Apparently I am difficult to work for

[Exterous]

Or at least that is what one person who is temporarily working for me said. But maybe thats because I am holding him to the expectations set when this project started. Really I think I am pretty easy to work for if you do the 5 following things:
Don't make a habit of being late for things
Do your work correctly
If you agree to certain expectations - meet them
Don't make me babysit your workday
Don't whine

There will always be circumstances where you can't always meet one or more of those but those should be the exception not the general rule. No one else seems to have an issue doing those but maybe he's right and expecting those 5 things make me difficult to work for

 

[z1ggy]

You sound like a real jerk :hmm:

 

[SKORPI0]

Outsource the job. cheaper too. :hmm:

 

[Newell Steamer]

One word: dynamite.

 

[PottedMeat]

your summary ends with

...Really I think I am pretty easy...

 

[spacejamz]

how old is the person who is temporarily working for you?

Not sure if I am allowed to ask that kind of question now....LOL

 

[Ketchup]

Or at least that is what one person who is temporarily working for me said. ....

If you have more than one person working for you, then that is not a valuable assessment. None of the things you listed are too much to expect.

 

[Exterous]

You sound like a real jerk :hmm:

Maybe demanding at times but I also recognize hard work and re-direct praise from above to the person who did the work. If its an unusually stressful day I'll usually buy lunch or bring in donuts the next day

your summary ends with

All it takes is a little alcohol...

how old is the person who is temporarily working for you?

Less than a year younger than I am so hes in his 30s

 

[Fritzo]

You sound like a real jerk :hmm:

LOL- got that feeling too It seems like the hardest people to work for have those vague expectations.

Don't make a habit of being late for things - given, that's OK

Do your work correctly - are guidelines and quality checks in place to ensure this?

If you agree to certain expectations - meet them: are the expectations always changing or unrealistic?

Don't make me babysit your workday - that's what managers are supposed to do. It makes sure work is consistent.

Don't whine - is it whining or feedback?

 

[Blackjack200]

Or at least that is what one person who is temporarily working for me said.

Did he say this to you or did it get back to you? Did he say why he thinks you're difficult to work for?

 

[SlitheryDee]

I would have trouble with the being on time part. I'm not punctual. Never have been, likely never will be.

 

[Exterous]

LOL- got that feeling too It seems like the hardest people to work for have those vague expectations.

Don't make a habit of being late for things - given, that's OK

Do your work correctly - are guidelines and quality checks in place to ensure this?

If you agree to certain expectations - meet them: are the expectations always changing or unrealistic?

Don't make me babysit your workday - that's what managers are supposed to do. It makes sure work is consistent.

Don't whine - is it whining or feedback?

Nope the expectations are very defined and well structured. Everyone involved in the project (including him) agreed to do the tasks and that the time frame was appropriate. The other person tasked with the same job has no problem handling his part of the overall task. Now he may think they keep changing because I have to keep pointing him back to the scope of work when he misses something important but they have been very static

And I shouldn't have to babysit to this level. I mean basic stuff. We move around a lot so we have an account that we log into on the desk phones so our number follows us. I had to remind him almost every day to log in to his phone. I told him to setup a calendar reminder which he never did so I set one up for him. Now I only have to remind him every other day to log in. This is 2 months after the project started. He doesn't follow the scope of work when doing his job despite the numerous mistakes that has lead to on his part so I have to review his work far more than anyone else's. I've stopped telling him things verbally because he claims 'I never told him that' or comes up with something completely off the wall that I never said. His timesheet is constantly wrong. Its not a short list.

And its definitely whining. Feedback, even defensive feedback is fine but I am not the only one that has noticed that many of his comments are not feedback.

But I can't get rid of him because he isn't my employee

Basically I am whining on ATOT because I wouldn't want to break something on my list above at work

 

[Exterous]

Did he say this to you or did it get back to you? Did he say why he thinks you're difficult to work for?

He told me but didn't mention why. I suspect its because I won't let him not do his job. I also suspect there is a reason the other department was willing to part with him for a while for this project

 

[smitbret]

Nope the expectations are very defined and well structured. Everyone involved in the project (including him) agreed to do the tasks and that the time frame was appropriate. The other person tasked with the same job has no problem handling his part of the overall task. Now he may think they keep changing because I have to keep pointing him back to the scope of work when he misses something important but they have been very static

And I shouldn't have to babysit to this level. I mean basic stuff. We move around a lot so we have an account that we log into on the desk phones so our number follows us. I had to remind him almost every day to log in to his phone. I told him to setup a calendar reminder which he never did so I set one up for him. Now I only have to remind him every other day to log in. This is 2 months after the project started. He doesn't follow the scope of work when doing his job despite the numerous mistakes that has lead to on his part so I have to review his work far more than anyone else's. I've stopped telling him things verbally because he claims 'I never told him that' or comes up with something completely off the wall that I never said. His timesheet is constantly wrong. Its not a short list.

And its definitely whining. Feedback, even defensive feedback is fine but I am not the only one that has noticed that many of his comments are not feedback.

But I can't get rid of him because he isn't my employee

Basically I am whining on ATOT because I wouldn't want to break something on my list above at work

And if he doesn't log into his phone......? How does that affect this specific job?
I always hated timesheet corrections, too, but I never found a correlation between that and actual work ability. So far, your specifics haven't shown me anything that I would be concerned with as a supervisor.

 

[Blackjack200]

And if he doesn't log into his phone......? How does that affect this specific job?
I always hated timesheet corrections, too, but I never found a correlation between that and actual work ability. So far, your specifics haven't shown me anything that I would be concerned with as a supervisor.

You're asking how it affects his job if he can't be reached by phone?

Sounds like a shit employee to me. They're pretty common unfortunately.

 

[Blackjack200]

This is why I'm pretty nervous to move into management. I don't really have any problem putting in the extra work and even think I would enjoy coaching people, but most of my team is low performers, and I would really hate to have to deal with that.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Assuming you are working with a millennial you need to give feedback in the "shit sandwich" format but don't ever let them hear you call it a shit sandwich.
Example:

You did real great with this mornings call. I admire your passion. (tasty bread portion)
You were late and I had to delay the call, the others on the call fear they'll have to work late (the shit but again use feelings and impact facts)
Your idea on the call sounded great work out more specifics for next week. Do you see why its important to be on time so we all have time for ideas? (nice yummy bread portion)

-then a brief action plan.

Its irritating as hell

 

[Squeetard]

Assuming you are working with a millennial you need to give feedback in the "shit sandwich" format but don't ever let them hear you call it a shit sandwich.
Example:

You did real great with this mornings call. I admire your passion. (tasty bread portion)
You were late and I had to delay the call, the others on the call fear they'll have to work late (the shit but again use feelings and impact facts)
Your idea on the call sounded great work out more specifics for next week. Do you see why its important to be on time so we all have time for ideas? (nice yummy bread portion)

-then a brief action plan.

Its irritating as hell

This is great. Never seen this before.

 

[Fritzo]

Nope the expectations are very defined and well structured. Everyone involved in the project (including him) agreed to do the tasks and that the time frame was appropriate. The other person tasked with the same job has no problem handling his part of the overall task. Now he may think they keep changing because I have to keep pointing him back to the scope of work when he misses something important but they have been very static

And I shouldn't have to babysit to this level. I mean basic stuff. We move around a lot so we have an account that we log into on the desk phones so our number follows us. I had to remind him almost every day to log in to his phone. I told him to setup a calendar reminder which he never did so I set one up for him. Now I only have to remind him every other day to log in. This is 2 months after the project started. He doesn't follow the scope of work when doing his job despite the numerous mistakes that has lead to on his part so I have to review his work far more than anyone else's. I've stopped telling him things verbally because he claims 'I never told him that' or comes up with something completely off the wall that I never said. His timesheet is constantly wrong. Its not a short list.

And its definitely whining. Feedback, even defensive feedback is fine but I am not the only one that has noticed that many of his comments are not feedback.

But I can't get rid of him because he isn't my employee

Basically I am whining on ATOT because I wouldn't want to break something on my list above at work

OK, just trying to help solve the problem by looking at it differently

 

[Fanatical Meat]

This is great. Never seen this before.

Its funny I can do it close to instantly for almost any situation.

Squeetard thanks for the feedback, I admire your forum name.
Your response was kind of short of specifics without explaining what you enjoyed about it can sound like sarcasm which originally meant cutting of flesh. Do you like to feel that way?
I'm sure you'll read this and you are well spoken I look forward to what you specifically say about the "shit sandwich" coaching. Detailed answers usually require more than three words again I look forward to your thoughts.

 

[z1ggy]

OH! and let me guess, this person is a millennial? Sure sounds like one if they whine over nothing. :ninja:

 

[Exterous]

And if he doesn't log into his phone......? How does that affect this specific job?

Our clients expect him to be reachable by phone. He also often sends them an email asking them to call him. Kinda impossible if hes not logged in. It also makes internal communication harder as there are some things easier done verbally than via email or chat although I have to always send a summary email to him to combat the 'we never discussed that' responses I used to get

So far, your specifics haven't shown me anything that I would be concerned with as a supervisor.

Wait...really? Constant mistakes far exceeding the same type of work done by peers wouldn't concern you?

OK, just trying to help solve the problem by looking at it differently

I appriciate it. It never hurts to re-evaluate the situation

OH! and let me guess, this person is a millennial? Sure sounds like one if they whine over nothing. :ninja:

Is early 30s millennial?

 

[z1ggy]

Is early 30s millennial?

Early 30's is probably in the "transition" age between Millennial and Gen X. If he's like 31, I'd say he is probably in more of a Millennial mindset (if there is one), but if he's closer to 35, then maybe he's a mix of both. The generic end date of Gen X birth and start of Gen Y is around the late 70's or early 80's. So somebody like me, born in '88 is clearly millennial, but somebody born in like '83 could have a mix of both.

I have a few friends in their late 30's and they aren't "Millennial" at all.

 

[boomerang]

But I can't get rid of him because he isn't my employee

Can you schedule him for a drug test?

 

[BxgJ]

Early 30's is probably in the "transition" age between Millennial and Gen X. If he's like 31, I'd say he is probably in more of a Millennial mindset (if there is one), but if he's closer to 35, then maybe he's a mix of both. The generic end date of Gen X birth and start of Gen Y is around the late 70's or early 80's. So somebody like me, born in '88 is clearly millennial, but somebody born in like '83 could have a mix of both.

I have a few friends in their late 30's and they aren't "Millennial" at all.

There is an article somewhere referring to the group between those two as the 'Oregon trail' generation (the game).

I'm 37, and there definitely seems to be a difference between people my age and those in their early 30's and younger.