How do I tell my manager that I disagree with his operations style?

In these situations, it's generally a good idea to begin with introspection. Ask yourself "Is this a matter of personal preference, or is there a tangible operational deficiency that needs to be addressed?". The honest answer to this question should dictate your next steps. If it is a matter of personal preference like the arrangement of merchandise on the sales floor or colors and styles of placards, you must decide if it's something you can live with or if you need to be looking for another place of employment. However, if there is a operational deficiency like poor allocation of resources, poor customer service, or bad timing of activities like cleaning and restocking, these can be addressed tactfully.

One common trait of operational deficiencies is that they cause discomfort in the workplace. They tend to cause stress and drive down morale. One method of approach that can be particularly effective is to point out to your manager that you have had great results doing X, or eliminated problem Y by doing Z. You want to give the impression of wanting to help solve a problem as opposed to correcting. As stated above, your tone and demeanor are just as important as what you actually say.

It depends on the organization you are working for. If it is a mom and pop shop, then I would recommend sitting back and observing the way their style works. Unless you have a lot of experience, your opinions won't hold much weight. If it is personality rather than management style you don't like, you might have to leave.

If you are working for a chain store, you might only have to change shifts or wait a few months to get a new boss due to large turnover and holiday hiring. In a corporate chain, they often have anonymous feedback to voice your ideas for improvement. Good luck!

You are in a tough situation as an employee. One thing you might suggest is “360 Feedback”. This is an anonymous survey that gets input about your managers style and performance from your manager (self), his boss, his peers, and his direct reports. If others have the same issues that you have about his style, that will come out in the survey. It won’t be coming just from you, which could be disregarded as one person’s view.
A second option would be to work with HR to be placed elsewhere if the organization if it is large enough. We help many organizations with this problem and with the use of assessments can help managers and employees with a true job fit analysis. Management style and an employee's ability to work effectively with that style is a key to success. An employee's success (or failure) with one manager can be quite different with another. Assessments give great insight into the potential of an employee's success.

Hi, reading the above, I agree with both Johns.
In addition I would recommend: Make yourself a check list. What are your critical about/dislike and why; what do you like / why. Based on this, check your own personality, keeping in mind we all are different and coming from different schools. Furthermore, the supervisor may represent a school unfamiliar to you. Maybe he/she has just a very different personality than yours. A lot of elements should be considered and direct confrontation never leads to the wished result.

We all meet such people in our lives. As you being still 'new', you may not fully comprehend the situation, as this can take some time. You may also know very little about the person and the pressure he/she may be under, other matters influencing and leading to his/her approach. So, here the list comes handy as tool.

Based on my experience, I suggest to ask for a meeting (outlining why - supervisors are often time pressed), opening the discussion by presenting a positive approach (body language, face expression, tone of voice), willingness to open communication. If such is perceived positively you can than start asking the supervisor about his/her perception and understanding of things and why so. This may lead to a better understanding already. Also present your views with supporting examples, explaining why you felt the way you did, yet not in an accusing or hostile way. Obtain understanding and offer a solution how to collaborate in future, willingess on your part to improve things. Offer a team / partnership approach, supporting the demands on your supervisor and/or presenting a business case why you thing a new way of 'sales' will be more prosperous, leading to higher motivation, effectiveness and output.

If you are not met with a positive welcome, it is difficult, yet not impossible. You may wish to re-schedule when he/she might have a lesser pressing time period and by suhc being open to other discussions than 'sale' outcomes, etc.

A lot of good thoughts are also to be found above. Don't shy away from addressing the matter, as this makes, probably, both of you not very happy working together. Hostility can easy be a result and such affecting more than the 2 of you.

Britney,
I completely agree with John.
It should not e a matter of do I stay or do I go.
It should be about you assist the manager to work together and find solutions to issues that you may observe.
Remember never point out an issue without at least one solution.

Britney,

How well do you know your manager? Is he open for suggestions? Suggesting something for the benefit of a project is not bad. Your boss may or may not agree but at least (I'll call him 'he' since I'm not sure with what your boss is) he knows what you think. Your job is not to wash away his philosophies but in real life there are some changes to be made and innovative and effective solutions are needed. Remember you are not attacking him like you know everything and that you are better than him because you just want to help so be cautious and go with his plans and if something goes wrong then try to open up and give him your suggestions.

I completely agree with John Prpich.

Not all managers are perfect and if the feedback is got in the right way there is always a room for change. Feedback should be sugar quoted by giving examples if in case a particular process or way of work is performed in another way what will be the output and how smooth the transaction could be. You have to make sure that you are not hitting his conscious/morality or putting him down. Make him feel that he is doing great and if few things are worked differently it will be more comfortable/better for both the parties in day to day activities, etc.

If you disagree with your bossÄ managment style, I would recommend that you do the following:
a) give yourself a chance to understand the product you are selling, what is the market like and more importantly what is the focus or customer base like
b) once you understand all aspect as this new environment, you can respecfully use your ability to dissent, which you can only do when you have a viable, fool proof result oriented, factual proposal
I agree with the ladies, you do not tell your boss what to do, you merely suggest better approaches with concrete evidence.
If this does not work or if your opinion is not valued, then it is time to look for another job.

@ Sue
I'm curious why you would recommend a 360, it seems like overkill, although I could understand starting with a 180 instead, easier to manage and deals with the most important group, your direct reports. Of course I'm assuming that there are at least 3 or more direct reports, in which case you couldn't conduct either process.

Asking to be placed somewhere else seems to be an avoidance approach, and it really only solves one persons problem, when there are potentially two problems. Of course we don't know if the boss is the problem or it's Britney, we've only heard her side of the issue.

I'm with Maria and Armin. It's tough to work for someone whose philosophy of sales doesn't sit well with you. At the same time, as the new kid, you have the status of a high school freshmen. Until you produce results, your philosophy means little to your new employer.

Your best bet is to perform well and look for the next opportunity. While you're waiting, try to delineate your own philosophy. You'll want to make sure that your next boss shares it.

You are not probably able to change the way how your manager "runs the team". Changing someones philosophy is not your mission (a mission impossible, in fact). So there is no sense to communicate all this, it would lead to conflicts, nothing more.
What you can do, is to communicate whether you are comfortable with the business RESULTS delivered by the team. Is there a room for improvement? If yes, ask how he/she (the manager) intends to meet your goals and expectations.

You don't tell them. It's not your place.

I would recommend that you start looking for another job while you have one. Write a list of what your ideal boss traits would be so that you'll better notice them and ask your prospective boss questions to learn a bit more about how they operate before you say yes to being hired.

I have been in your shoes and said something and had to deal with the boss till I left.