Manager asks for honest feedback, wants to talk about her downfalls. How honest do you get?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell HR she asked you. That’s probably part of the problem.

Yes I would do this and ask how they would like me to proceed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. This is directly from my manager. Possibly prompted by the HR reporting.

Thank you PPs this will be a direct conversation.

Suggest a 360. That’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She would like to know her downfalls from the employee perspective. We have lost four team members who all complained to HR apparently about her management skills.

FWIW she is not someone who explains well what she is seeking from her employees and often changes course without clarity. These are frustrations the team consistently talks about amongst ourselves.

How would you word it?

Yikes

No upside to this

Light and breezy, hit the main highlights.

Keep it to less than 3

[Anonymous]

Dude, she is fishing for information about what your coworkers said about her. Come on OP. HR is involved, think. Do not speak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where is that Admiral Ackbar gif when you need it…

I'll double down by adding Sargent Schultz (for those of us of a certain age)



Seriously, this is red flag territory. No upside and endless downside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dude, she is fishing for information about what your coworkers said about her. Come on OP. HR is involved, think. Do not speak.

This. There is no upside for you.
-signed HR

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dude, she is fishing for information about what your coworkers said about her. Come on OP. HR is involved, think. Do not speak.

This. There is no upside for you.
-signed HR

+1 as PPs said, suggest a 360 review to get more comprehensive feedback. If 4 people have already fled due to her management style and nothing has changed, chances are she’s not great at self reflection and making needed changes.

I have a supervisor with similar frustrating traits such as lack of clarity with instructions, being scattered, and the tendency to unnecessarily spiral and overcomplicate issues. BUT we have a good rapport and she is open to feedback in the sense of how I can more successfully work with her. I have to frequently ask specifically what action item is next instead of assuming, and professionally give her reality checks. It can get very annoying and is extra work on my part, but it’s worked. She has other positive traits though such as advocating for the team to senior leadership, humility, and some willingness to adapt. She hasn’t run anybody out yet. And I’m certainly not perfect either!

[Anonymous]

“I wouldn’t say you have “downfalls”, but I know I would benefit from more detailed direction and real-time feedback.”

[Anonymous]

Management should never ask their employees for feedback like this. If this manager is truly interested in becoming a better manager, they need to ask their leadership to facilitate a review/coaching that doesn’t put employees in the awkward situation your boss just put you in.

When you have authority over people’s livelihoods, it’s not fair to do this to them without a (hopefully neutral) third party involved.

[Anonymous]

“I think it would be best to speak to your leadership about it, I’m not really comfortable giving you advice like this. Can we talk about the plan for xyz when you have some time?”