I have a lady in my office who is not very experienced and does not have a formal education in our field.

32 Comments

1. AnonymousDecember 11,2022 at 9:20PM UTC

   Your post very clearly and kindly states it all. Say exactly all that to her.

2. Heather CutlerDecember 11,2022 at 10:50PM UTC

   It is your job as her boss to coach her through this challenging time. Some thoughts that come to mind:

   -Applaud her enthusiasm

   -After she shares an inexperienced opinion, point it out immediately and coach for your desired outcome. Give specific instructions on how you'd like her to have handled this differently.

   -Compliment the times when she shares valid insights, help her to determine when best to share those

   As the other poster said, you clearly and kindly state the issue. Do not be afraid to say: I'm concerned that your actions could lead to a liability issue with clients so we need to take steps to correct this. Don't mince words! While the convo may be uncomfortable, you need to be honest and candid in your communications to her.

   Does your organization offer any kind of professional coaching services? Do you think something like a public speaking class or any training in your field would help your subordinate? If so, suggest specific courses. Don't make her decide what she needs to meet your expectations.

   If not receptive to your constructive coaching, you'll need to attach consequences to her actions. If behaviors don't change, you'll need to re-evaluate her role on your team.

   Best wishes in your next steps.

3. AnonymousDecember 12,2022 at 2:25AM UTC

   This is awesome. I wish I had a boss like you.

4. Crystal HowellDecember 12,2022 at 1:53PM UTC

   As her leader, have her attend classes on line that linked in offers, try the buddy system assign her with a senior employee to show her how it is done. Role playing sessions with her, liabilities are not needed, more in house training is needed. Praise her for her enthusiasm, she has to hit the books or computer online training! Good Luck

5. AnonymousDecember 12,2022 at 3:28PM UTC

   Regardless of experience level, no one should operate in "always being right" mode; they do so at their own peril, and you'd be doing her a great service by ensuring she learns this ASAP in her career. I'd try presenting your feedback using the sandwich method: positive comment; suggestion for improvement; positive comment. Something like...1) your enthusiasm is great, keep it up! 2) in our industry, we need to be aware of <whatever she's doing wrong>; include actionable things she needs to do differently and why, it's a teachable moment; 3) I appreciate hearing your insights; let's set up a one-on-one meeting (or other appropriate, low-stakes setting) for kicking around ideas.

6. AnonymousDecember 12,2022 at 5:59PM UTC

   Love this approach! I know some associates struggle with asking questions for fear of appearing unknowledgeable. We should encourage everyone to ask questions, that way, we all learn and end up level setting on the discussion and potentially driving to a better solution. Great advice.

7. Barb HansenDecember 12,2022 at 7:53PM UTC

   There is a management concept called the "Skill Will Matrix" that may help you with this current employee and other employees you manage.

   It sounds like you have a "High Will / Low Skill" employee:

   These people may be new to their role, or quite early in their careers. University graduates and new joiners to the business often fall into this High Will / Low Skill quadrant. The key challenge that you face is to raise their skill level, while maintaining their enthusiasm for the job.

   Here are some points you could consider:

   -Check to make sure that they understand ‘what good looks like’. Sometimes basic misconceptions get in the way.

   -Define clear goals for their work

   -Give them plenty of reassurance and praise their motivation

   -Make sure you’re giving clear instructions for individual tasks.

   -Agree regular 1-1 check-ins with them on their progress.

   -Allow them to ‘fail safely’. For example, if they’re preparing a report that you require by Friday, ask them to produce it by Wednesday. This way you can safely review and give them time for further work, without any drama.

   -Have short-term development conversations with them, with clear development milestones over 3-6 months.

   -Consider finding them a Mentor, for further support.

8. AnonymousDecember 13,2022 at 3:40AM UTC

   For meeting with clients, have a prep meeting together beforehand so she is on the same page as you. Tell her ‘this is our game plan’

   If there are meetings that isn’t designated for her to ask questions or poise her opinions, tell her to write down all her questions and thoughts, then bring them to you during your 1:1 together.

9. GirlBossanova934974December 13,2022 at 1:34PM UTC

   I agree with one of the commenters here. An internal inside PREP MEETING should be held before any client meeting. That is the manager's responsibility. As for the rest, I would do everything I could to keep this employee and reward their enthusiasm. In my 35 plus year career, I found those employees very hard to find. Many these days are just punching a clock. As for speaking out of turn, you take the little bad with the much greater good. Lots of time, these employees tell the truth about things that are not working and have never worked. They suggest better ways to do things and make $$$ money for the company. If rewarded, they do even better than that. IF there is anything I learned in 35 plus years, it is that there are plenty of people out there who take 1-3 years how to do a job and then spend a decade or two making the same errors or not improving anything.

10. AnonymousDecember 13,2022 at 2:04PM UTC

    I would recommend that it will be important to see her more holistically as an employee. This would require seeing her strengths and helping her hone and master her growth areas. Share some of her strong attributes with her and offer to help coach her on how she can safely test out what she’s unsure about, or wade through that while engaging and helping clients. People who are new have something to offer. Acknowledging this and supporting them get better acclimated may help the employee be productive and grow into becoming more polished, refined and an even greater professional in the workplace.

11. Amy JeffreyDecember 13,2022 at 2:13PM UTC

    My, my. You just described a much younger version of me! Here's what I wish my supervisor had done with me back then:

    Meet with her before those meetings or other occasions where she's prone to speaking out of turn. Tell her you want to meet with her to help both of you prepare for the meeting because you love her ideas and would value hearing them before the meeting. Frame the meeting in very positive terms such as the two of you being a united front, a well oiled team, etc. Role model for her what it is like to receive criticism and grow from it. Let her critique your ideas and show her that it is great to brainstorm and more often than not, throw out the majority of ideas. Find professional development opportunities for her on this very topic and give her SMART goals around this behavior. Make notes when she does speak out of turn so you can give her very concrete examples that can be supported by details and wherein you can show her WHY speaking out of turn was not the most skillful option for her. I think the most useful words you can use each and every time you need to give her "negative" feedback is to start with how much you and the company value and appreciate her enthusiasm.

12. AnonymousDecember 13,2022 at 5:26PM UTC

    Perhaps a reminder that we don’t have to share all our knowledge with everyone. It is nice to want to be helpful and answer questions, but sometimes it is better to sit back ad listen to everything without a response. See what others may have to bring to the table. Then after the meeting lets discuss everything and see what was valid / good ideas and what could be improved on.

    Bringing up a potential liability issue is also a good conversation to have. I have had to do that in the past. It can be awkward, but necessary and can be done politely. I found that giving good, valid reasons why it isn’t a good idea to offer suggestions really helped bring home why sometimes it is better to keep our mouth shut. Doesn’t mean she can’t come to you later with her ideas/thoughts/suggestions so that the two of you can brainstorm them, just that sometimes when we offer a solution, we weren’t aware of all the facts and our suggestion is actually a shitty one.

13. AnonymousDecember 14,2022 at 1:08AM UTC

    Thank you all! I happened to just spend 3 hours in the car with her and another junior team member. At one point in the myriad of discussion topics she mentioned a project our company is doing. Her comments were very "matter of fact" about the next steps in the project, of which she has zero interface. I did put a halt to it by letting her know her comments were one of many hypothetical solutions floating around the office, no real decision had been made, and we shouldn't be suggesting we know what's going to happen.

    Baby steps. I always start with a soft approach, and work my way into radical candor.

14. Bradford McCormickDecember 14,2022 at 1:20PM UTC

    "I recognize this is a critical and candid conversation I need to have with her. I welcome any thoughts on how to convey my concerns without killing her spunk. My end goal would have her recognize when it's appropriate to offer ideas," Is it possible to explain the situation to her in as plain words as you have written here? And, having explained the matter, to tell her to say what she has to say to you, not either to the group or --especially!!! -- to a client, until she has learned enough to match competence to enthusiasm? If she says something in a group meeting, so what? But if she makes a mistake with a client, that could be very bad, so especially there, for the moment, have her vet what she would tell a client with you first. period.

15. AnonymousDecember 14,2022 at 1:31PM UTC

    I'm concerned that you think she thinks she is always right. She may not think she's right. She might just be trying to show confidence. Next time she says something ask her about it. Ask her to go deeper. Ask her what she thinks the implications of what she said are to you, the department, and potential clients. Help her think globally.

16. AnonymousDecember 14,2022 at 1:40PM UTC

    Yes! This is something often overlooked or misunderstood by inexperienced staff. Thinking about how a potential solution affects the organization as a whole and the teams within it individually. Even experienced staff can have trouble with this. I call it the “not my job syndrome”, this expectation that anyone else whose workflow is affected by any decision just has to roll with it.

17. AnonymousDecember 14,2022 at 1:31PM UTC

    While I acknowledge this can be frustrating, it also sounds like an ego thing. Does your field require a particular expertise or is she potentially offering a diverse range of solutions that are possible? I’ve worked with many people that I feel have less experience or knowledge than myself. I have to maintain an open mind to avoid alienating potential superstars in the office.

18. AnonymousDecember 14,2022 at 1:36PM UTC

    Have a Frank conversation about the difference between being an authority with confidence who does their research first. Explain that unsubstantiated claims made by her reflect poorly on the team and the organization. Remind her that guessing is not what the organization is being paid for.

19. erica dossDecember 14,2022 at 1:58PM UTC

    Instead of trying to teach her when it's "appropriate" to voice her opinion on something so that you don't "squelch her spunk", try to help her achieve the education and knowledge you feel she needs.

20. AnonymousDecember 14,2022 at 2:14PM UTC

    You have a valid point as a mentor and boss. I suggest you start with your company policy on training and development. Do an assessment of her Knowledge, Skills, and Ability. That way you will be guiding her professionally without being personal or sounding negative.

21. Mandi PullenDecember 14,2022 at 2:26PM UTC

    I agree with others. This is a clear opportunity to chat about her career aspirations and look at training and development.

22. Muhammad BaaithDecember 14,2022 at 2:34PM UTC

    What Industry is this?

23. Maggie StoneDecember 14,2022 at 2:36PM UTC

    This does seem ego driven. It sounds like she is trying to prove herself. I like the idea of having her provide input and ideas before meetings. You may also have to direct her or redirect her during meetings. For example, saying “thank you for that.” or “interesting” or “let me think about that” and move on. Or allow others to give feedback. All the while reinforcing good ideas or parts of good ideas. Most professors I have had use that strategy when someone says something questionable. I got the message and so will she.

24. Janet GrangerDecember 14,2022 at 4:53PM UTC

    Please note that this type of behavior is also indicative of ADHD (I'm bringing this up because I have it myself). There's an impulse to talk/contribute when it's not necessarily the right moment. So please note that this may be something that's hard for her to control. It might be worth asking her to count to 5 every time she has a thought , to fight that impulse, or to write down her idea to discuss with you later, instead of talking about it right away, is a good exercise in impulse control. And it will help you work out, with her, what she might contribute in the future vs. keep for herself.

25. Angela Day DentonDecember 14,2022 at 10:23PM UTC

    This is a really great response. I had never thought about the ADHD factor. Thank you for sharing!

26. Maggie StoneDecember 14,2022 at 10:51PM UTC

    ADHD is possible, but speaking out of turn or interrupting is only one indicator of ADHD.

27. AnonymousDecember 14,2022 at 3:03PM UTC

    Ask a Manager has good advice about this

28. Jenny Cox, PHRDecember 14,2022 at 3:24PM UTC

    My advice - just be honest. Your comments about the end goal are perfect. I would want my leader to pull me into a 1-1 meeting and share those exact things.

    First I love your energy and enthusiasm around your work. We need that kind of energy here as well as fresh ideas. At times, I've noticed that your enthusiasm for sharing ideas gets in the way of you learning and understanding the whole picture. For example, (insert very specific recent example here). I'd like to discuss how I can best support you as you work toward the end goal of XXXX.

29. Fair WaveDecember 17,2022 at 9:21AM UTC

    That is PERFECT!

30. AnonymousDecember 14,2022 at 7:27PM UTC

    Sounds like you know what you need to do and how you need to do it. I would have HR involved in the process if you are not sure you are able to do this in a way that would be non confrontational.

31. Regina BrownDecember 15,2022 at 3:23PM UTC

    Because you are her boss and her mentor, it is perfectly acceptable to have THAT conversation.!! Explain that because she is unfamiliar with the topic of conversation, that is may be best to LISTEN for a little while to learn the ins/outs of the business.

32. Fair WaveDecember 17,2022 at 10:14AM UTC

    When I read your post I wondered if you were someone I know, because you could be describing me & a few others I work with on my current job. The nature of our work is close to many of our hearts, and several of us (myself included) have made the kind of mistakes you've described - or close enough to it.

    Many jobs are just things we do to pay the bills. But once in awhile we get really great ones - and for many of us who come from hard times, it's mind-blowing that we're able to make a living doing something we've long cared deeply about. If this sounds like your employee, you have no reason to worry, believe me. Your insight will help her to become better at her job, which she loves from the sounds of it. I guess I would suggest finding a convenient moment in the discussion to work in a comment about how even the most experienced people are always learning. Important to listen before you speak, not presume before you know.

    I love your approach on this; if you were one of my bosses I'd definitely want to hear whatever you had to say if you thought I was in any way putting any of our work at risk. I would hope we could discuss whatever issues needed to be addressed privately though; even the best workplaces will have a few no-lifers who pretty much live to stir up trouble, usually by turning anthills into mountains. So discretion is always good! Your approach is both kind & very savvy, and I can't imagine anyone feeling squelched when things are presented this way. Wishing you the best