QUESTION: The manager has sabotaged my career.
REALITY: It is your career; you let it happen.
It’s common to hear employees complain that they had done everything right for the project, and yet gat a poor appraisal rating. The blame is placed on the manager for either wrongfully passing the blame on to the employee or for taking it out on him for some old incident. Some employees feel wrecked when they are put on a ‘Performance Improvement Plan’; more so when, somehow, their colleagues come to know about it. Leaving the company is an option, but the concern is that the news will spread to the new company. too, making it an uncomfortable option. The employee then feels that career is being sabotaged by the manager.
A career is an individual’s baby, and the manager’s responsibility .is to provide opportunity and support so that the individual realizes his potential. It’s. up to the manager to coach and guide an employee so that he improves. The manager should not only provide feedback to the employee but also ask for feedback on himself. In the case of performance goals, they are jointly decided upon by the employee and the manager, when the latter periodically reviews them. If an employee is not getting the right work environment, then he should communicate this to HR or to the managers superior. He could also take corrective steps by way of self improvement or by seeking help,
In most cases, an employee can meet with his managers expectations by being a hard worker and a good team player. However things might go wrong, but If an employee is determined, he will be able to achieve the -performance goal, thereby helping him regain self-confidence and motivating him to do better. In extreme cases, if he has to join a new company, then he should remember that a `low performer in. one company need not be so In a different company; he should learn his lesson from the previous experience and avoid a similar situation.
WHAT CAN YOU DO AS THE EMPLOYEE? In the first place, you should have taken the proper steps to avoid falling into this situation. In any work environment, it’s important to understand that environment; you have got to know how to go about a particular job. In case of any doubt, you should discuss it with your
manager rather than assume something which could be incorrect, You should raise the issue with the manager and keep your communication channels open with him as well as with other team members. Seeking help from senior colleagues could also save you from getting into such a position. If the situation is getting out of hand, then you can also meet with your manager’s superior to narrate your side of the story. If you are already in a mess, then you can ask for one more opportunity to prove yourself. And when that opportunity is given, make sure that you do your best to show the team that you have it in you.
WHAT CAN YOU PO AS THE MANAGER? You should assess the situation and find out the root cause of why your employee has landed into it. If you are at fault, it is :better to admit it immediately and rectify matters. If your employee is at fault, then you have to take every step possible to help him come out of the situation. Sometimes, work pressure is so high that you might not have the patience to reflect on the issue as you are in a firefighting mode. You need to find time to explain things patiently. As a manager, it is your responsibility to describe a job well, identify milestones and review the progress at each milestone. And if, despite all that, the employee proves to be a mismatch, then discuss it with your manager and HR to find him a matching role in the company.
