April 5, 2007Set-up to Fail
Meryl,
Help. When I took my job, they told me no real estate experience was necessary. Yet I get bad evaluations because I don’t have any. My boss has me call a taxi and then doesn’t go down to meet it and gets mad at me when it leaves. I’m asked to schedule flights and I gave him 20 options and he was upset that I didn’t give him enough options. My boss told me to do his work first so I started doing that, and then he complained that I wasn’t getting the associates’ work done. It goes on and on. I went to HR and the boss got mad that I did that. I think he’s trying to get me fired. For example, he’s asking for work done in a certain way, and when I give him what he asks for, he tells me it wasn’t right. It goes on and on. Can you help me?
Meryl Responds
There are some situations that are just plain unworkable and it sure sounds like you’re in one of them. You have given me numerous examples (too many to include in this newsletter) of situations where you have been set-up and used as a scapegoat. When I hear stories that are as extreme as yours, I wonder how anyone succeeds in that position. I don’t see much hope in being able to PowerPhrase your way through it.
I suggest that you cut your losses and negotiate a resignation with good or at least reasonable references – ones that say that the job description changed after they hired you to require real estate experience which you did not have.
I wish I had a magic formula for you but I don’t. I think you need to find a new position where expectations are clear and reasonable.
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Sounds to me like he is setting up a “can’t get good help” defense for his own performance.
Meryl’s advice is right on target. Get a job with a decent company and a decent boss. They exists and you will be much, much happier.
Nik Nikkel
Comment by Nik Nikkel — April 5, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
Agreed. Get out. There could be a dozen “whys”, none of which would have anything to do with you or your performance. But for the benefit of those who may follow you, I suggest you leave behind a “diary” of sorts for your HR dept, or whoever is in charge of keeping up with employees’ performances at this company. Give them as precise & as exact a set of examples as you can, so that when & if the same type of issues arise, they will have precedence established. A boss who behaves that way won’t be a one time phenomenon. It will be a way of life. It will happen again.
Comment by Kathleen — April 6, 2007 @ 7:57 am
I agree with Kathleen and would just like to add that the diary she is talking about will need specific’s. Date of converstation and time, anyone present that may have heard it or made comments about it, any written instructions. If he e-mails you print them off as proof of his expectations and then your documents to prove you followed through. If he does not e-mail you then use it after a conversation to confirm his expectations. “Per our conversation today I have come up with 20 flight plans for you to review. Please let me know if more are desired” What was said by both parties. If he is trying to force you out and ends up terminating you this information will be vital in making your case to unemployment and HR.
Comment by Debra Peterson — April 6, 2007 @ 8:54 am
I agree with all the ladies above and would like to add – it may be that his method of motivation is to put you down – I once had an employer who motivated his staff by telling them, every six months, he was going to fire them as they weren’t working hard enough – he even told me that was his method regardless of whether the staff member was working well. At 18 months I surprised him by agreeing with him and handing in a resignation.
You can’t keep working for him as he is working against you, cut your loses and move on, the stress isn’t worth it, why waste each day trying to please someone who doesn’t want to be pleased.
Comment by Rachel — April 9, 2007 @ 10:00 pm
In preparation for your career move, begin the process of your job search discreetly and aggressively. Also, be sure to network with several upstanding professionals so that you can provide references. I too have had the unfortunate opportunity to work with this type of ‘executive’. It helped that I had advocates in the organization and in the industry that provided encouragement and attested to my abilities. Do not allow his inability to provide appropriate leadership affect your sanity. You now know what to expect and you have recommended tools to assist with the daily barrage of poor choices from your manager. The unemployment rate is at an all time low and you can find work with sane and stable employers everywhere. You can also find opportunities working for companies that foster professional growth and ethical practices including teamwork. This is a learning experience that can only teach you to be prepared for the next opportunity for professional growth.
Comment by Grace — April 16, 2007 @ 8:04 am
I have been going thru severe harrassment and went to HR and they settled and now they are going back on their agreements and won’t allow me go to the bathroom, they said it is a undue hardship and it’s a removal of essential part of my job to use the bathroom during the for a few minutes. Isn’t there any laws that I can show them, especially if this is the Government. Everyone else is allowed to use the bathroom. I know my answer is to leave but what do I due in the meantime.
Comment by Mary — April 24, 2007 @ 6:14 pm
This sounds totally unreasonable to me, but I don’t know the laws enough to advise you. I invite my readers to post. If they don’t, Ill put it in next week’s newsletter.
Comment by merylrunion — April 26, 2007 @ 10:52 am