Started a new job 4 months ago.

65 Comments

1. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 1:08AM UTC

   How would you be stirring the pot with sufficient documentation of the events??

   CYA!!

2. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 1:21AM UTC

   Agreed. All is documented. This company doesn’t seem to backup managers though.

3. E CSeptember 16,2022 at 1:50AM UTC

   Your new team might think that you are tougher than their old leader, and they are probably right. There may be some growth that needs to happen in this situation, and it isn't always a pleasant process. Keep your documentation meticulous and up to date. And don't forget to catch people doing something right whenever you can. All the best.

4. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 1:57AM UTC

   What do you mean by growth? I do give recognition when warranted.

5. Laura Ann KleinSeptember 17,2022 at 2:42PM UTC

   I believe what was meant is there are growth opportunities for those people who need to dramatically improve as well as the people who are doing a great job. Make the people who are doing a great job your "change champions" Have a meeting and white board everything that is right with the current team and everything they would like to change. Try to get buy in from the troublemakers, too. Chances are you'll freak them out with your enthusiasm for change and they will walk themselves out the door.

6. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 4:42PM UTC

   I like that idea. Hopefully they will walk, it is exhausting managing employees out.

7. JYJSeptember 16,2022 at 2:05AM UTC

   You are the leader. I assume you were brought in to lead. You are doing your job. If this is a place that wants someone to maintain the status quo, you’ll find out soon enough.

8. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 2:12AM UTC

   They “say” their making positive changes. I hope to help with that. However staffing changes need to be made.

9. JYJSeptember 17,2022 at 12:46AM UTC

   Then don't doubt yourself. Document the reasons to support the changes you want to make. That includes roping in HR. You got this!

10. Crystal HowellSeptember 16,2022 at 12:40PM UTC

    You are doing your job, make sure you document everything outside of the office. Don't leave any papers around, change passwords constantly, dysfunctional folks will do anything but their job to act out. Has any action been taken from your write ups from your manager? Keep us posted.

11. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 3:40PM UTC

    The write ups were recent so we will see where it goes.

12. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 2:39PM UTC

    do keep us posted

13. Kathryn MontbriandSeptember 16,2022 at 12:41PM UTC

    It could be that the organization knew this team was in need of a redirection but couldn't get there with the past leader. I recommend having an ongoing dialogue with your leadership chain about the talent situation and your approach. Your manager should be able to give you a sense of expectations and when you are tipping into 'too much' territory.

    Ultimately for you to be successful you will need the team to either 1) improve their performance under your direction or 2) move ineffective folks out so new talent can come in.

14. Gretchen SkalkaSeptember 16,2022 at 12:51PM UTC

    I think you need to begin with a better understanding of why you were brought in to manage that team.

    For example:

    Was performance an issue? Were you prepped with any information? KPIs? Etc.?

    Was the perceived dysfunction known? An issue?

    Was there aggressive turnover in this department?

    I think you need to have a more robust understanding of what the goal of the management change was.

    If it was just that the other leader left or was let go and you were promoted or brought in, then you've inherited a mess.

    You can turn it around.

    But it won't be easy.

    I would be very careful with beginning with all disciplinary moves because that's not likely to move the needle on long-term behavior and will also very likely increase the chances of sabotage of your efforts.

    I know it's incredibly challenging to inherit a team like this, but maybe do a group-wide reset with everyone, let them know your mandate, your leadership style, what you expect, your desire to partner with them and see if perhaps a differently styled approach gets more traction and better, longer-lasting results.

15. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 1:24PM UTC

    I have definitely been in that situation and did not realize it at the time, but they had brought me in to clean up that team and weed out the bad people. The manager before me had huge files on each person but no discipline. I was for sure the bad guy, not liked etc... for a while, but it all worked out. This may be why they brought you in, you are an outside person who has not worked with these people before, have an objective view and the power to structure your team as you see fit. You got this!! Good luck!

16. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 2:22PM UTC

    You need to communicate, communicate, communicate to Leadership that a thorough reset is needed in your group to get the team back in line and aligned with the goals and conduct of the company.

    Explain in excruciating detail what you inherited in terms of performance and conduct and how contrary to the company's plan that performance and conduct is/was.

    No one is as close to the issues as you are and it's up to you to lead the team back.

    As long as you inform leadership of your issues and goals and keep them apprised as to your plan and execution there should be understanding and support.

    If you do not or have not been extremely transparent and communicative then you have damaged control to address.

17. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 5:52PM UTC

    Yes, if everyone is aware of your team's issues and understand your strategy in bring things back into alignment, then the impression and opinion is your actions are approved and they are part of what you were hired to do.

18. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 3:30PM UTC

    I could have written this about 3 years ago. Promoted to management though found out really quickly that previously management had allowed things to happen and didn't hold people accountable (though sure did complain about the things)...

    Sounds like the leadership isn't all on the same page? Do you have HR to help try to get everyone on the same page so you are all treating the employees the same going forward?

19. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 3:37PM UTC

    Yes HR is aware. No 1 was held accountable before I arrived.

20. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 7:47PM UTC

    Yea...holding people accountable is too much work! Actually, it creates much more work later. Aargh.

21. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 12:50AM UTC

    Yea I do not understand it.

22. AnonymousSeptember 19,2022 at 9:08PM UTC

    Me either. However - it is easier to not address the issues, isn't it? Doesn't make anything better to ignore the issues.

23. AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 11:44PM UTC

    In my case HR had a bigger turnover. Doomed from the beginning.

24. AnonymousSeptember 19,2022 at 1:16AM UTC

    Oh no!

25. AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 6:17PM UTC

    You need to rope in HR and see if you can remove some team members. Sounds like apathy has set in and that requires almost a whole new team to move forward. I wish you luck.

26. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 12:48AM UTC

    In all honesty, theres 3 team members that are ok. The other 2 are unprofessional, negative and awful. How are they still employed boggles my mind.

27. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 2:37PM UTC

    I have NOTHING to offer outside of "I feel your pain" so I'm following along for advice.

28. Elise PilkingtonSeptember 17,2022 at 12:44PM UTC

    You need to follow through with appropriate discipline. The employees who are behaving are watching and probably frustrated that these two have gotten away with so much. They rarely will complain about it because they don't think it will do any good, and will just make them look bad. It's possible you were hired to get this team under control, and once it is you will be replaced. But, you have to do the right thing.

29. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 12:54PM UTC

    Yes the team seems to think this behavior is tolerated. I am looking to fix this. I hope not to be replaced lol.

30. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 2:50PM UTC

    Hello! I can totally relate! I was a new hire manager over a team of 21 that had apparently abused the system for years with the company. After 8 months and letting go of 4 and putting an additional 3 on final written warnings, I decided to do myself a favor and find another job. Turns out that the company itself was the core problem. They move around issues and is more corrupt than the employees they have on the ground. HR was not supportive at all and I had inherited problems way beyond their expiration dates and no one cared to help or support what needed to be done! Then came The Who you know aspect.. half of the folks I was managing were related to others or tight with upper management so there was that lovely wild card- which meant, I was not to manage them out or even coach them while there. Depending on the situation, some uphill climbs are better left alone. Best of luck to you!

31. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 4:40PM UTC

    Yea I will see how all of this plays out. Thankfully none of the employees are relatives. One I got to resign and another I am managing out.

32. Rocky ZSeptember 17,2022 at 5:39PM UTC

    I know this place, I work here too! I found that it is best to find employment elsewhere and run away from these toxic places fast! no good can come from speaking up or trying to fix things. In my case it is family owned and I have found certain family members contribute to the toxic culture and even have favorite employees.

33. AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 11:42PM UTC

    Sadly. I just learned or re-learned that the hard way myself. Encouraged to speak up. Then let go. Be careful. Not worth the mental anguish these situations cause.

34. AnonymousSeptember 19,2022 at 1:16AM UTC

    Oh no. I am sorry that happened. Were you there a long time?

35. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 5:58PM UTC

    Honestly it's a mixed bag. In my experience it is rarely 100 percent the employee or 100 percent the manager/management when things aren't working. It's usually a combination. There are times when one party is completely delusional, but that's rare. My sense is you need to communicate goals and listen to your team and get everyone on board with the new direction and plan. Also, make an effort to understand your team's situation. I have seen so many arrogant, obnoxious directors come in and shake things up just to make their mark and be extremely disrespectful before they even know how the company truly works. Human beings are the hardest resources to manage. Kindness and compassion go a long way.

36. AnonymousSeptember 17,2022 at 6:23PM UTC

    Ironically the director was let go shortly after my arrival, so I know the changes could have affected them. Not all the teammates have issues. Just 2 at this point. It is a small team.

37. AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 3:38AM UTC

    You were brought in to be the wolf in the hen house. In order to manage effectively—- ensure that your boss has your back.

    just had this same situation.

38. AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 3:49AM UTC

    I had to google what that meant lol. My boss seems supportive.

39. Jennifer FingerSeptember 18,2022 at 1:34PM UTC

    It's possible, but if the writeups were warranted, then you were doing your job. Hopefully you have documentation to support your writeups of these two employees. If it turns out that you are perceived negatively for not closing your eyes to this, then it's time to look for another job rather than staying.

40. AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 2:15PM UTC

    They were definitely warranted. Upper management agreed with me. Not sure why they were never held accountable.

41. Mary HonderichSeptember 18,2022 at 7:08PM UTC

    What is the policy for the write ups. Is it required for the financial mistakes? If so I would not worry about it. You are doing your job.

42. AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 7:38PM UTC

    Theres no policy per se. There was a blatant disregard of being detailed of something he is well aware of.

43. Valerie RiegerSeptember 23,2022 at 12:37PM UTC

    I would say that you will perceived as the person that is able to make decisions, no matter the perceived image or fall-out and that you're a manager that fairly holds her staff accountable. You did the right thing.

44. Paula Manczuk-HannaySeptember 23,2022 at 1:07PM UTC

    My instincts tell me this is exactly why you were hired- to clean up. If upper management agreed than you’re ok. My only comment is to balance the write ups with positive feedback for the good things and coaching where possible.

45. AnonymousSeptember 24,2022 at 2:39AM UTC

    I am also looking to buildup the team. I give tasks to continue to teach them and assist with career development. The write ups were needed. I do not know of a company who takes lightly the loss of almost $25k.

46. Andres GuevaraSeptember 23,2022 at 1:12PM UTC

    I had the same issue in my last position. My last employer had a very lax attitude about disciplining employees even when the rules were blatantly broken. I ended up with this view of "not being a team player" or being overly sensitive. I had a chat with HR a few times after the employees in question pleaded their case to HR eventually leading to no discipline at all. I work in Operations so if it's not running correctly, I fix it. I was trying to fix it but I was not allowed to fix it is how it felt to me. So I took it upon myself to have a meeting with my employees and made it clear the rules that, as union members, they had to abide by, and if not, they will be disciplined accordingly. Slowly, it started to work and we eventually got to a normal working state. Funny thing, when my superiors and HR saw that the production unit was more efficient, they asked me how I changed things around. They had some nerve.

    I've worked in union environments for years. My suggestion to you, have a conversation and set expectations first; coach them up. If this behavior continues, gather all your evidence of rule-breaking including the written rules that were broken, and present it to HR and keep copies of your docs like presenting to a judge in court. If certain behaviors continue, you will have your evidence of wrongdoing to present and (Not to say "I told you so") the supporting documents of your actions to relay and submit for disciplinary actions that HR did or did not enact. It may seem like a lot of extra work but sometimes you have to go that extra mile to get situations under control. Just from my experience.

47. AnonymousSeptember 23,2022 at 1:26PM UTC

    Honestly, at first I thought you worked for me. Lol. If upper management is supportive, then agree with various comments, they want you to get this in line. Instead of worrying about being perceived as a pot stirrer - I think you should think about how you will be perceived of setting clear expectations and holding people accountable to them. Aggressive behavior and financial mistakes are definitely items that should be addressed through the progressive counseling process. Additionally, not sure what size of a company you work for but we have HR/ER reviewing write-ups to be sure we are doing the right thing for the company and employees. I'd be sure you are working with HR and doing the right thing for all parties and then sit down with your team and establish clear expectations. I have a new manager in a similar situation and it was because the past manager let things go that she should not have from the performance side. Ultimately, that is also partially my fault for not realizing what all she let go. I'm glad we are getting accountability in place and I hope the colleagues understand and up their performance. We have a lot on the plate I cannot have people that are not performing. You are paid by the company and need to ensure the performance of the team is appropriate to meet the company deliverables. Good job out of you for recognizing the issues and addressing them. Work closely with the team to make sure they understand the expectations and go from there.

48. AnonymousSeptember 24,2022 at 2:35AM UTC

    I keep telling myself that I am moving in the right direction and want the best for the team.

49. Barbara WhiteSeptember 30,2022 at 12:47PM UTC

    I agree, having clear expectations is important, and so is documenting exactly what the deficiencies in performance are. I have seen situations where people thought they were performing but were not meeting expectations simply because they had no idea what those were. I've also seen situations where employees were clearly told what was expected and basically did what they wanted to do anyway (or didn't do anything at all). In both cases, having clear expectations and following up with specifics about what is not working plus what they should be doing instead is important. Either they will adjust their performance accordingly, or you have the documentation needed for reassignment or termination. Hopefully it's the former.

50. Georgette McMannenSeptember 23,2022 at 3:56PM UTC

    Yes

51. AnonymousSeptember 23,2022 at 4:26PM UTC

    Yes, unfortunately. If its toxic, get out while you can.

52. utpala deviSeptember 23,2022 at 4:49PM UTC

    Yes, they might! But why should that bother you when you are doing the right thing? Keep being courageous!

53. AnonymousSeptember 23,2022 at 6:50PM UTC

    .....there's also the other side of the coin when employees are written up for ridiculous things... "rolling your eyes".

    You are right to counsel your employees.

54. AnonymousSeptember 24,2022 at 2:33AM UTC

    I have never been like that, nit picking.
    If I am documenting, it is a serious offense.

55. AnonymousSeptember 24,2022 at 6:18PM UTC

    I wouldn't be concerned.
    You're counseling appropriately and it is justified. Hopefully you wil have a super team soon!

56. AnonymousSeptember 29,2022 at 11:56PM UTC

    I am already seeing positive changes. They are being more professional.

57. Liz MilneSeptember 24,2022 at 1:34AM UTC

    It depends on whether you were taken on to fit in with them or manage them properly? I would say keep doing what you're doing, and check back with management that they are content with your work?

58. AnonymousSeptember 24,2022 at 2:33AM UTC

    Management has been on board with me. HR advised me to write up due to large financial loss. I do feel I am making a positive impact on the team. They seem to understand my expectations and are beginning to acclimate.

59. Liz MilneSeptember 24,2022 at 3:54PM UTC

    Then you're doing the right thing - it's *horrible* having to make the tough calls, but it really sounds like this team needs a firm and fair hand! Stick with it and soon (fingers crossed) the team members will come around (or be fired! :O ) and you'll have an effective, non-toxic team working under you :) Good luck, hope the uphill bit is nearly over!

60. AnonymousSeptember 25,2022 at 3:39PM UTC

    Yes hoping for a silver lining.

61. AnonymousSeptember 30,2022 at 12:59PM UTC

    THIS!!!!

62. AnonymousSeptember 29,2022 at 1:07PM UTC

    We just got a new boss joining our organization where I head finance and compliance. She called me to her office to let me know that my reputation for "getting people fired" had gotten to her and that i was being watched. Now whenever someone violates policy and i get to know about it they rush to her for protection and i'm told to let go. HQ says i should deal with issues while the immediate boss says we should talk about things instead of escalating and cover up for each other because we are a team. Now i am isolated because i'm not a "team player". When compliance comes and violations are picked out they are always hard on me saying i'm not doing my work yet i'm being label HQ spy by my colleagues here

63. AnonymousSeptember 29,2022 at 8:13PM UTC

    My first instinct here is to get your resume together & start looking for a healthier work environment. I had a great job turn toxic with hire of a new executive, and I tried so hard for 2 more years to make it better. It never did. I ended up going out on stress leave, found a new job right before covid shut down, and back to loving my job and my executive and the folks I work with. Praying for you!!!

64. Ladyboss759718October 1,2022 at 10:50AM UTC

    Thats exactly what i did this week. I got tired of walking into a job where the elite few ran amuck and buddied with the manager and the rest of the team had to deal with the toxicity of continuous poor management. I polished up my resume and within 48 hours landed a new job. Walked in and submitted my resignation. The environment was no longer worth my sanity.

65. AnonymousSeptember 30,2022 at 12:58PM UTC

    Document document document. As a manager it falls under you to ensure the work gets done. If you were to tolerate it, and do nothing about poor performance, tolerating aggressive behavior, etc., that could do more damage to your reputation.

    Good luck - it’s a terrible position to be in. Do the right thing - you cannot go wrong doing the right thing.