Advice Needed re: Managerial Dilemma at Work

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

Unless she was throwing up or shitting on the floor she should have been there if she knew she had a responsibility to be on the call.

 

 

She may have left to avoid doing both simultaneously. I’ve been there. 

 

 

Regardless, as always, you document the hell out of it. If in six months something else comes up, THAT can’t be the first thing in the file. You don’t get extra strikes because the manger was too soft or  lazy. 

[GoBills808]

Just now, WhoTom said:

 

Good leadership is somewhat flexible when the situation calls for it. Rigid bosses create bad morale, and that's not good for productivity. People are not machines - treating workers with dignity is good for the business in the long run ... and it's simply the right thing to do.

There's nothing rigid about being 100% clear about your expectations as a manager, or the consequences if they're unfulfilled. This sounds like an extenuating circumstance and I'm sure his friend has taken that into account. Without a lot of information on the subject, I responded with what I would have done given what I know of the situation. 

 

If I've given someone a responsibility that impacts my ability to perform my job and they're unable to come through, it needs to be addressed. Not being direct about what you expect as the boss of your employee is about the worst thing you could do for that individual, because it will end up getting them fired. 

 

The dignity is in the job well done imo. Goes for everyone, bottom to top.

[4merper4mer]

If she missed the call she needed to find a way to notify him and get acknowledgement from him.  An IM that may have been seen is not enough.  Even sick on the way out she could ask someone to go find him.  If she had enough energy to leave, she had enough to ask someone a favor.

 

He needs to tell her that it can't happen again.  If it is the first time, that's enough.  If there are other concerns, that is when he has to think about how far the conversation goes.

 

With all of that's said, he or someone else should have been prepared to take her part smoothly.  

[Fadingpain]

Thanks everyone for the input; I am gonna call my buddy and tell him to be calm, fair, but stern and clear.

 

He needs to tell her what she did wasn't good enough, and in the future she needs to make sure he receives her communication.

 

Also might be a good idea to inform more than 1 person before she leaves the building.

 

 

 

 

[Cripple Creek]

1 hour ago, Fadingpain said:

So a buddy of mine called me today all stressed out.  He works in finance at a large, multi-national corporation.  He's always talking about numbers, budgets, fiscal forecasting, etc.  All the fun stuff. LOL.  

 

Today he had to give a presentation over the phone to like 30 people in several countries.  When he finished, he asked his underling (we'll call her Linda) to start her part of the presentation.  No answer.  My buddy thought she was over on her side of the building in her office quietly waiting for her turn to speak.  I guess this was a fairly important matter and she certainly knew she had to participate today.

 

So someone gets up and physically goes to Linda's office only to find it dark and unattended.

 

Turns out Linda had some type of food poisoning incident at work earlier in the morning and went home feeling ill.  The only thing she did to notify anyone of this was send an instant message in MS Office to my buddy, once the meeting had already started, which of course he never saw b/c the computer knew he was in a meeting and so it blocked the IM part of the program.  She didn't tell anyone else or send an email. 

 

So now he needs to yell at Linda, basically, but he is unsure how to proceed.  Keep in mind Linda is a good worker, was hired by my buddy, and overall I think my buddy has a good relationship with her which he doesn't want to ruin.

 

Yet Linda's actions today were unprofessional, out of line, and ended up embarrassing my buddy in front of all these people in fairly high up positions particularly at world corporate HQ in a foreign country.  He's afraid they are all going to be like "who is this loser you hired!?"

Anyone here have managerial experience?  How do you handle the little chat my buddy has to have tomorrow with Linda?  

 

 

She had food poisoning and was either puking or shatting water and all cramped up (I've never had food poisoning, what's it like?).  You have to take the circumstances into account. Your buddy should explain what happened to those on the call and ask for a reschedule. When Linda returns he should first show concern for her. Then he should in a non hostile manner talk with her about how she could better handle a "similar" situation down the road. Then, bolster her, build her up and tell her about the reschedule and that she'll kill it!

[NoSaint]

38 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

She should know better and find a way to pass on the news. If I’m a Nike billionaire I might not try as hard to alert everyone to my double ended squirts, but it’s irresponsible to hang him out to dry. 

 

Agreed. Unless she’s legit had an accident in her pants, she needs to communicate in person and direct there. Her pride in front of him can’t be prioritized over his ability to do his job in front of dozens of key people 

 

i will admit that if she’s almost 100% on that every other day I’d consider some slack/empathy but if it’s a semi regular occurrence then my patience would be gone 

Edited August 17, 2018 by NoSaint

[Augie]

Just now, NoSaint said:

 

Agreed. Unless she’s legit had an accident in her pants, she needs to communicate in person and direct there. Her pride in front of him can’t be prioritized over his ability to do his job in front of dozens of key people 

 

As noted above, I was on the cold tile floor of a bathroom, and I still got word to my wife. That was before the days of text. Hard to excuse the “no-show” on a call like that, but you manage through it. At minimum, a text was the way to go, depending upon condition.

 

 

Maybe next we can start an “accident in the pants” thread. That might be good fun! 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

I wouldn’t “yell” at her, but is waterboarding out of the question?  I’d advise your friend to consult with HR, but I think this is the most appropriate recourse for her professional transgressions.

[WhoTom]

25 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

Thanks everyone for the input; I am gonna call my buddy and tell him to be calm, fair, but stern and clear.

 

He needs to tell her what she did wasn't good enough, and in the future she needs to make sure he receives her communication.

 

Also might be a good idea to inform more than 1 person before she leaves the building.

 

 

 

 

 

Tell him one more thing: Never take managerial advice from random people on a football message board. ?

 

 

[RochesterRob]

42 minutes ago, Augie said:

I had food poisoning in Boston one time. My wife’s co-worker took us to what he called the best restaurant in town (on him). I got through a ginger ale, then the maitre’d called a cab for me after I spent 30 minutes on the floor in the men’s room. The cabbie tried to drop me at the wrong hotel lest I foul his cab. I got back to MY hotel by refusing to get out. 

 

I listened to UNLV and Duke play the NCAA championship game from the cold tile floor of that bathroom. I have some sympathy for real food poisining. Alcohol induced poisining is a different universe. 

 

But MY WIFE KNEW I WAS LEAVING! 

  I've had some bad times in the bathroom due to stomach issues.  Just in the last several weeks there was one episode where I was pretty dizzy and clutching the rail across from me while I sat.  I get worried because you hear stories about heart attacks in similar situations and the one side of my family does not have the best history on those once over age 50.  The episode made me evaluate my dietary habits.  I already eliminated salt a number of years ago which helps in general.

[Augie]

Maybe I missed it, but how long has Linda been on the job? 

 

How “proven” is she? I hired some people with great creds who let me down. 

[GoBills808]

I think Linda is actually OP and he's furiously typing out a new resume as we speak.

[snafu]

Was it a video conference?

Did she not have an emergency trash can in her office?

Where's the creative thinking on Linda's part? To me, that's her failure. She could have made it through. She needs to be told to keep an extra roll of t.p. in the bottom drawer of her desk.

[RochesterRob]

15 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

As noted above, I was on the cold tile floor of a bathroom, and I still got word to my wife. That was before the days of text. Hard to excuse the “no-show” on a call like that, but you manage through it. At minimum, a text was the way to go, depending upon condition.

 

 

Maybe next we can start an “accident in the pants” thread. That might be good fun! 

  I've done that most recently several years ago while suffering from the flu.  It turned out to be a lengthy bout lasting over a week with 2 days of solid misery.

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, RochesterRob said:

  I've had some bad times in the bathroom due to stomach issues.  Just in the last several weeks there was one episode where I was pretty dizzy and clutching the rail across from me while I sat.  I get worried because you hear stories about heart attacks in similar situations and the one side of my family does not have the best history on those once over age 50.  The episode made me evaluate my dietary habits.  I already eliminated salt a number of years ago which helps in general.

 

I HATE doctors. My last doctor’s last words to me were “stay away from doctors”. (He was the guy who did the unnecessary surgery on me.) Go see your doctor. I have to suck it up and go get a new one since moving (8 years ago). I’m going to need it, but I don’t want to hear what he has to say. 

[NoSaint]

18 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

As noted above, I was on the cold tile floor of a bathroom, and I still got word to my wife. That was before the days of text. Hard to excuse the “no-show” on a call like that, but you manage through it. At minimum, a text was the way to go, depending upon condition.

 

 

Maybe next we can start an “accident in the pants” thread. That might be good fun! 

Yup.... though if you were in that moment at work, it’s not impossible you’d space out and forget the IM is blocked. 

 

Im not saying it’s no big deal but if usually a stellar employee and it was a catastrophically embarrassing moment paired with an ineffective way to communicate- way different than coasting out cause my tummy doesn’t feel good and not telling anybody cause I don’t really care. One I’d try to grant some grace and the other would get a pretty quick pink slip 

[Augie]

3 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

Yup.... though if you were in that moment at work, it’s not impossible you’d space out and forget the IM is blocked. 

 

Im not saying it’s no big deal but if usually a stellar employee and it was a catastrophically embarrassing moment paired with an ineffective way to communicate- way different than coasting out cause my tummy doesn’t feel good and not telling anybody cause I don’t really care. One I’d try to grant some grace and the other would get a pretty quick pink slip 

 

Exactly, and why I asked how long she had been there. (And what you sensed?)  You need to know who you are dealing with. You just might cement long term loyalty by standing behind superstar Linda in light of her circumstances. One moment does not make a career. 

 

Not to mention, it’s always nice to treat people properly.   ?

[DC Tom]

1 hour ago, Fadingpain said:

So a buddy of mine called me today all stressed out.  He works in finance at a large, multi-national corporation.  He's always talking about numbers, budgets, fiscal forecasting, etc.  All the fun stuff. LOL.  

 

Today he had to give a presentation over the phone to like 30 people in several countries.  When he finished, he asked his underling (we'll call her Linda) to start her part of the presentation.  No answer.  My buddy thought she was over on her side of the building in her office quietly waiting for her turn to speak.  I guess this was a fairly important matter and she certainly knew she had to participate today.

 

So someone gets up and physically goes to Linda's office only to find it dark and unattended.

 

Turns out Linda had some type of food poisoning incident at work earlier in the morning and went home feeling ill.  The only thing she did to notify anyone of this was send an instant message in MS Office to my buddy, once the meeting had already started, which of course he never saw b/c the computer knew he was in a meeting and so it blocked the IM part of the program.  She didn't tell anyone else or send an email. 

 

So now he needs to yell at Linda, basically, but he is unsure how to proceed.  Keep in mind Linda is a good worker, was hired by my buddy, and overall I think my buddy has a good relationship with her which he doesn't want to ruin.

 

Yet Linda's actions today were unprofessional, out of line, and ended up embarrassing my buddy in front of all these people in fairly high up positions particularly at world corporate HQ in a foreign country.  He's afraid they are all going to be like "who is this loser you hired!?"

Anyone here have managerial experience?  How do you handle the little chat my buddy has to have tomorrow with Linda?  

 

 

 

I had a report not show up one day with no warning or message and leave me in a serious bind (which isn't just embarrassing, but can actually screw up a lot of people's lives.)  When I talked to him about it, less gently than I normally would, he admitted to me that he was in the hospital having had a grand mal seizure that morning.

 

After feeling like a complete shitheel for about ten seconds, and making sure he was okay (he still wasn't), I told him take the rest of the week off; don't worry about our bosses, I'll run interference with them; and I'll see him next week.  Oh, and please, next time something like this happens, have someone know to call or text me, so I'm not wondering if you're dead or you quit or were abducted by aliens or something.

 

Did that because he's a good performer who experienced an exceptional event that was not handled with the best judgement (not that I'd expect it from someone having a seizure, obviously.)  Much like your buddy's underling.

 

So that's my suggestion on how to handle it: when counseling her (which has to be done), make sure she's okay and that she doesn't need anything, and when she understands that he doesn't expect her to be sitting in her chair, shitting herself while she delivers a presentation (he doesn't, does he?) discuss ways of handling such a situation in the future (e.g. grab the nearest person and ask them to "Tell so-and-so I've just collapsed in a quivering mass of vomit and crap.") 

 

If she's a good worker, she's probably already fretting that she !@#$ed up, and there's no need to rub it in.  Likewise, if she's a good worker, she's worth the consideration.  A complete !@#$-up, I'd handle differently...but a complete !@#$-up likely never gets in to that position of responsibility anyway.

 

As for outside opinions of "Who is this loser you hired?"  Hey, real life happens.  You tell them the truth: she suddenly became violently ill in mid-call, so suddenly that he was delayed in finding out.  And while it was unfortunate she became ill, she's a good worker and he stands by her performance otherwise.  Take care of your people, and they'll take care of you.  

 

And something your buddy should take away from this: always contingency plan.  Always.  That's part of being a manager.  Assume people are going to win the lottery or get hit by a bus.  If you're giving a presentation, have a backup.  If one of your reports is, make sure they have a backup.  Always cross-train your staff so any given person is backed up by someone else, and make sure you know all their jobs so you can step in and back them up yourself in the worst-case scenario.  Again...take care of your people, and they take care of you.

 

 

(Yes, I actually know how to manage people.  Who'd've thunk it?)

[Happy]

5 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

(Yes, I actually know how to manage people.  Who'd've thunk it?)

 

This was a great post.  Sounds like you're a good manager and not a total *SS-hole 

[Sky Diver]

They are in the same building, why weren’t they in the office together for the meeting?

 

Applogize to the listeners and go through her slide deck. 

 

Just tell her next time find a better way to communicate if she can’t make a meeting.  I had food poisoning recently. It isn’t much fun. It wasn’t as if she bolted to get in 18 holes.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Sky Diver