Problem Statement:

• The Manager whose place I am taking is being left on the job for a period to train me, but he is not training me.
• I find the previous Manager has been running a one person show.
• The morale of the employees really could be better.
• What I am going to do my role effectively?

I guess that manager doesn't want you to get the credits out of his talent and knowledge.

I know you can do better, the reason why your employer has hired you. Definitely, he believes in you, prove it to him.

Ask each employees within your department under you to submit their job description so that you get an idea what they are doing. Review all the files such as the rules and procedures, internal memorandums, and everything. By this, you can already run the office effectively.

Good luck!

I would disagree with felgar. If morale is an issue, you should not even consider making the employees write their job descriptions to give to you. Emplyees hate job descriptions. This is an insult to the employees and will start you on a very bad path.

As a manager, your job is not to learn in detail about what all your employee's jobs are. It is to manage them so they do their jobs and can do them better. You can learn the detail in due time.

Assuming you are talking about a small group (less than 20) in a single location, get all the employees together, stand up in front of them, and talk a little bit. Mostly, you want to show them that you are human and that you care. Say words that show that. Beyond that, what you say at that time doesn't matter much.

Then, as you can, talk to each of them individually. Ask them what problems they are facing in doing their jobs and what you can do to help. They will tell you. Learn about their jobs from these discussions. Do what you can to deal with the problems that they raise. Make sure you let them know what you tried to do, even if it didn't work.

First who asked about job descriptions?? Most large companies will have specific manuals with job descriptoins done years before.

I would be blunt with the old manager and even rude to him and tell him that you expect to be told what is needed to do the job. If you are still not getting it, go to the higher mangememnt and tell them they are not helping.

Working with the employees under you is a skill you either have or don't have, if you don't have it, you need to start working on it,