for a living.  All of sudden, I found myself with a limited amount of nerves.

Like my mom’s kids, my techs found the perfect time to “jump on my nerves.”

The 4 Times Techs Are Guaranteed to Get on Your Nerves

#1 After Vacation:

Think about the first day back from a vacation.  How do you feel?  Relaxed?  Calm? I certainly hope that’s how you feel, but I bet it’s not.

Most of you are not running the size of business that will function smoothly without you for a week.  You take your vacation knowing that you will return to ton of work.  This means you step back in the office “pre-stressed.”

Look out!  This is the perfect time for a tech to get on your nerves.  (It is also the perfect time for them to quit.  Read about the 8 Warning Signs a Tech Will Quit.)

“Hey boss-man! What’s it like to have all that money, and take off whenever you want to?”

#2 After a Conference:

Attending a conference has the same stress loading effect that a vacation can have.  Only it is compounded by the excitement of the change you wish to make.

On your first day back, you meet with the team, and begin to share all the new ideas.  You are pumped with energy!  And then you hear:

“Hey boss-man!  All of these changes aren’t going to work.  They may sound good on-stage, but that’s not the real world.”

#3 When Numbers are Low:

Low numbers have an amazing way of fraying the coating on your nerves.  When the numbers are low, your techs will come knocking on your door.

“Hey boss-man!  I need to talk about a raise.  I’m not making enough money.”

#4 When You’re Having a Bad Day: 

This is the perfect time for a tech to get on your nerves.  Strike while the iron is hot!  It could even be something you want your techs to talk to you about.  The problem is, you’re having a bad day.

“Hey boss-man!  I need to talk to you about this call I went on.  The client told me they wanted to get 3 bids.  How do you handle that?”

3 Ways to Get Your Techs Off Your Nerves

#1 Recognize the Problem:

Your techs are not creating the problems with your nerves.  You are.  I say that with respect, and experience.  The problems we have, we created.

Step one is to recognize what you need to do.  Step two is to give yourself, and your people, what is needed to succeed.

#2 Give Them What They Need to Succeed: 

Your tech’s need 2 things to be successful:  Management and Leadership.

Leadership is the example of character that men and women follow.

Management is the creation of system, procedures, and accountability.

Your people need both, and so do you.

#3 Win More:

There is no substitute for winning.  Great game plans, and beautiful philosophies are a poor substitute for just putting numbers on the scoreboard.

The greatest inhibitor of stress is the win.  Create an environment where your people win, and everyone’s stress will go down substantially.

You can discover your winning advantage in our Training Series for Techs and Salespeople.  We call it The PRESS PLAY Training Series.  LEARN MORE HERE.