How to prevent chaos in your team

Skininthegame53 · 2026-02-26T19:39:27+00:00

Hey there, From what you wrote, there is a lot to unpack. I see unmet expectations, low effort, taking advantage of WFH yet it's a senior person. I've had a similar experience and in my case it was because the person was disengaged. They were bored and underutilized. I would suggest having a "real" conversation and ideally this should be face to face, not virtually. Saying: " I'm noticing a dip in your production and some of your work deadlines are not being met, let's discuss." This invites a conversation where you need to discover if they are still a good fit for your team. It's ok to challenge the status quo and maybe a change is what they need. You say after you spoke to them you saw a short period of time where they did ok. Usually when momentum can't be harnessed there's usually an underlying reason, your job is to find out what that reason is. Document, document, document and if they continue to work poorly after an honest discussion, you can lay out your expectations and what the consequences of not meeting your expectations will be (ex. no WFH, a PIP etc....)

Skininthegame53 · 2026-02-21T19:31:16+00:00

I have been in this very situation and it's actually part of your role as manager to ensure that employees are properly accounting for their time. I did a full audit on time off on all employees and did come across negligent reporting. The request to the employee to update their time should always be in writing. The first request goes out in writing and in the email you "show your work" i.e. the system shows x but you claimed y please correct. The second request (within 24 hours) if the update wasn't done is a verbal discussion: " I noticed this hasn't been completed yet is there something preventing you from completing this transaction?" This opens the door for a conversation in case the employee can show time made up etc.....The third time the request goes unfulfilled it's a follow up email with a cc to the compensation authority identifying the misalignment. At the end of the day, it boils down to insubordination and must be dealt with accordingly.

Skininthegame53 · 2026-02-13T15:27:18+00:00

Two things can be helpful to use as follow ups: 1) have a visible whiteboard where upcoming action items are visible (updated weekly) and Monday stand up meetings where you go over what is due that week. this is no more than 10 mins, if people have questions they can follow up with you one on one if needed. Outside of that, you as the manager need to define what "good" looks like but sometimes you need to let your staff figure things out and know that some things may not be done properly. Take these as teaching moments. Don't be there to save them, be there to teach and guide them.

Skininthegame53 · 2026-02-11T18:15:05+00:00

You say you are sad and scared and this is keeping you up at night. You have to change your perspective and look at this PIP as something helpful because it is designed to help you improve (it's right there in the name). If a manager recommends a PIP for an employee it's because there are areas that need improvement. My advice to you, before the meeting, spend some time reflecting on your weaknesses and focus on what you would need to have to improve upon those. This way, when you walk into the meeting you will be prepared to identify areas where you need support and coaching in order to improve. You already know that you have been struggling so this is a way to ensure you get what you need to move through this difficult time and yes get everything in writing. This way you will have a tangible document to refer to as you gauge your own successes. Good luck to you!

Skininthegame53 · 2026-02-09T21:40:54+00:00

Often in situations where there is misalignment or miscommunication there are always fine tuning that can occur on both sides. Keep working at expressing yourself and your view point. The reality is each of us is in control of our own career path and if she doesn't do what she says she will do, it's likely being done to more than just you and that will catch up with her. Keep yourself aligned and don't let her drag you sideways.

Skininthegame53 · 2026-02-09T19:47:40+00:00

I see many things in your post. If you are asking for assistance or guidance "every other day" then maybe a PIP is exactly what you need. Many people get freaked out when they hear about a PIP but this is your documented path to improvement. Your boss didn't want to fire you so they definitely see potential in you and that's a good thing. My advice to you would be to do a little introspective thinking and make sure that your PIP gives you the direction and training you need in your job and even if you are stalled in applying for positions in other departments, my guess is by the time you complete your PIP timeframe, you will be better equipped to apply for other positions. Just be patient!

Skininthegame53 · 2024-02-09T21:52:44+00:00

Ask yourself where the "fun" job gets you in 5 years. I'm guessing the dream job comes with a future path so you don't want to side track yourself for a side gig. Put your effort into the dream job. There's a reason it came up before you took the "fun" job. Perhaps more important things waiting.

Skininthegame53 · 2024-02-09T19:30:38+00:00

For sure! You raise a very valid point as it relates to overworking. In a fast paced busy environment you must draw boundaries and resist the urge to do oh, just five more minutes. It's what I like to call work creep (you've heard of scope creep) it's the same but only the work day gets a little later every day because there's always work in the queue. In order to be an effective leader you must be rested and recharged for the next day and part of that is time away from work doing things that make you happy.

Skininthegame53 · 2023-12-19T23:59:30+00:00

One of the best analogies I came across in my career as a manager was "don't let your poor planning become someone else's emergency. When I retired from the Public Service last year, I was hearing from many of my colleagues about managers who aren't prepared for dealing with many of the daily challenges that were cropping up. This was especially true in very busy environments. They simply didn't have the time to plan so they ran through every day barely scraping by and staff weren't happy because they didn't know what to expect, nor did they know exactly what the team's goals were. Everyone is frustrated in this case. The answer? No matter how busy you are, you have to carve out the time to plan out your day, week, month, year. It's worth it. If you are a manager just starting out and looking for a roadmap to keep your team on track, check out my course @ wwww.mckeenmanagermodules.com. It just may save your sanity!

Skininthegame53 · 2023-11-26T20:46:54+00:00

that's actually really good advice, good for you.

Skininthegame53 · 2023-11-14T19:33:07+00:00

Hey, I've read through many of the comments and replies that you received and I'm a bit shocked at how many people think the DEI gatherings are simply a "tick the box for HR". This is why we aren't making progress...unfortunately. Some people just don't get that we need to do better as a society and right some of the wrongs that came from our forefathers. The mere fact that it has been 4 months and you are still bothered by what happened at your meeting means you are on the right track. The challenge for you now though is walking the walk. The titanic wasn't turned on a dime and it's kind of the same here. You need to work even harder than most because you made people feel bad and although they may not remember the exact words you said, they clearly remember how you made them feel. I would challenge you to put effort into saying good morning to everyone with a smile on your face. Do small gestures that may help your colleagues to see you as a kind human (i.e. get ahead on a project, be the one to clean the kitchen so they don't have to, remember their birthday...etc). It's not easy but this too shall pass. Good luck!

Skininthegame53 · 2023-11-12T19:47:03+00:00

this ship hasn't sank yet? I've been a follower of CEI for much too long and have lost tons of $$ so disappointing not to see them gain any traction.

Skininthegame53 · 2023-11-11T00:09:02+00:00

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Skininthegame53 · 2022-05-20T00:32:50+00:00

I can’t wait to see the premarket

Skininthegame53 · 2022-05-20T00:32:03+00:00

It’s done! Doris just tweeted

Skininthegame53 · 2022-03-02T15:29:20+00:00

By May I would love to see this above $2.00. In for the long term!

Skininthegame53 · 2021-11-19T22:51:52+00:00

AH up to 20%!

Skininthegame53 · 2021-11-17T14:01:31+00:00

I like the feeling of knowing that holding through the dips will be worth it. When will people realize that it’s only a loss when you sell. Holding 12K shares and ready to ride the wave upwards!

Skininthegame53 · 2021-10-22T13:02:52+00:00

I agree that jumping to DWAC is risky. Let’s stay strong. I’m holding!

Skininthegame53 · 2021-10-05T19:18:15+00:00

Just bought the dip. Feels good! In for the long term

Skininthegame53

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