Problems with manager

LegacyUser

Hi

I am going to stay anon on this just in case but please, any advice would be good.

Recently I have been working in a new support role, managing different client accounts over several products that we have.

My boss has emailed me querying the quality and pace of my work as of late, although I have heard his concerns, he had not called me aside to any degree to talk about them or provide solutions (I am recently new to the role) and I have tried to work harder and better.

This would be fine, until my boss called me into a meeting with the manager above him, got a slight hostile reception and it was explained I was under review and this could mean my job!! (the first step in the disciplinary process) . Now shocked as I was (had no clue there was any problem), I got down to it and improved greatly over the next few days and was provided targets of improvement (which I managed to succeed in making and achieving).

Upon the next catch up meeting (with both managers), it seemed none of this mattered and I was been chewed out over several mistakes I had made. Despite this I agreed to improve my work to meet required levels as well do a new set of targets designed to help me.

Focusing and trying my best, I tried to do as they said, but in the next meeting I was met again with the same hostility and confronted with further mistakes I had made as well as my manager claiming I had not adhered to the Targets (he had made them that very day, and I had asked a colleague a question , to which my manger overheard and used to claim I had not followed said targets). I tried to defend myself saying I was working as hard as I could, but was overruled by the higher manager and told to be quiet.

(it must be mentioned all the while, my manger is micromanaging my responses to clients)


Now what makes it odd is this , firstly this has happened over the space of a week and a half. Granted if this was 2 or 3 weeks and I had not shown any improvement I would understand the pressure, but it seems like I am not given a chance to show improvement,

Secondly, I have genuinely made and improvement in my work, sped up and focused on my quality, to which I still receive a negative reception when it is obvious I have improved and fulfilled previous targets I am 100% willing to do my job to the best of my abilities and am trying my hardest, the say they know this but still treat me like I am not!.

Lastly I am not the only person whom has had this pressure...(and from what happened to them I am worried)

So guys, I do not know what to do, I tried my best but my managers growing hostility and lack of support due to upper management support means I have not a clue what to do.

Any advice would be welcomed, can clarify on points if not clear enough (to an extent)

Denerick

It sorta sounds like they are hoping that you will resign (Perhaps they are looking to cut costs around the place and instead of having to go through the tortuous and potentially expensive redundancy rigmarole they decided to pinpoint someone for 'evaluation')

In the polite, reasonable world, what they are doing is disgraceful. But this is post Celtic Tiger Ireland, and I'm afraid bosses seem to be able to get away with this kind of thing. Whatever you do, don't resign. Let them fire you, you will probably have a reasonable unfair dismissal case against them.

TheBlock

Get your targets and goals in written format (Email) from your boss. Ask them to also piont out the areas they are concerned with and actions they would like you to take to rectify. You need this in writing or your pissing against the wind here.

chappy

are you still in your probation?

How Strange

It seems to me they want you out and are trying to intimidate you into leaving so they don't have to make you redundant.

Write absolutely everything down from the very beginning. Document every detail you can remember.

Were any records kept of these meetings? Did you counter sign them to confirm they were accurate? Ask your manager for transcripts of these meetings.

As hard as it can be I think you need to take a more assertive approach to these meetings. If you're called to another meeting find a member of staff who can accompany you. If no-one is available at that time then request the meeting is postponed until you can find someone to come with you. Don't go into a meeting with management on your own again.

During these meetings you need to turn the conversation away from the mistakes you made and into solutions and constructive suggestions on how to improve things. The meetings should not be solely about management giving out to you. You need to talk in terms of expectations of management and how realistic these expectations are to achieve. If the focus of the meetings move away from this and onto your mistakes you need to steer it back again.

No doubt this will frustrate your managers but it will show them that you have copped on what they are up to and it may make them more reluctant to continue with their meetings.

This is bullying short and simple so you need to have your head screwed on and be aware of what's happening before you walk yourself into a dismissal by just agreeing to all the charges management lay at you.