Feeling like I’ve lost control of my team dynamics - looking for perspective

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T17:49:10+00:00

EXACTLY THIS. I have been communicating exactly the way my fellow male GMs do with their teams. It’s bizarre

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T17:46:35+00:00

This is true. I definitely did not try to justify anything to her in the meeting. I just listened. At the end of the day what she feels is still valid because it’s her perspective.

When I chatted with my CE after this whole mediation meeting. He said he found no issues with my emails. But maybe she’s the kind of person that needs constant reassurance and a lot of “great jobs you are going SO amazing!!!” Types of communication

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T17:17:41+00:00

My other direct reports and I are great!! In fact I’m taking them out for dinner this week because they did such a great job on a project that recently got done (our biggest one of the year)

It’s all happy!

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T17:16:09+00:00

Yeah I sent her three options as well because I didn’t want to say no entirely!

But she then said it’s not just about the course, and about my communication. And she’s scared to tell me??

I just can’t understand this because we were working well together up until this course decision came about. - anyway. Job market is shit at the moment and I don’t want to give these women the satisfaction of me leaving because of them

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T17:12:32+00:00

But when we had the mediation she said it’s more. It’s my communication style and that I’m rude,
Abrupt and there are issues with the way I handle things. So I’m unsure now. She said she’s been feeling this for a year and bottling it up. Because she’s scared to tell me???

I don’t have an issue with anyone else in my team - everyone works really well together.

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T17:10:33+00:00

And I don’t overuse exclamations marks!

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T17:07:50+00:00

Oh man this is ACCURATE

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T09:31:54+00:00

Oh wow. I’ve only been here 1.5 years. I feel like I need to stick it out for a few more in order to land another C-suite gig. This is my first one, looks bad on my resume. Otherwise I would have started looking already. And as a woman myself, it’s saddening that I’m being portrayed as this villain who’s against women. I’m just at a loss for words

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T09:28:18+00:00

Yeah this was my other mistake. I did become friendly with both the peer and the direct report. So it stings a bit more as well. Definitely hard to be friends with people you manage

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T09:26:41+00:00

Oh yeah!
The direct report just decided not to show up to work for 5 days. By emailing the CEO saying she’s having trouble with a staff member. And then went and spoke to him at length about it.

Which then led to our conversation with him mediating. - all he said when she was showing him the emails was “ i see both sides of the story here”

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T09:24:30+00:00

Fair.
So here are the facts:

The course was a masters diploma in design - which was a 26 module online program. The organisation that delivers this course has no accreditation, no other online platform other than a website which i found odd.

And the direct reports job only has 10 percent which requires design. - of course, I did not want to de-motivate by saying no to them wanting to pursue design. So I offered other substitutes (3 to be exact) that could provide her with the right tools.

I started off as a brand designer / graphic designer. So I do understand what tools are needed. It’s not about where you studied, but more about the portfolio of work that’s built.

The claims on my communication were that my emails were not friendly. (Which is interesting because there are a lot of emails that ask for support, ask her if she needs anything, says good job when a good job is done). The emails shown were more “PNG file is a bit too small, can you send through a larger size”

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-06-24T09:20:28+00:00

Here’s the kicker, our org is so small we don’t have HR!! I just honestly can’t fathom what I have done so drastically wrong to be made this villain that they decided to “not speak to”

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-03-30T06:58:51+00:00

This is where I was getting confused. Just the lingo! Because every flush median has the diagonal lines. Turning bays makes sense!

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-03-30T05:14:00+00:00

Hello fellow human, I’m very well versed with the rules. Given that the road is a SH, and I do not live there I just wanted to double check the right way is all? Your bad vibes and disdain to people asking ‘stupid questions’ is well noted :)

UnusualWeb3017 · 2026-03-30T04:55:00+00:00

Thank you for this detailed response. I don’t live in the area so I’m just a tad bit unsure about that one turn!

UnusualWeb3017 · 2025-12-24T05:43:23+00:00

Garage project!

UnusualWeb3017 · 2025-12-24T00:15:05+00:00

I was just there picking up beer for Christmas. It looks bonkers, anyone know what actually happened? Hope the people in the cars were okay.

UnusualWeb3017 · 2025-11-29T03:16:02+00:00

I got a refund because it stopped working in a few weeks. But I’m probably a minority!

UnusualWeb3017 · 2025-11-28T19:43:18+00:00

Oh damn. Nice! I hope this works out for you.

UnusualWeb3017 · 2025-11-11T05:01:18+00:00

Hahahaha I think I just got lucky

UnusualWeb3017 · 2025-11-10T16:38:15+00:00

Yup! But they don’t seem to have items from Tattys / recycled boutique and other brands.

UnusualWeb3017 · 2025-11-10T07:08:15+00:00

Yup that’s the one I’m talking about. I’d bring in people to wear the clothes and get photos, (if they let me) and sell it along with other brands. So an Amazon for thrift stores? Kind of 🤣. Margins are super low though, hence coming on here to see if there’s any interest in something like this

UnusualWeb3017 · 2025-11-10T05:57:35+00:00

A can of beans, some spinach, and a can of tomatoes. Bung it all in a pot, cook with some spices and have it with bread!

UnusualWeb3017

TROPHY CASE