FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[andrew]

Well, rather than being technical director, like he was at Williams (in an era when BMW's support was waning & funds were in short supply), he is now the Sporting Director at McLaren. So now he focuses more on the organisational side of the team and calling strategic shots from the pitlane, and if Montreal is anything to go by, he's none too shabby. Yes, there have been mistakes, but is this really down to Michael? Wheel-guns and jacks, etc?

He oversees it all but if the people below him are a bunch on bumbling idiots then it's sheer stupidity to blame him. Blame the bumbling idiots.

[Hammer278]

Well, rather than being technical director, like he was at Williams (in an era when BMW's support was waning & funds were in short supply), he is now the Sporting Director at McLaren. So now he focuses more on the organisational side of the team and calling strategic shots from the pitlane, and if Montreal is anything to go by, he's none too shabby. Yes, there have been mistakes, but is this really down to Michael? Wheel-guns and jacks, etc?

He oversees it all but if the people below him are a bunch on bumbling idiots then it's sheer stupidity to blame him. Blame the bumbling idiots.

Question, have you ever managed anyone at your workplace? Or in the corporate world?

I'm not talking about babysitting your cousins, etc, I'm talking being a 'manager' in your workplace.

[myownalias]

I have managed a small team of people before and generally the buck stops with the immediate manager; as a manager it's you're job to get the best out of the people you have or replace them with people than can do a better job. The thing with McLaren is that there is so much expectation; they are not Caterham where expectation is low; people expect McLaren to win, just like Ferrari, the pedigree dictates what people expect, McLaren and Ferrari along with Williams are the longest serving teams in F1.

But talking about Sam Michael taking over as McLaren team principle is premature; he has to prove himself in a silver and black shirt before that's even a possibility!

[Hammer278]

I have managed a small team of people before and generally the buck stops with the immediate manager; as a manager it's you're job to get the best out of the people you have or replace them with people than can do a better job. The thing with McLaren is that there is so much expectation; they are not Caterham where expectation is low; people expect McLaren to win, just like Ferrari, the pedigree dictates what people expect, McLaren and Ferrari along with Williams are the longest serving teams in F1.

But talking about Sam Michael taking over as McLaren team principle is premature; he has to prove himself in a silver and black shirt before that's even a possibility!

Thank you. The job description of a manager is pretty much what you described so simply there...so when some people talk about a manager having to 'work with idiots' it really shows the background of certain people already.

[andrew]

I have managed a small team of people before and generally the buck stops with the immediate manager; as a manager it's you're job to get the best out of the people you have or replace them with people than can do a better job. The thing with McLaren is that there is so much expectation; they are not Caterham where expectation is low; people expect McLaren to win, just like Ferrari, the pedigree dictates what people expect, McLaren and Ferrari along with Williams are the longest serving teams in F1.

But talking about Sam Michael taking over as McLaren team principle is premature; he has to prove himself in a silver and black shirt before that's even a possibility!

The key bit for me is in bold. I have never agreed with the whole sack the boss for the mistakes of the minions. I'm seeing it in action where everything has been done to help certain minions and they still make mistakes which could ultimately be extremely expensive to everyone.

[CookinFlat6]

I have managed a small team of people before and generally the buck stops with the immediate manager; as a manager it's you're job to get the best out of the people you have or replace them with people than can do a better job. The thing with McLaren is that there is so much expectation; they are not Caterham where expectation is low; people expect McLaren to win, just like Ferrari, the pedigree dictates what people expect, McLaren and Ferrari along with Williams are the longest serving teams in F1.

But talking about Sam Michael taking over as McLaren team principle is premature; he has to prove himself in a silver and black shirt before that's even a possibility!

The key bit for me is in bold. I have never agreed with the whole sack the boss for the mistakes of the minions. I'm seeing it in action where everything has been done to help certain minions and they still make mistakes which could ultimately be extremely expensive to everyone.

So you dont agree that the manager that is unable to recruit and manage effective minnions should be held accountable

but you say you also see that everything has been done to help but the minnions are still screwing up and costing everyone

what business school did you go to?

[Hammer278]

I have managed a small team of people before and generally the buck stops with the immediate manager; as a manager it's you're job to get the best out of the people you have or replace them with people than can do a better job. The thing with McLaren is that there is so much expectation; they are not Caterham where expectation is low; people expect McLaren to win, just like Ferrari, the pedigree dictates what people expect, McLaren and Ferrari along with Williams are the longest serving teams in F1.

But talking about Sam Michael taking over as McLaren team principle is premature; he has to prove himself in a silver and black shirt before that's even a possibility!

The key bit for me is in bold. I have never agreed with the whole sack the boss for the mistakes of the minions. I'm seeing it in action where everything has been done to help certain minions and they still make mistakes which could ultimately be extremely expensive to everyone.

So you dont agree that the manager that is unable to recruit and manage effective minnions should be held accountable

but you say you also see that everything has been done to help but the minnions are still screwing up and costing everyone

what business school did you go to?

What 'business school'? Wrong question entirely.

[CookinFlat6]

Yeah I guess kindergarten might be closer to the mark

[andrew]

I have managed a small team of people before and generally the buck stops with the immediate manager; as a manager it's you're job to get the best out of the people you have or replace them with people than can do a better job. The thing with McLaren is that there is so much expectation; they are not Caterham where expectation is low; people expect McLaren to win, just like Ferrari, the pedigree dictates what people expect, McLaren and Ferrari along with Williams are the longest serving teams in F1.

But talking about Sam Michael taking over as McLaren team principle is premature; he has to prove himself in a silver and black shirt before that's even a possibility!

The key bit for me is in bold. I have never agreed with the whole sack the boss for the mistakes of the minions. I'm seeing it in action where everything has been done to help certain minions and they still make mistakes which could ultimately be extremely expensive to everyone.

So you dont agree that the manager that is unable to recruit and manage effective minnions should be held accountable

but you say you also see that everything has been done to help but the minnions are still screwing up and costing everyone

what business school did you go to?

I am saying that a manager should not get the boot if their staff prove to be incapable. But everyone has to be given a chance to prove themselves. No-where did I say that McLaren has done everything possible to help the minnions - I mean how on earth would I know this? I don't work for them! All I know is what I read and what I watch every other weekend. I did relate it to a situation that I am experiancing where our boss is taking the heat for a a couple halfwits - something I don't agree with.

You don't need to go to business school to work this one out.

[CookinFlat6]

So the Sam and martin show reachs new levels of uselessness

Sam takes 8 races to sort out the pitstop issues
and Martin takes 8 races to turn the best car into the 5th best

Sam tells us Red Bull are no threat at Silverstone
Martin tells us that McLarens updates will help the car catch up, instead even Lewis can no longer get the car ahead of Sauber, Merc, Renault. Button though is happy with the car, its now balanced but just not fast,

so instead of a fast unbalanced car where Lewis comes first and Button last, McLaren have a slow balanced car and Lewis comes 8th and Button 10th

Harmonisation

[Richach]

I think there is a bit more to running a large organisation like Maclaren than just pandering to individuals like Lewis, Jenson and us although appreciably it is part of the job.

Each leader of such organisations will bring something different to the table, for example the Maclaren Cartoons. They are obviously stealing a march on the other Manufacturers with future generations of F1 fans which is smart thinking.

Remember these people are custodians and Whitmarsh will hand on the batton when the time is right. It is certainly an interesting question as to should they change in the near future or wait until after 2014 when the dust has settled.

The bigger you are the slower you can react so good future planning is essential to not been caught out.

Interesting that Patrick Head (demi god) stepped down at Williams and now they are flying. I think Whitmarsh has done an excellent job and if he has intermated that someone else will take over then that will no doubt have been intentional slip.

For now I vote Whitmarsh to stay but he needs to cull the middle Managers who keep letting him down, Red Bull almost always are one step ahead with pit stop stratergy on race day which often negates the performance of Lewis and Jenson or technical advancements Maclaren make.

[CookinFlat6]

Sam Michael has said that if it wasnt for the poor qualifying their race pace would have been good enough!

tragedy is turning into farce at McLaren

[Hammer278]

Sam Michael has said that if it wasnt for the poor qualifying their race pace would have been good enough!

tragedy is turning into farce at McLaren

You can't be serious...where did he say this? I want to witness the sheer stupidity of his words.

[racechick]

Sam Michael has said that if it wasnt for the poor qualifying their race pace would have been good enough!

tragedy is turning into farce at McLaren

You can't be serious...where did he say this? I want to witness the sheer stupidity of his words.

On that last stint Lewis couldnt keep mercedes and Lotus' behind him!!

[Hammer278]

Sam Michael has said that if it wasnt for the poor qualifying their race pace would have been good enough!

tragedy is turning into farce at McLaren

You can't be serious...where did he say this? I want to witness the sheer stupidity of his words.

On that last stint Lewis couldnt keep mercedes and Lotus' behind him!!

To be fair that was due to McLarens wonderful strategy of running Lewis for so few laps on the options and forcing the primes to work for more than 20 laps. No other team in the top 10 did that. After all, McLaren is 'unique'.