Dissenter denys it all
sk8n
32 Posts
Several days ago I asked for advice dealing with a negative ee (Jane) who is "causing dissention and stirring up things by bad-mouthing me, stating opinions as fact, and calling me names to other staff members." That afternoon we spent 1.3 hrs discussing her performance and this attitude. She denied it all. While she did not say "I didn't say that" or "I have not said anything negative to other staff" she did say that "everyone" always talked negatively about me and she just walks away when that happens. Without getting into the he said-she said argument, I kept trying to get at it in other ways and she was difident and was "surprised" that the rest of the staff thought her attitude and negativism had increased in the past 6 weeks because she said has not changed, is doing her job exceptionally well (and that one mistake in a year isn't bad). When I asked her outright if she said to another staff member, within earshot of other employess, that I was 'scum' -- she just looked at me and said she couldn't remember what she said in every single convesation or she'd go crazy, especially one that took place 7 weeks ago) that she only asked that other ee about an invoice. (This scenario repeated several times in the meeting, to no avail.) I do not question the ee who reported the incident to me in the first place.
I am a little stumped on this since her reaction/response was not anything I anticipated. Can I give her a warning for something she believes I am falsley accusing her of? While I documented in her review her negative attitude and dissruption to the daily operations of the office it causes, I made no written mention of the report that she calls me names and speaks badly of me to other staff.
She clearly is a troublemaker with an agenda, and the fact that she has been here longer than any other employee (7 years) (I have been here 2.5) gives her the false sense of security she thinks her seniority merits.
(Ironically, she stated during her review that her job performance could not improve any better than it currently is because she does everything to the best of her ability and that's the best it could be. While she does things well, and efficiently, she just doesn't see the point that her disruptive behavior causes lost time for those around her while she goes on oblivious to hurts she has caused.)
Am I stuck here?
I am a little stumped on this since her reaction/response was not anything I anticipated. Can I give her a warning for something she believes I am falsley accusing her of? While I documented in her review her negative attitude and dissruption to the daily operations of the office it causes, I made no written mention of the report that she calls me names and speaks badly of me to other staff.
She clearly is a troublemaker with an agenda, and the fact that she has been here longer than any other employee (7 years) (I have been here 2.5) gives her the false sense of security she thinks her seniority merits.
(Ironically, she stated during her review that her job performance could not improve any better than it currently is because she does everything to the best of her ability and that's the best it could be. While she does things well, and efficiently, she just doesn't see the point that her disruptive behavior causes lost time for those around her while she goes on oblivious to hurts she has caused.)
Am I stuck here?
Comments
>believes I am falsley accusing her of? While I documented in her
>review her negative attitude and dissruption to the daily operations
>of the office it causes, I made no written mention of the report that
>she calls me names and speaks badly of me to other staff.
>Am I stuck here?
If Managers were somehow prohibited from giving written warnings except in those cases where the ee agreed with the basis for the warning, all our files would automatically be reduced in paper by some 76.5%. Seriously, if your analysis and investigation clearly document and substantiate what you would intend to put in writing to her file, by all means, proceed with it.
Write her up, let her know this will not be tolerated, and if this behavior continues you will have no option but to terminate her employment.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ Th Balloonman
That said, she has this subtle way of covering herself, not outright lying, but avoiding. It's difficult to 'catch' her. I have asked other staff to notify me immediately at the first sign of attitude or disruption, or spreading discontent, but I wonder if any will actually do that since they know what it'll lead to (and no one wants to be the snitch). She is on vacation this entire week and I am on vacation the entire following week. (How convenient) What happens in my absence is of great concern to me. (I can't change my plans at this point.)
>entire following week. (How convenient) What happens in my absence is
>of great concern to me. (I can't change my plans at this point.)
Each time I am going to be out for a day or more, I ALWAYS tell somebody (tongue-in-cheek) in the presence of others, "I want you to take names for me while I'm out." So, do that and then go on vacation and enjoy it. Nothing will ruin it quicker than obsessing over this 'turd in the punchbowl' the whole time you're supposed to be enjoying yourself. Nothing you can do now or while you are on vacation will impact one iota on this seasoned battle-axe. She has become very good at what she does. Wait till you return. Then be determined to go about the business of bringing it all to a sensible conclusion in the best interest of the company. Have a good vacation! We all hate you for being able to go on one! x:-)
Thanks, I won't tell you where I'm going so you won't hate me more...just a hint or two: warm, sunny, lots of blue, blue water and Cap'n Steubing won't be there.