Tough Monkeys to Manage

We're quickly approaching the summer when a fun-filled crop of fresh-faced monkeys will descend upon firms nationwide, hoping to secure a job post graduation. For the newly minted managers out there, you've got your work cut out for you. New guys come in all shapes and sizes and they present all different sorts of challenges. But, oddly enough, I've always found that a particular group of new employees, whether they're interns or new full time people, to be oddly tricky to manage:

Hard working, high achieving, target university students/graduates.

I know, it sounds almost unbelievable, but for one reason or another, this group tends to exhibit attributes that can make a manager's life difficult. Hopefully, those of you who are going to be responsible for this type of employee, or those of you leaving your target university with your high GPA and fancy major, will find the following advice useful.

Advice to Managers

  1. Explain what you want done very carefully: The most frustrating thing about this type of new monkey is that they tend to go off on tangents. You'll throw them an easy assignment (usually with little instruction) and let me tell you, they're going to take it and run. They'll go on tangent after tangent and when they turn in whatever it is you asked for, it'll be high quality work that's extremely well written with accurate calculations, but sadly, completely useless. Remember, just because they are very smart, hard working, and highly sought after candidates, they're still new guys with dick for experience. Give them ample instruction and the necessary resources to get a given assignment done the way you want it done. Don't assume that because they're smart and accomplished that they somehow have the skills required to hit the ground running.
  2. Check on them throughout the day: High achievers are not unfamiliar with cranking out as much work as they can per hour. In many ways, this is a great thing for a manager, but you've got to make sure your guys are getting out around the office and meeting people. Obviously, if you've got a big assignment coming due, stick their asses in front of a computer, but otherwise, get them out to meet people. This way, if something comes up, and you're not around, they've got a larger group of people they can ask.
  3. Give them immediate feedback: This is probably good advice for anyone you manage, but it's particularly important for this group. The second you get work from one of these kids, try your best to immediately review it and give them some feedback. It doesn't have to be much; it can be as simple as, "Yes, this is exactly what I'm looking for," but let them know what they're doing right and wrong as quickly as possible. Also, every manager eventually screws up on #1 and gets work that ends up being completely useless. If you immediately tell them what you actually wanted, the likelihood that you'll get another bunch of useless work drops considerably. Don't forget, these kids didn't get into target universities and achieve impressive GPAs because they suck at following instructions and improving themselves. This is an easy step that will save you many headaches in the future.

Advice to Monkeys

  1. Don't assume you know exactly what the boss wants: I know you're a rock-star in college and that you totally crushed that graduate level banking course, but you do not know more than your supervisor. You might be smarter than him/her, but you don't know anywhere near as much. Respect that fact and make sure you know exactly what your boss wants when he/she gives you an assignment.
  2. Know how to ask questions: You will have questions. This is an absolute certainty. But, don't be that guy who's running to their boss every time something confusing arises. Know who in the office knows what, then go make some friends (doesn't hurt to buy some key players a few drinks during happy hour... just throwing that out there). Balance the need to turn in work that accomplishes what your boss wants with getting the requisite information to accomplish what he/she wants. Obviously, the latter is most efficiently and easily accomplished by simply asking your boss; try to resist the temptation and make sure you send your question up the chain. Ask the other interns, then the other newer employees, and onwards and upwards until you have to ask your boss. If you can do this, you'll not only appear to be an independent and competent worker in the eyes of your boss, but you'll have built a strong network of people in the office who can help you out when an issue arises.
  3. Receiving very negative feedback: Few managers seem particularly keen on giving feedback, and even fewer seem big on positive feedback. I know you high achieving target kids have spent your whole life crushing it, but be ready for a rude awakening. You will screw up, it happens to everyone, and you might have a boss that likes to yell and get really pissed off. Shake it off and fix the problem. Remember, it's not personal, it's business, and they're the ones who take the heat when you mess up. Don't let this sort of thing mess with your head for longer than a few minutes.

I'm not trying to pick on the high achievers here, but I know there's a bunch of you here on WSO, and every manager I've ever met has the same story about you bunch. It's bizarre, really. Do any of you managers out there have anything to add? Agree? Disagree? What additional advice would you give to the incoming group of new guys?

 

I know this all too well.

My current boss gets in moods where he feels the need to shit on everything I do, and when I disagree with him, talks to me like I'm retarded and have no idea what I'm talking about.

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
 
Best Response
rufiolove:
hopingtobreakin:

Try working at a firm where your mistakes are consistently tabulated & you get 360 degree feedback regardless of your seniority. The joy!
Its actually a pretty awesome system & perpetuates meritocracy (or so that's the theory).

I see you Bridgewater

My thoughts exactly. I don't think they even call it a negative review; they just call it 2pm on Tuesday.

"Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game." - Donald Trump
 

I am finding it is tough to manage 20 year old ivy league kids. I think they want to get so far ahead of themselves to see the "big picture", which is great, but its not so great when simple tasks become epic quests to "improve the process" or reinvent the wheel, or whatever they think they are doing.

I don't think they like having to listen to me, but it's understandable. They are far more intelligent than I am, but that's not how it works, unfortunately.

I've found that following the points outlined by the OP are very effective, especially #'s 2 and 3, and I always try to give positive feedback. Sometimes I just have to remember "This is a super smart 20 year old kid who desperately wants to add value". Lately I've had to take a further step back and say "This is just a 20 year old kid". When I treat it like that, I get better results.

"That dude is so haole, he don't even have any breath left."
 
FeelingMean:
I don't think they like having to listen to me, but it's understandable. They are far more intelligent than I am, but that's not how it works, unfortunately.

I hear you on that one! What's worked well for me is establishing my credibility in certain key areas, giving them feedback on some of these areas, and then providing them an opportunity to show improvements to senior managers.

This way, I've been able to asset myself as a "value add" in their eyes. Once this has been established, it becomes easier to set my expectations for all areas of their work, although it never hurts to make this a 2-way process as much as possible.

 

Well sure, full cans are always harder to kick around! It can take a few months but eventually the real world will beat them into something more manageable - it happens/has happened to all of us..

 

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