What Would You Do?

[trixiedg 0]

I am having difficulty with my assistant. Over the last year she has threatened to quit twice and her attitude has been steadily going downhill. She has not spoken to me or even made eye contact with me at all today. She called in yesterday for unknown reasons and tends to make a habit of this on a regular basis. She was disrespectful to me a couple of times last week. Nothing major but still uncalled for. I have also heard her make inappropriate comments to some of the residents, some comments could be taken seriously the wrong way and should have never been said under any circumstances. She has made her own hours and does a lot of sitting around wasting time between groups. She complains that I just have too much scheduled. There are days when things are pretty tight, but I was able to do all of it by myself while she was on vacation. Write progress notes, do MDS's, care plans, and do a complete admit package on two new residents and admit them plus all of the scheduled activities. I need to counsel with her but I have no idea of what to do. I get so flustered anytime I talk to her about anything because I never know what to expect from her and then I just feel like all I've done is make an idiot of myself. I know I cannot let this continue but where do I begin. I want to be a good supervisor but I don't want to be a pushover either, although a pushover is what I have been. If anyone can give me any advice on what to do, I would appreciate it.

[First Impressions 0]

Do you have the power to disipline this person?

 

If so, you must begin to document the behavior.

Start with a written warning.

Next instance would result in a suspension.

Third instance results in termination.

 

KEEP A GOOD PAPER TRAIL to cover yourself.

 

Jessica

[cld2599 0]

I am having difficulty with my assistant. Over the last year she has threatened to quit twice and her attitude has been steadily going downhill. She has not spoken to me or even made eye contact with me at all today. She called in yesterday for unknown reasons and tends to make a habit of this on a regular basis. She was disrespectful to me a couple of times last week. Nothing major but still uncalled for. I have also heard her make inappropriate comments to some of the residents, some comments could be taken seriously the wrong way and should have never been said under any circumstances. She has made her own hours and does a lot of sitting around wasting time between groups. She complains that I just have too much scheduled. There are days when things are pretty tight, but I was able to do all of it by myself while she was on vacation. Write progress notes, do MDS's, care plans, and do a complete admit package on two new residents and admit them plus all of the scheduled activities. I need to counsel with her but I have no idea of what to do. I get so flustered anytime I talk to her about anything because I never know what to expect from her and then I just feel like all I've done is make an idiot of myself. I know I cannot let this continue but where do I begin. I want to be a good supervisor but I don't want to be a pushover either, although a pushover is what I have been. If anyone can give me any advice on what to do, I would appreciate it.

 

#1: Start tracking everything! If you think it is time that she be removed, then you have to have a paper trail. This will keep you from having trouble.

 

#2: You need to look up policies and procedures for your facility about actions you can/want/need to take with this person. What steps to take for discipline. Verbal, written verbal, 1st write up, etc. Follow them to the "T".

 

Start by having a conference with her about her attitude, actions, inappropriate statements to the residents (State CAN hold you responsible for her actions...) etc. Make a list to cover everything at one time. Ask her why she is not happy in her position, give her a time frame to work on her issues and schedule a follow-up conference with her. Make sure she gets a copy of the policies, all the items you go over with her, etc. It seems like a lot, but it is more professional and will show her you mean business.

Have you ever had a management class? If not, get a book, video, take a class, whatever works for you and your schedule. It is essential to understand the various aspects of management. You ARE a manager.

If the person cannot conform to what you need as an assistant, then you will have to let her go. You need an assistant that will support you and your program in a positive manner. Activities in a facility are extremely important. They help with the quality of life for the residents. If she cannot do her job, you do not need her.

Look at it from a marketing point of view: You could lose a potential resident because of her! If a family is touring the facility, sees her and does not like her attitude and treatment of staff/residents, they will be turned off by her. NOT A GOOD THING!

As for her threatening to quit: no one is irreplaceable...

 

Hope this helps.

If you need more ideas, e-mail me!!

cdebord@sbcglobal.net

[radkins 0]

I am having difficulty with my assistant. Over the last year she has threatened to quit twice and her attitude has been steadily going downhill. She has not spoken to me or even made eye contact with me at all today. She called in yesterday for unknown reasons and tends to make a habit of this on a regular basis. She was disrespectful to me a couple of times last week. Nothing major but still uncalled for. I have also heard her make inappropriate comments to some of the residents, some comments could be taken seriously the wrong way and should have never been said under any circumstances. She has made her own hours and does a lot of sitting around wasting time between groups. She complains that I just have too much scheduled. There are days when things are pretty tight, but I was able to do all of it by myself while she was on vacation. Write progress notes, do MDS's, care plans, and do a complete admit package on two new residents and admit them plus all of the scheduled activities. I need to counsel with her but I have no idea of what to do. I get so flustered anytime I talk to her about anything because I never know what to expect from her and then I just feel like all I've done is make an idiot of myself. I know I cannot let this continue but where do I begin. I want to be a good supervisor but I don't want to be a pushover either, although a pushover is what I have been. If anyone can give me any advice on what to do, I would appreciate it.

If administration sees you as the department manager and her supervisor, then you should also have the ability to discipline. Talk with your HR person for guidelines. What you describe is insubordination, plain and simple, and shouldn't be allowed to continue. It sounds like you need to regain control of your own department, because you are ultimately responsible for the quality of services your department offers to the residents. And that begins with the AA recognizing who is in charge. Would I be wrong to guess that you are new in the department and she's been there for awhile? Many years ago, when I was a new college grad I took charge of a department of women old enough to be my mother with a lot more years of hands on experience - and had some of the same problems that you're describing. I hate to sound harsh - but "ya gotta let 'em know who's in charge" - when that finally became clear to my staff we had a much better working relationship - though one of them was encouraged to find the door in the process. Good luck to you.

[robinh 0]

FYI, when you write her up, have human resources in the room as a witness so that there is no he said/she said game going on!! I would definately write her ass up. Keep a log of all behaviors and dates/times and that is what you use as a guide in what you say to her. If she is part of a union make sure you know how to go about that, all union contracts are different, facility policies are usually the same. GOOD LUCK and another bit of advice, when you present her with the write up, do it about a half hour before her shift ends so that she isn't bitchy all day!!

[eightdozenroses 0]

I am sorry for the problems you are experiencing. This post is a bit of a different spin on the problem. It may not be what you want to hear, but I beg you to listen anyway on the off chance there might be some information which is worthwhile. I am not saying any of this applies to you - only what I myself did wrong in the past.

 

As a former manager in retail, sometimes I would get very upset with the "mouth" on some of my people, not to mention the poor quality of effort/work. Upon serious self reflection, I had to admit that the associates often had VERY real complaints and were often 100 percent right while I was in the wrong. It's no excuse for disrespect, but sometimes I was so caught up in the busy day I neglected to notice upset/problems/issues.

 

Also, I had never CLEARLY DELINEATED my expectations to my team. I was more than happy to tell them when I was displeased, and even gushingly appreciative, but I can't say they really understood what elicited my displeasure or my effusive praise. THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A CLUE. Managers are all different - any my expectations were higher than a lot of the friends I had who were managers. I was also more lenient in many ways.

But NO ONE KNEW THIS because I never told them.

 

It was a wake up call for me. I turned myself around, make my associates a priority. Spent personal time with each of them. Bottom line was my store became number one in the entire company for customer service - out of 1800 stores - because I worked with each person and led by example - and I had so many persons who wanted to work with me, I could not possibly hire them all. I was blown away, actually. No one would quit, either. They WANTED to be there. Even those who went on to take full time jobs stayed for our big special night of pizza and training, Thursday nights.

 

That's not to say I never lost my temper again - indeed, I did. And definitely not to say I never screwed up with them again. I probably did on a daily basis. But assured that I respected, liked, wanted and valued them, they overlooked the chiding (and they knew when it was deserved because I had finally CLEARLY DELINEATED my expectations and what would happen if they were not met).

 

I'm NOT SAYING you are the problem - just sharing what I found was MY problem.

 

I still had one sorry lying sociopath for an assistant whom my friends who still work for the company are STILL trying to get fired - and whom five managers BEFORE me tried to get fired - because she deserves it. Nothing will help this backstabbing witch and no amount of time spent will change her lying, lazy, stealing ways. She needs to "go away", as we put it. But no one seems to want to fire her. It was not for lack of trying on my part.

 

Maybe your assistant does too. But never let it be said that you did not try to help her. That's my advice, at least. Then DOCUMENT everything. But I am wondering if you will also have a difficulty getting rid of her.

 

Finally, I do not much care for the way MY boss speaks to me at times. What helps me is remembering the times I snapped at my own people. Still, it rankles and I wish for once she just said thank you or well done - ain't gonna happen......

I don't much like HER mouth but I suppose I have to take it.....Rank has its privileges but those privileges should not include being disprespectful.

 

Sign me,

NOT AN ASSISTANT FOR LONG

 

PS I often feel like an idiot but it doesn't mean I've been one. I fret about not being perfect and sometimes saying the wrong thing - it doesn't mean I HAVE said the wrong thing.

 

Did you say anything to your assistant when she spoke disrespectfully to you? I mean, right at that very moment? If not, please start rehearing TODAY what you will say the next time it happens. Google "assertiveness training" or something like that for tips. Google "information for new managers". No, you're not a new manager, but I love very basic information myself. Take a look at these:

 

http://www.yourofficecoach.com/Topics/tips...ew_managers.htm

http://www.businesstown.com/people/employees.asp (be sure to click on the links in each category)

 

 

 

Finally, I wonder if you and I are very similar in personality. If you'd like, we can chat privately.

Edited November 3, 2007 by eightdozenroses

[eightdozenroses 0]

If administration sees you as the department manager and her supervisor, then you should also have the ability to discipline. Talk with your HR person for guidelines. What you describe is insubordination, plain and simple, and shouldn't be allowed to continue. It sounds like you need to regain control of your own department, because you are ultimately responsible for the quality of services your department offers to the residents. And that begins with the AA recognizing who is in charge. Would I be wrong to guess that you are new in the department and she's been there for awhile? Many years ago, when I was a new college grad I took charge of a department of women old enough to be my mother with a lot more years of hands on experience - and had some of the same problems that you're describing. I hate to sound harsh - but "ya gotta let 'em know who's in charge" - when that finally became clear to my staff we had a much better working relationship - though one of them was encouraged to find the door in the process. Good luck to you.

 

 

It's great to let everyone know "who is in charge" - because at the end of the day, it's the person who is in charge whose a$$ is on the line. But please don't eschew ALSO LETTING YOUR TEAM MEMBERS KNOW that they are appreciated and valued if, indeed, they are. If they aren't, there's a problem - with either them or with yourself.