Dept. Mgr. vs. Executive Officer

Dgross

We have a Department Manager who is constantly suggesting she is being mistreated by the Executive Officer that she reports to. (both female) Her view point of "mistreating" usually relates to minor issues such as she wasn't notified of a meeting or the tone of voice that was used during communication, etc. She has escalated to the point that now she is refusing to meet with the Exec. unless there is another person in the room with them. On occasion, that can be accommodated but it doesn't make sense to me that we should allow her to involve a third party for EVERY conversation they have!

What do some of you allow as "witnesses" for your staff?

HRCalico

Wow, that's tough. Do you have an Employee Assistance Program that you can refer her/them to? I also think it is overkill to have a third party all the time for simple conversations. It sounds a little like she is referring to (I'm spelling this phonetically because I don't deal with it much) Weingarten rights, which I believe only apply to having a witness of the employee's choice when the employee is facing disciplinary action. (Anybody - is that right?)

I'm guessing this is disrupting performance, so I would sit down with both of them separately and investigate under cover of a casual conversation. Find out what is really going on, if you can. Just a random guess from my experience, I wonder if the exec perhaps thinks the dept mgr is not performing up to expectations and is trying to whip the mgr into shape (or make it so unpleasant that she quits). They don't have to like each other, but they do have to get along.

Tone of voice is a nearly impossible thing to deal with, because some people are naturally louder than others. (and some people - like me - are naturally oversensitive!) I also feel it is really affected by the underlying relationship - if someone I am comfortable with is yelling, I can handle it better than someone with whom I am not on good terms (or if I don't know them well).

It could be that their personalities just clash and they really can't work together. In that case, I would attempt to find (or create) a job in another department for one of them. Also, if my guess is right and the exec is cracking down on what she perceives is poor performance, it really needs to be documented. One bad thing with personality clashes - firing one person makes the other feel like they've "won" and if they were the unbearable one in the first place, it gives them more power.

Just some things to think about. Good luck, and let us know how it works out!

davids

NLRB has gone back and forth on the issue, but I believe currently Weingarten rights only apply to union-represented employees. Even, if Weingarten applies to non-union employees, they only apply in "investigatory " interviews (i.e., you are soliciting information from the employee that will be used to decide whether or not to impose discipline). Weingarten rights do not apply to every conversation a supervisor has with an employee.

HRinGA

Ditto what HRCalico said. And yes, you are correct about the Weingarten thing.
In my experience, there could be two issues here:
1) Exec is trying to whip mgr into shape or 2) they just really don't care for each other. Then it's time for the "you don't have to like each other but you will remain courteous and professional in the office" speech.
I hate these kinds of issues. Good luck!

Dutch2

Suggest you talk with the Officer and see if they have any idea of the Dept. Mgr's concerns and if not make sure they are aware. You may be able to simply talk with the dept mgr after this meeting or it may be necessary to get the two of them together with you and not leave the room until the matter is settled one way or another. This type of working relationship should not be allowed to continue. As stated above, they don't like to like each other, but they must be albe to work together.
Good luck...

pork1

DGROSS: Because I do not know your "chain of authority" lines of communication and areas of responsibility and where does the HR fit in this picture. The one that is not in focus here is the boss of the EXECUTIVE. Certainly that is not you, therefore, the role you can play minimal unless someone has given you sone sort of role over the EXECUTIVE. Yours is then a role of chief communicator and let the "getting things fixed between these two" role move to the more senior manager CEO or whatever.

I would advise you to tell the "lowest ranking member" of the team to move for direct and honest discussions without witness. She has a communication problem with her boss and I would not touch that with a 40 foot fishing pole, except to inform my boss that there may be a concern for both parties and their potential risk for the company, if something is not resolved to the satisfaction of both. I, of course, am putting your position/ranking in the leadership team as a peer of the Executive, but I might be wrong. Who you communicate with about this situation is your boss and he/she should be the one to get directly involved if it is not the CEO/GM/President.

If you are in the middle that is not the place that I would want to be!

PORK

Dgross

Tell me about it!! I have tried involving the next level which is our CEO but he refuses because he doen't want to taint the grievance process if it should go that far!! He's a master at avoidance until it is so far gone there's not much to salvage.

My position is a peer to the executive which in everyones eyes means that "I have all the answers". I have tried talking to both sides about professional conduct and the executive is very understanding and I believe from witnessing a few interactions is able to maintain her composure, but the Department Manager has no ability to separate past issues with current issues and probably over reacts most of the time.

pork1

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-03-06 AT 03:42PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Good, now get with your peer and develop and action plan to fix this Department Managers communication problem with her BOSS! Bottom line she gets in line with the leadership of her boss or she should choose another place to work. You need to keep good records and notes on all previous meetings and discussions. It appears that the EXECUTIVE is level headed and willing to give the Department head a chance to fly with the Eagles or she can choose to fly with the buzzards. You should only be the recorder and documentation specialist in this matter. Leadership by the EXECUTIVE is the issue. There is no one in your chain of authority that can force a correction on this situation but the EXECUTIVE. To let it fester and seek an ability to explode is only asking for the "ZIT" to pop out and pop someone in the eye.

Help your peer to develop the plan of action, but she must be strong enough to act on it or it will grow and become even more nasty with time!

PORK

E Wart

Has a third party sat down with the Dept. Mgr to try to determine what her perspective of the "real" problem might be. Also, someone needs to sit down with the Exe off and ask for examples and ask what they did exactly, details on situations.
I was personally put in a similar type of situation and was even "written up" (first and only time in my career) for not "sharing information". I had a boss that "wanted gossip" and also when I went to her with issues or she came and asked me something, she would go back to owner and say that I said things I didn't and could legally get me in big trouble and cause me my career. This was a boss that knew nothing about HR and tried to act like she did. It could be more than not "just getting along". Since I have been there, I would try to get both sides of the story. Granted the Dept. Mgr does need to work with the Exec, but also the Dept. mgr does deserve to be treated with respect and deserves her side of the story as well. If you can't solve it, one will have to get out (which is what I did.) Didn't know if you could transfer the Dept. mgr. or if you have had problems with people getting along with either of these people before.

E Wart

Paul in Cannon Beach

From my experience watching similar circumstances, this relationship has gotten past the point of repair.

The dept. manager has no real specific complaints, just a myriad of slights and hurt feelings. That is not to say that they are not valid or real.

Its not appropriate or convenient to require a 3rd party for every conversation. That won't help the situation anyways. It will simply aggravate the already strained relationship.

I would sit down the dept. manager and ask her to lay out ALL her major issues with the exec. If any are serious, deal with them. If not, tell the dept. manager what you expect and what will happen if she cannot meet those expectations.

Chances are though, this relationship will never be salvaged. Even if its a slow train wreck, be sure you are in control of the situation. Document and be ready to make a move quickly if needed. Get in "watching your organizational backside" mode.