Workplace Challenges
Dealing with a micro-managerQ: My boss drives me crazy. Although I have 15 years of experience in media planning and buying, she persists in micro-managing me. VERA N. HELD |
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A: If an honest chat with her has not proven fruitful and you still want your job, call a meeting with your boss and her boss. You are also welcome to ask a Human Resources representative to join you to mediate the discussion. Once you've exhausted all your help avenues and if you are no longer comfortable, feel free to move on.
Q: I'm 37, and a university graduate with a learning disability. I'm slow to process information and need to take my time with things. One of my part-time jobs is at a video rental store. My new store manager does not understand that I can work the till well outside of peak hours, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Let me explain. When we're busy and the lineups are long and people are in a hurry, I get tense, can't remember things and my performance goes downhill. My old boss was great and put me on till when it wasn't busy and I did fine. When I asked this new manager for the same consideration, he took me off till altogether and cut my hours. My self-esteem has taken a nose-dive.
A: Request a letter from your family doctor clearly stating what your learning disability is and what it prevents you from doing. Your doctor will include all these "restrictions and limitations" including your inability to operate the till during peak hours. Take this letter to Human Resources. Under the law, provided there is no undue hardship to the employer, all employers have a strong duty to accommodate an employee with any kind of mental health issue or disorder. Your first boss was happy to accommodate your learning disability. However, this new boss needs to be educated-- and fast. You have a clear- cut case with The Ontario Human Rights Commission if your learning disability is not accommodated.
Q: I work in the packaging business. Our creative team is savvy and everyone has a different specialty -- graphics, web, printing, illustrations, design, sales, marketing -- but sometimes they are so darn slow. They can go back and forth a dozen times on one small thing until a decision is finally made. I just want to get on with it.
A: Decision making in teams is complex and often time-consuming. With members coming from a variety of skill backgrounds, differences in language and culture and each having a specific speaking and listening style, respect and patience are key. As well, there may be idea ownership issues and power issues in the group that pre-empt quick decision making. Feel free to "nicely" focus the team if certain members go off track. And above all, never take anything personally.
Vera Held (www.veraheld.com) is a coach, facilitator, speaker, writer, PR consultant and the author of How Not to Take it Personally. Send your tough workplace questions to Vera at vheld@sympatico.ca.
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