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That’s why management positions suck. And why I feel most management positions should be filled from inside the company. This is the type of nonsense that happens when you bring in all your management from outside and don’t promote internally. Resentment, hostility, turnover, disengaged workforce etc. I’ve seen too companies go to hell with outside hiring of management and disregarding promotions of current employees
I think your soft and don't deserve to be in a supervisory position. If you don't make an example out of this employee and show that you are the leader, she is going to make an example out of you. I guarantee it.
If you can't "ruffle feathers' in a position of superiority over others, why bother to have that position in the first place?
Toughen up and be a boss, or relinquish the duties to someone who can handle them. You sound weak, hesitant and indecisive, which are not Supervisory qualities that I would tolerate in my business.
TOO SOFT?
His Boss just told him not to do it. Would you prefer he be cited AGAIN for insubordination? Mod cut.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 04-02-2019 at 12:56 PM..
Reason: Rude.
I'm a new supervisor to a company (4 months) with five direct reports. Previous to this position I was a supervisor for 6 years at another company. One of my current employees who is the senior lead in our unit has been giving me a lot of resistance, slight attitude, and sometimes undermining my authority. In the last several weeks, I have learned that there was some animosity within the group about the job being giving to me and not another long term employee, who was also a senior lead, who quit one month after I was hired. I am an outsider coming in to an organization, where most people have been here 10+ years, and was unaware of any of this. When I ask this employee a question, as I'm trying to learn, or ask her to do something, she gives me attitude and constantly tells me she is busy. She gets flustered very easily and lacks communication skills. I feel like I'm walking on egg shells with her. For instance, one day I went to her and said I was interested in learning one of their new procedures (hands on), and she told me that I was not needed to do that, and handed me a CD to take in my office. I did speak to the employee in my office after that and she accused me of micromanaging. Two of my other employees have concerns about this employee as well. I had a chance to speak with the previous supervisor who was in my position for 20 years, and she did confirm my thoughts about this employee. I have also spoken to my boss and I feel like she does not want to ruffle any feathers, as she told me she just wants everyone to be happy and told me to focus on other things for now. So now all I have done is document the instances in writing. At my previous job as a supervisor, I disciplined employees with attitudes and this type of behavior early on without hesitation. But it backfired because I was told that I was being too harsh, or accused of yelling, being loud, rude, disrespectful to them, etc... so I had to change my way of doing things. I'm not sure how to approach this situation. It seems like she has been this way for a while and no one in authority has done anything about it. For those is supervisory positions or previous management experience, would like to know your thoughts. Thanks!
Simple solution: Give this lady more work and harder work. Give her the worst assignments. Drive her out with a smile on your face every single day.
I think your soft and don't deserve to be in a supervisory position. If you don't make an example out of this employee and show that you are the leader, she is going to make an example out of you. I guarantee it.
If you can't "ruffle feathers' in a position of superiority over others, why bother to have that position in the first place?
Toughen up and be a boss, or relinquish the duties to someone who can handle them. You sound weak, hesitant and indecisive, which are not Supervisory qualities that I would tolerate in my business.
How am I weak? I have called this employee into my office twice about her tone, stated that I think it's important that we work together, and tried to develop a relationship. I have also documented EVERYTHING in case it comes down to me calling HR. I have spoken to my boss about her twice and additional instances through email. The email is where she told me to focus on other projects. What are your suggestions for toughening up? Management is hard and a constant learning experience, so I'm willing to hear you out.
Sorry I don't understand your new boss 'not wanting you to ruffle any feathers' so allowing this employee to be insubordinate is unacceptable. Now unfortunately your boss has told you to let the matter lie. You are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Personally I wouldn't stand for that behavior. Keep documenting what she is doing and try your best to still manage the behavior.
Unfortunately, you have a boss who doesn't like difficult conversations. I would meet with the boss and tell him that everyone is not happy, and that ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away. Reiterate expectations to the employee, document and, if the boss won't support you, look for a new job.
That’s why management positions suck. And why I feel most management positions should be filled from inside the company. This is the type of nonsense that happens when you bring in all your management from outside and don’t promote internally. Resentment, hostility, turnover, disengaged workforce etc. I’ve seen too companies go to hell with outside hiring of management and disregarding promotions of current employees
When people are ready for management jobs but none are available, they leave for one. So its hard to promote from within unless you create a new management role before one is open. How do you keep them willing to wait around? You pay them. Also not always easy to do, depending on the company's guidelines for pay at certain levels.
When I ask this employee a question, as I'm trying to learn, or ask her to do something, she gives me attitude and constantly tells me she is busy. She gets flustered very easily and lacks communication skills. I feel like I'm walking on egg shells with her. For instance, one day I went to her and said I was interested in learning one of their new procedures (hands on), and she told me that I was not needed to do that, and handed me a CD to take in my office.
Honestly, I would probably be a little salty if someone was hired to manage me, and then they expected me to take time away from my regular duties to train them in the tasks they were supposed to be supervising me on. I have the social grace to hide it, but this lady apparently doesn't.
Quote:
For those is supervisory positions or previous management experience, would like to know your thoughts. Thanks!
My thought is that in all you've said about her, you've focused solely on whether she's showing you enough respect and support, not on how well she actually does her job. Step back from your interpersonal spat for a moment and look at what she brings to the team. Capitalize on that. Presumably if she's socially awkward she has other skills or she wouldn't still have a job.
I mean, it's possible she's just a hosebeast. But it doesn't sound like you've done much to win your subordinates' respect or loyalty yet, eh? Sure, you could probably browbeat them into obedience and/or run off the ones who aren't fond of you, but leaders who build up their subordinates get better outcomes than those who tear subordinates down.
Honestly, I would probably be a little salty if someone was hired to manage me, and then they expected me to take time away from my regular duties to train them in the tasks they were supposed to be supervising me on. I have the social grace to hide it, but this lady apparently doesn't.
My thought is that in all you've said about her, you've focused solely on whether she's showing you enough respect and support, not on how well she actually does her job. Step back from your interpersonal spat for a moment and look at what she brings to the team. Capitalize on that. Presumably if she's socially awkward she has other skills or she wouldn't still have a job.
I mean, it's possible she's just a hosebeast. But it doesn't sound like you've done much to win your subordinates' respect or loyalty yet, eh? Sure, you could probably browbeat them into obedience and/or run off the ones who aren't fond of you, but leaders who build up their subordinates get better outcomes than those who tear subordinates down.
I'm brand new to this company and unit (4 months) where there is different instrumentation and different policies are in place from where I used to work. There is no way I can just know the task without being trained if it's all different. The management aspect and culture is even different even though very similar in some ways. I'm not sure why you or someone should be salty with an outsider coming in and having to learn.
I'm brand new to this company and unit (4 months) where there is different instrumentation and different policies are in place from where I used to work. There is no way I can just know the task without being trained if it's all different. The management aspect and culture is even different even though very similar in some ways. I'm not sure why you or someone should be salty with an outsider coming in and having to learn.
You said yourself that a well-liked employee was passed over for an internal promotion to your current position. She would have known this stuff. Maybe in an ideal world her peers would be robots who can view you with complete magnanimousness despite this, but surely you can see where it puts you on the wrong foot right from the start even if that wasn't your doing. A savvy supervisor would put some effort into winning this team over - not by being soft, but by doing things to make their jobs more agreeable, demonstrating that you support them and their work, and projecting competence and fairness. You might be able to force compliance (at a cost), but you can't force respect, and you're not going to get the latter until you're perceived better.
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