Urgent- I am meeting tomorrow!

scantey · January 2003

I know we all have them- that one employee who is on a power trip and everyone else in the office has to walk on egg shells. Mine happens to be the CEO's secretary. To make a long story short I have only been with this company for a few months. During this time I have actually witnessed this woman (We'll call her Mary) be down right mean to co-workers. I would have stepped in a long time ago but she is even mean to the COO and to the CFO. Now it has come to a point where there is no way to ignore the situation. The one employee that directly reports to her (The Receptionist) has come to me in tears telling me how she degrates her and she is under so much stress that she has developed an ulcer and asking me What she should do about it. If it were up to me I would tell the CEO that "Mary" needs to take some management classes and maybe some time off. However this is a small company and the CEO and "Mary" are the only two original workers here.(9 years) My question is what should I tell the employee to do? I am having a meeting with both of them tomorrow morning and I am also meeting with the CEO in the afternoon. I am hoping to resolve the issue but when I tried to speak with "mary" to call the meeting in the first place she completely dismissed any problems. I am afraid the CEO will take her side and want to fire the receptionist....HELP!

Gillian · January 2003

You can't make eggs out of eggnog, so miracles may not be forthcoming. The key is the CEO. If he or she wants to listen to you, and you should have this meeting first, you might be able to convince the person that there is a real issue. There is probably a lot of loyalty to the Secretary because they have been together for so long. Do you have a history of turnover caused by this problem? A history of complaints? Will the COO and CFO support you? Can you get the CEO to talk to the COO and CFO privately to get their reading on the situation. If I were you, I would have a dentists appointment so that the morning meeting is cancelled - then start with the CEO. You don't want to give the Secretary time to brainwash the CEO and put a spin on what the three of you discussed before you have your chance.

scantey · January 2003

Thanks for the reply- I actually tried to get a meeting with the CEO for today but like I said I have to go through her to get him and he is impossible to reach. The Receptionist will only come in tomorrow if I meet with her first thing in the morning so that she does not feel stress in the meantime. I am afraid i am in a no win situation. I did actually speak with the last receptionist and she said she moved to another department because of how "Mary" talked to her. She basically confirmed everything the new receptionist did. I have actually thought about calling the CEO on his cell phone but I know he is in important meetings off-site. Thanks again for your help.

JKK · January 2003

Sorry to say but this is not going to be an easy one.
You really need the Receptionist to put her complaints in writing, and advise her to make them as factual as possible, unfortunately approaching anything from an emotional standpoint will not help. Then you need to meet with 'Mary' and advise her that you have received a written complaint that you need to discuss with her. You have to give her the chance to give her side of the story - again the hardest part will be keeping it FACTUAL not EMOTIONAL, and you really need to keep it on this track. Once you have received both versions you may need to investigate whether there is further evidence to back up either sides story. Then you need to present both sides to the CEO.
If you have a good relationship with the CEO, you could give them a heads up that there may be an issue about inappropriate behavior/language before officially meeting with them regarding the outcome of the investigation/meetings with the 2 staff involved.
Good luck, hopefully one of the very experienced members of the forum will come back to you with some good suggestions that they have employed over the years, in time for you to use them

Parabeagle · January 2003

I have a few questions: Have you personally observed Mary being "mean" to others? And how, specifically, is she treating them? What behaviors is she displaying that are inappropriate or that could be construed as "mean"? Is she verbally abusive or just obnoxious? What is the history between Mary and the receptionist? I guess it would be helpful to know specifics before suggesting a course of action.

scantey · January 2003

Parabeagle,

Yes, I have actually witnessed her degrating employees. The last receptionist- who has since transferred was talking with some guests in the lobby when "Mary" came up threw a water can on her desk and told her to go water the plants and make herself useful. The old receptionist told be she had never felt so "little" in her life. She uses a tone that is just plain nasty- she gets loud and if someone tries to explain something to her she cuts them off. "Mary" did tell me that the receptionist talks back to her but I have not witnessed that. She is very sensitive and I was against hiring her from the begining but "Mary" insisted on her.

Parabeagle · January 2003

I think the best solution to your problem might be a silver bullet or a wooden stake!

I can't believe that the CEO, COO or CFO (or the janitor, for that matter) would permit anyone to behave in that unprofessional manner and treat them that way. Under the circumstances, I think JKK's advice is the most on-target. Any way you can cancel your meeting tomorrow and get to the CEO first?

bsa · January 2003

Eventhough you won't have all the facts at your fingertips, I agree with Gillian that you need to meet with the CEO first. If you don't have his support and committment to take action you will be wasting your time. Your only recourse may be to mediate and attempt to get the two of them to adjust their behaviors. Again you will need the CEO to back you up. Have a dead battery in the morning!

scantey · January 2003

Thank all of you for your advice... I will think of some reason why i can't be here in the morning- I agree I need to talk to the CEO first...The dead battery thing is working for me LOL

Margaret Morford · January 2003

The advice everyone has given you is excellent. If you cannot get the CEO to address the problem with Mary, would you consider having the receptionist report to HR? While this won't take care of Mary (because the CEO refuses to deal with her), it will keep you from losing receptionists and having to hassle through the problems Mary causes becauses she has management duties. Just a fall back suggestion if the others don't work.

Let us know how it turns out.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

njjel · January 2003

You may also want to think about calling CEO on his cell phone after hours and ask if you may meet with him off site to discuss a personnel issue. It's chancy but.........

SDDCHR · January 2003

What is your policy so that documentation can be initiated on this? In other words, is there written counseling, work improvement plans, etc. Has anything ever been documented about her "attitude" in the past other then another receptionist stating she left because of her? Is she even aware that she treating people with such disrespect? I have a good example of a work improvement plan for such an attitude. If you would like a copy of it post your email address and I will send you it.

Good luck......

JKK · January 2003

This sounds great - could you email me a copy also please?
[email]jkeast@bta.org.uk[/email]

scantey · January 2003

I would love a great improvement plan- Please email it to me at [email]suzanne_cantey@tdk-m.com[/email]

Thanks

J McDaniel · February 2003

Please send me a copy of this plan. My e-mail is [email]jmcdaniel@clovis-schools.org[/email]. Thank you.

Don D · January 2003

Mary has become the company bitch for two reasons. (1) She had a penchant for doing so, and (2) She has been allowed to. You are new there so you could not have a total picture that a bit more time will help you develop. I think you do though, however, have enough information to request a meeting with the man who supervises Mary, the CEO. Don't let the receptionists scheduling mandates or the fact that you think you need to go through Mary to get to see him be roadblocks to meeting with him first. You seem to be letting the receptionists ability to meet early with you and Mary's assortment of buttons drive your thought process. Go back to them both and tell them straight up that you are cancelling the early meeting with them and will get back with them on that. You don't need to explain that you are reversing the arrangement of the two meetings. The idea to call the CEO on his cellphone is a good one. Is the reporting structure there so tight that you have absolutely no access to the man except through Typhoid Mary? If I were in your shoes, my meeting with the CEO would not be to lay out on the table all the negatives I have heard and all the complaints that have come your way in your short time there. I would simply lay it out to him like this: Mr. Punchinello, I asked to meet with you about some concerns I have. I need some direction from you on how you want (or expect) me to proceed with a rather sensitive issue; that being the perceptions some others have about the way Mary interracts with them on a daily basis. Since I'm new here, I don't have full knowledge of the facts and I value your opinion and want to proceed as you would like for me to. At least this way, you have not stepped on his toes or caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up by attacking his number 1 ally. See where it goes when he replies. If he asks for your suggestions or says he wants you to investigate or tells you to handle it as you think best, there's your ticket to proceed with a responsible investigation and series of conversations with others. Don't forget, though, that door is still swinging from your having come through it recently and you don't want it to hit you in the A- -.

scantey · January 2003

Well- I thought I would let all of you know how it turned out (so far)since you have all been so helpful to me... I was able to get a hold of the CEO and he met me first thing this morning. I explained the situation and told him my recommendations (a) I think the receptionist should report directly to HR (b) I think "Mary" should take some time off- and she has a million hours on the books (c) Mary needs to take some people skills classes (d) we would get together and have a sit down meeting and see if we can work out the issues at hand. He agreed with everything I said and put the ball in my court. He knew that Mary was like this and told me it had not been a huge shock but in all fairness he had to remain loyal to mary for putting up with him for all these years. Needless to say I was happy with the outcome and wouldnt you know it... MY RECEPTIONIST NEVER SHOWED UP- NEVER CALLED- NADA! So now what??? I have tried calling her several times and she does not answer the phone. I am hoping that she just decided it wasnt worth it and quit- however I have a feeling I should be getting a call from her attorney and minute now. OYE

Don D · January 2003

Right now, the receptionist would be the least of my worries. You are now engaged in a full scale ballet of digesting what the CEO told you, weighing it carefully (with covering your ass in mind), understanding what he is really saying to you about Mary and then your plans to move or not, and if so, how so. If you have to fill a receptionist slot, fine. Don't fret over what she might be doing on the outside......a claim that the company bitch was mean to her will not fly. Proceed with a great degree of caution. Every CEO in every company has a pet. Some are called mistresses, some confidants, some right hand men, some Mary. HR Managers come and go and are commodities. Mary's, sadly, are not.

scantey · January 2003

Completley understood.

sonny · January 2003

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 01-30-03 AT 12:37PM (CST)[/font][p]Excellent responses, Don. I agree completely. You are, however, so much more serious when you are back in your cell.

Don D · January 2003

As hard as it is, and often I fail, I try to limit my unserious side to the hardehar section. But often I can't help myself and have to bust loose. When I do, just bear with me and ignore it.

Balloonman · January 2003

Don,
I am impressed! That first post was in my mind perfect. Of course this is coming from a man who plays with balloons!!!!!!!!!!
You made some excellent points that we all need to keep in mind. The approach you take, in finding out where they stand, can help guide your actions in such away that we do not get put into a position of having to brush up our resumes.

My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

Urgent- I am meeting tomorrow!

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