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Troosha,
Yep, it's not easy to strike a balance between being part of the team and being assertive. Sometimes I wonder if they even notice when someone else is doing what they should be doing, but I understand what you're saying. It should give them a jolt to see someone doing their job for them. Thanks for sharing.
posted by
word.smith
on January 5, 2007 at 5:49 PM
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Word
I used to be in a position of having to motivate or "discipline" a staff and I found it difficult to be assertive yet at the same time maintain some sense of
we're all a team here. I would try various approaches and ironically sometimes doing a task or responsility assigned to them right in front of them evoked the best response. I think when they saw me doing what
they should have done they actually had a moment of thinking "Ooops - I screwed up".
posted by
Troosha
on January 5, 2007 at 9:39 AM
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Agreed, Malcolm.
They do understand that I am tired of talking about the same things and that they'll get a Memo on top of a talking to. When I'm tired of sending Memos, they go home.
posted by
word.smith
on January 5, 2007 at 9:11 AM
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Thanks, Jane
I do believe that that is sometimes the problem. Of course, it doesn't occur to them that there is a reason why they're doing the job they're doing and I'm doing the job I am. I tell them from time to time that what needs doing, I'll do it, no matter that it's not part of my job description. Until they understand that, they won't make progress.
posted by
word.smith
on January 5, 2007 at 9:10 AM
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Isn't this infuriating?
I actually find lack of initiative deeply frustrating, you know when others just don't 'get it.' Keep on at it though or they'll think they've won. Why should you suffer as a result?
posted by
malcolm
on January 5, 2007 at 4:10 AM
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Is it a male-female problem? A man not wanting to take direction from
a woman? Either way, the slackers were sure slacking while you had to do something that appears to have been outside of your job description. Obviously YOU got the gold star for going above and beyond the call of duty.
Kudos to you!
posted by
JanesOpinion
on January 4, 2007 at 7:08 PM
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Thanks, Symphony!
I'm sure things will work themselves out.
posted by
word.smith
on January 4, 2007 at 11:35 AM
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HG, I too hate confrontation,
but It's gotten to the point where they feel their lax performance is okay and I have to disabuse them of that notion, no matter how much I hate to. One of them is now in a huff, but the office has got the best cleaning it's seen in months. The thing I hate most is having to repeat myself over and over again. They're being paid to do their jobs and should do it!
posted by
word.smith
on January 4, 2007 at 11:34 AM
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Azur,
Some people are happiest when they think they are getting away with something and that's the case with the lazy one. I don't think he gives a hoot about what I want and where I plan to take this facility.
posted by
word.smith
on January 4, 2007 at 11:31 AM
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Norseman,
I think that If I were anybody else, I would have fired them a long time ago. The fact is that jobs are not exactly easy to come by and there are lots of people who need a job badly and it's not like I haven't said this to them. I did tell one of them yesterday that if he was not prepared to work then he should just go home. That didn't sit too well with him, of course.
posted by
word.smith
on January 4, 2007 at 11:29 AM
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Take care...best of luck with this.
posted by
_Symphony_
on January 4, 2007 at 3:56 AM
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Maybe they just need a good talking-to? We all get in a rut. We all dislike our jobs. Could be that they can't see just how poorly theu're doing? (I give people the benefit of the doubt to the point of being wimpy, I think!)
posted by
Holy_Grail
on January 3, 2007 at 8:38 PM
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They should be told that they let you down
posted by
Azur
on January 3, 2007 at 4:32 PM
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word.smith...
I don't know what the employment situation is like on your lovely island...perhaps there is a shortage of people who need a job or something? All I know is that if I was the supervisor of either of these two men I would have fired them along time ago. I have spent much of my life in supervisory capacities and once I set the expectations I have very little sympathy for slothfulness, tardiness, or incompetance. Good luck with these guys.
posted by
A_Norseman
on January 3, 2007 at 4:27 PM
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