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It’s like I’d asked her to catch tuna with a hula hoop!

It’s like I’d asked her to catch tuna with a hula hoop!

April 13, 2022

From time to time we hear a phrase from a Nursery Manager that makes us smile and think in equal measure.

That’s exactly what happened this morning when I read that a Nursery Manager was frustrated that her employees would react negatively to her requests as if she had asked them to “catch tuna with a hula hoop”

The image makes us smile, but the message beyond the image makes us think.

Let’s think about what that Nursery Manager is actually saying:

1. That her employees are reacting badly to her communications. That they are responding in a negative way, perhaps even to suggest that what she is asking is not possible or reasonable.

2. That she feels she can’t communicate with her team without a reaction. That’s going to make her less likely to communicate feedback that is aimed to improve performance, to address issues when they are small or to delegate.  Could this be because of her style of communication or could it be down to their preparedness to be communicated with?

3. We are hearing increasing numbers of reports that certain groups of employees struggle to receive negative constructive feedback. This can’t just be down to the managers involved and must be to do with employee’s not expecting to receive feedback about their performance and not reacting well when it happens.

4. Businesses need managers and their reports to be able to communicate freely with each other. If this isn’t possible then this can only lead to a deterioration in relations and a failure for the setting to operate to its full potential.  If this is happening in your setting, you need to address this and to get to the bottom of where this is coming from.

If you need any assistance with any aspect of managing employees in your Day Nursery, Pre-school or Out of School Club, please do not hesitate to give us a call on 01527 909436.

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