Made a terrible hire, trying to keep my team together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was one red flag with her from the beginning and others were trying to tell you without saying it but they didn’t succeed
When they suggested another round they really meant don’t go with this candidate we smell a dud
That’s my take

What was the red flag?

There probably was no red flag. Im guessing they wanted some bodies in there quickly, to pick up some messy work. The poor hire...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have put zero effort into mentoring her. This is going to be on you, boss.

A 40+ YO with that level of experience shouldn’t need that level of mentoring. Sounds like she’s skated through her entire career

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have put zero effort into mentoring her. This is going to be on you, boss.

Someone who is credentialed and in their 40s should have it figured out alone. Some people are just duds and it sound like OP found a dud

No one is a dud. But it doesn’t sound like she is a good fit for OP’s team/company. I’m sure the person feels the same, but it’s not easy to quit and find a new job.

Are you kidding? PLENTY of people are duds

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand how you call someone a diversity hire and then say she was the best candidate you interviewed.

Are diverse candidates always diversity hires to you people even when they meet all your requirements? Should we be surprised that you think she is not doing well working with a biased ahole like you?

For most companies this is absolutely correct, yes. Surprised?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you’ve got to micromanage her. Definitely weekly check-ins, ideally daily (just 15 mins). Status updates on everything, copy you on communications related to most significant projects, etc. Maybe it will improve her work product, maybe it will inspire her to start looking elsewhere, or maybe it will have no immediate effect. But it should be good for the other employees’ morale. They’ll see you’re doing **something,** and you’re handling the messes rather than them.

+1. Hopefully she hates being micromanaged and will start looking for a new job.

This. I’m a lot like her (though people don’t poorly review me and seem to like my work). I expect extreme flexibility because I’m taking a lower position than I’m qualified for because I’m mommy tracking. That being said, I’m responsive and I also am nice to everyone. I certainly don’t ever punch down.

Your girl will hate micromanagement. Make her do the work while you watch her as she shares her screen at least a few hours a day, ideally first thing in the morning and last thing of the workday. Start calling her for fire drills at all times.

She’ll quit soon.

Micromanage her into a harassment/discrimination lawsuit ?

On a three person team, micro managing the new person into quitting may be her best bet. Not treating employees who have been there for 7 years similarly is defensible. That said, I wouldn't request screen shares bookending every day because that is too obvious

[Anonymous]

How long has she been there OP?

[Anonymous]

I still don’t get what kind of work this is or what type of employer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have put zero effort into mentoring her. This is going to be on you, boss.

Someone who is credentialed and in their 40s should have it figured out alone. Some people are just duds and it sound like OP found a dud

Totally disagree. I'm 40 and midcareer, very experienced and was a high performer in prior role. My manager met with me weekly when I changed jobs, for almost a year. Multiple times a week at the very start. I knew my subject matter but not the company, culture, people, new relationships to form, who covers what across a huge company, etc. A lot of this stuff is processes that people need help and time to figure out.

Also this seems dysfunctional. We have processes for approving expenses etc - I handle big budgets but I don't just do whatever I want on my own - we have a central admin process, manager approval etc.

I agree with this. There is so much more to a work environment that the subject matter. I think multiple checkins a week when first starting should be normal. They don't have to be formal sit down 60 minute meetings with agendas. But there needs to be communication in both directions, and it's on the manager to make it happen. Once you have good communication established, any problems that arise later are much easier to manage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have put zero effort into mentoring her. This is going to be on you, boss.

Someone who is credentialed and in their 40s should have it figured out alone. Some people are just duds and it sound like OP found a dud

Totally disagree. I'm 40 and midcareer, very experienced and was a high performer in prior role. My manager met with me weekly when I changed jobs, for almost a year. Multiple times a week at the very start. I knew my subject matter but not the company, culture, people, new relationships to form, who covers what across a huge company, etc. A lot of this stuff is processes that people need help and time to figure out.

Also this seems dysfunctional. We have processes for approving expenses etc - I handle big budgets but I don't just do whatever I want on my own - we have a central admin process, manager approval etc.

I agree with this. There is so much more to a work environment that the subject matter. I think multiple checkins a week when first starting should be normal. They don't have to be formal sit down 60 minute meetings with agendas. But there needs to be communication in both directions, and it's on the manager to make it happen. Once you have good communication established, any problems that arise later are much easier to manage.

I agree as well. I've seen that if I want my team to succeed, I need to mentor. Sometimes it's A LOT of work. I had one guy (40+) that I had to sit with daily because he had so many questions. 2 years into it and he's my top performer. He had a lot of questions because he wanted to make sure to do everything perfectly. He absorbed it all and now rarely has any questions. For a while there I wanted to tear my hair out and I worried he wouldn't improve.

When I have a new hire, I immediately put our 2x a week team meeting on their calendar and then also have a 30 min check in that I add to their calendar weekly. We rarely need that 30 min, but it's my time to talk to them, answer questions and give individual feedback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have put zero effort into mentoring her. This is going to be on you, boss.

A 40+ YO with that level of experience shouldn’t need that level of mentoring. Sounds like she’s skated through her entire career

DP. I’m not sure she needs mentoring but she certainly needs regular feedback and clear communication. OP is totally unclear about what “focusing on other’s work” means. Generally people don’t work in isolation, so if she sees some issues or room for improvement in other people’s work, that could be totally normal and relevant to her own work. I would not discount the possibility of her coworkers reacting poorly to perceived criticism by a black woman new to the job. In any event it is clear that OP is not going to do anything to make this better. An internal transfer would be the best move. Termination will likely result in a lawsuit, possibly a successful one, because OP is in fact giving major vibes of treating the employee differently based on race & gender.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have put zero effort into mentoring her. This is going to be on you, boss.

Someone who is credentialed and in their 40s should have it figured out alone. Some people are just duds and it sound like OP found a dud

Totally disagree. I'm 40 and midcareer, very experienced and was a high performer in prior role. My manager met with me weekly when I changed jobs, for almost a year. Multiple times a week at the very start. I knew my subject matter but not the company, culture, people, new relationships to form, who covers what across a huge company, etc. A lot of this stuff is processes that people need help and time to figure out.

Also this seems dysfunctional. We have processes for approving expenses etc - I handle big budgets but I don't just do whatever I want on my own - we have a central admin process, manager approval etc.

I agree with this. There is so much more to a work environment that the subject matter. I think multiple checkins a week when first starting should be normal. They don't have to be formal sit down 60 minute meetings with agendas. But there needs to be communication in both directions, and it's on the manager to make it happen. Once you have good communication established, any problems that arise later are much easier to manage.

I agree as well. I've seen that if I want my team to succeed, I need to mentor. Sometimes it's A LOT of work. I had one guy (40+) that I had to sit with daily because he had so many questions. 2 years into it and he's my top performer. He had a lot of questions because he wanted to make sure to do everything perfectly. He absorbed it all and now rarely has any questions. For a while there I wanted to tear my hair out and I worried he wouldn't improve.

When I have a new hire, I immediately put our 2x a week team meeting on their calendar and then also have a 30 min check in that I add to their calendar weekly. We rarely need that 30 min, but it's my time to talk to them, answer questions and give individual feedback.

Why would you think a new employee who had a lot of questions wouldn’t improve?

I swear, management sometimes has really strange and childlike expectations about people. Like if they don’t magically do what you want (without actually being told!) they are “duds.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have put zero effort into mentoring her. This is going to be on you, boss.

A 40+ YO with that level of experience shouldn’t need that level of mentoring. Sounds like she’s skated through her entire career

DP. I’m not sure she needs mentoring but she certainly needs regular feedback and clear communication. OP is totally unclear about what “focusing on other’s work” means. Generally people don’t work in isolation, so if she sees some issues or room for improvement in other people’s work, that could be totally normal and relevant to her own work. I would not discount the possibility of her coworkers reacting poorly to perceived criticism by a black woman new to the job. In any event it is clear that OP is not going to do anything to make this better. An internal transfer would be the best move. Termination will likely result in a lawsuit, possibly a successful one, because OP is in fact giving major vibes of treating the employee differently based on race & gender.

I’m really not getting those “vibes” from OP. OP just seems like a lazy manager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand how you call someone a diversity hire and then say she was the best candidate you interviewed.

Are diverse candidates always diversity hires to you people even when they meet all your requirements? Should we be surprised that you think she is not doing well working with a biased ahole like you?

Agreed. This makes no sense.

It’s almost like you’re pulling at straws to justify your hiring mistake. You don’t sound like a very good manager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have put zero effort into mentoring her. This is going to be on you, boss.

A 40+ YO with that level of experience shouldn’t need that level of mentoring. Sounds like she’s skated through her entire career

DP. I’m not sure she needs mentoring but she certainly needs regular feedback and clear communication. OP is totally unclear about what “focusing on other’s work” means. Generally people don’t work in isolation, so if she sees some issues or room for improvement in other people’s work, that could be totally normal and relevant to her own work. I would not discount the possibility of her coworkers reacting poorly to perceived criticism by a black woman new to the job. In any event it is clear that OP is not going to do anything to make this better. An internal transfer would be the best move. Termination will likely result in a lawsuit, possibly a successful one, because OP is in fact giving major vibes of treating the employee differently based on race & gender.

I’m really not getting those “vibes” from OP. OP just seems like a lazy manager.

Well laziness is what makes things like implicit bias become more relevant. OP is too lazy to actually train his employee or support her properly. Much easier to blame it on “cultural misfit” in a way that amounts to unequal treatment. I wish OP would say more about the “scope” issues. I bet you anything that the white coworkers are mad at how the black woman “aggressively criticizes” or whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have put zero effort into mentoring her. This is going to be on you, boss.

A 40+ YO with that level of experience shouldn’t need that level of mentoring. Sounds like she’s skated through her entire career

DP. I’m not sure she needs mentoring but she certainly needs regular feedback and clear communication. OP is totally unclear about what “focusing on other’s work” means. Generally people don’t work in isolation, so if she sees some issues or room for improvement in other people’s work, that could be totally normal and relevant to her own work. I would not discount the possibility of her coworkers reacting poorly to perceived criticism by a black woman new to the job. In any event it is clear that OP is not going to do anything to make this better. An internal transfer would be the best move. Termination will likely result in a lawsuit, possibly a successful one, because OP is in fact giving major vibes of treating the employee differently based on race & gender.

I’m really not getting those “vibes” from OP. OP just seems like a lazy manager.

Well laziness is what makes things like implicit bias become more relevant. OP is too lazy to actually train his employee or support her properly. Much easier to blame it on “cultural misfit” in a way that amounts to unequal treatment. I wish OP would say more about the “scope” issues. I bet you anything that the white coworkers are mad at how the black woman “aggressively criticizes” or whatever.

Or maybe she’s just not a good hire.

You can’t advocate for DEIA requirements and then get mad when people strive to meet them.