I manage a gay employee … and our company is homophobic by Alison Green on April 24, 2023 A reader writes: I think my company and, honestly, I have managed to make rather a colossal mess out of a relatively easily resolved situation and I’m a bit lost on how to get back to how we were before. I’m a middle manager for a third sector organization in the UK, and one of […] Read the full article →
is it time to put my employee on a formal improvement plan? by Alison Green on April 19, 2023 A reader writes: I inherited an employee who was never held accountable by his previous manager (for example, he completed a major web software overhaul nine months past the deadline with no consequences). As a result, I’ve been vigilant about giving him feedback every time he doesn’t do something he says he’s going to do […] Read the full article →
my employee isn’t doing her job … but I think she’s being abused by Alison Green on April 11, 2023 A reader writes: I manage a very seasonal business, one where I can only retain one person in the off-season, as we can’t afford (nor have the work for) anyone else during that time. In my six years here, we’ve built up a good core staff who return most years, and I’ve promoted one person […] Read the full article →
my new employee fell asleep in a meeting by Alison Green on April 5, 2023 A reader writes: I have a new employee who started this week. So far she seems great. But we were just in a kind of boring but important meeting with internal colleagues and she kept nodding off to sleep. She was trying to fight it, but it happened multiple times. Is this something I should […] Read the full article →
a new manager says it’s a problem that our employee cries in meetings, at her desk, and during team lunches by Alison Green on April 4, 2023 A reader writes: I manage a team of eight. We have all been with this company for over 10 years and together in this department for about five. Recently our company merged with another and now my department is over twice the size. The new company hired a manager, Tim, to work with me who […] Read the full article →
my intern is refusing assignments because of her politics by Alison Green on April 3, 2023 A reader writes: I run a large museum, and we are currently running a major special exhibition. We’ve been asked to give a private tour of this exhibition to a prominent and controversial political figure. I have a summer intern and have offered to let her come along as an observer. This kind of inclusion […] Read the full article →
my employee keeps challenging my expertise by Alison Green on March 28, 2023 A reader writes: I’m a manager at a small advertising start-up that has a very open and transparent culture. I actively encourage my team to challenge and disagree with me, but I’m having issues with one of them doing so in a way that I perceive as disrespectful. He frequently disagrees with me, which is […] Read the full article →
my employee keeps flipping from great to terrible by Alison Green on March 27, 2023 A reader writes: I have a direct report who was at one time my star performer and was on track for leadership. She had some challenges in her personal life over a couple years, and over time her performance slipped until it became a problem. Accuracy errors, chronic lateness, and a general negative attitude that […] Read the full article →
my intern is way too passive by Alison Green on March 22, 2023 A reader writes: I am currently supervising an intern, Lauren, who is completing a postgrad professional degree in my field. The placement with my organization is a mandatory part of her course, and she is here to learn high-level skills with an emphasis on critical thinking and creativity. My field is one that most people […] Read the full article →
should I insist my employees get comfortable with public speaking? by Alison Green on March 22, 2023 A reader writes: As a director, a large part of my role involves public speaking and training, which I enjoy and am good at. Two junior people I supervise are not public speakers. They, each to varying degrees, hate it to the point that they will avoid it at all costs. It gives them a […] Read the full article →