Failed as a manager?

jangobett

Hi MSE

Long story ahead bare with me please, really struggling to get a hold on this issue as manager with little experience so any help is welcome.

A colleague I used to manage was let go after being on probation for just under 12 months. Let's call this person "Tim".

- Tim joined in July 2014, and I was drafted in to manage him having had minimal management experience previously. Probation is 6 months.
- MD is happy with progress, Tim's role is purely creative but after a month in the job mentioned the need to also focus on reporting.
- MD bypassed me and asked other colleagues to check Tim's work, despite me approving it (so lots of mixed messages).
- MD wasn't too happy with how I was looking after Tim and just wasn't quite satisfied, so another colleague was drafted in to manage Tim's work - "Pete" - whilst I remained to deal with HR-related activity.
- So 3 months passed, feedback okay, just needed Tim to be more involved in the team. Reporting was getting better.
- Tim was doing well, I was happy with his progress, so was Pete. Towards 6 months, I urged MD and HR to book in a slot for the end of probation review, confident it would go ahead.
- It was extended on the provision reporting issue was looked into.
- 8 months in, new person joined to replace Pete. MD extended probation to allow the new guy to get a feel for Tim.
- Long story short, Tim was let go this week - with the only reason being "reporting not up to scratch" or something completely minor.
- Tim is distraught, having moved to the city for the job.

I've been offering Tim support and a reference, but I just feel that I've let him down because of my lack of experience in knowing exactly what was required by MD as the role was new and kept being defined along the way.

Am not too sure what I should take away from this, and just from a personal perspective, how to deal with the sudden firing. Still in a state of shock, worried about Tim and am feeling guilty as I believe it could have worked out if I were more proactive at the start.

Thanks

MoneyMission2015

Make an appointment to see the MD and find out their requirements. Make sure you write it all down, ask lots of questions and even offer some ideas of your own if you feel something could be done better.


Then when you are confident you know what they are looking for, you can be confident in managing people & offering training where you think it's necessary.


I think good communication is the most important thing here.

Mistral001

I am now self-employed, but when I was working when a new person would arrive often someone would be asked to "look after" the new guy. They were not asked to "manage" them or be "managers". They were just people doing a similar job but a little more senior in terms of experience etc. Perhaps you are getting to caught up with the term "manager". You say that the work was creative. Often in creative businesses and professions such as legal, medical and engineering professions the "managers" are junior to the professionals in any case.

wiltsguy_2

Agree with above post, i dont think you were 'managing' Tim, more of a 'Mentor', dont take it personally. The MD made the decision to not sign Tim on, but has not told you it's a reflection on you.

KiKi

jangobett wrote: »

- MD bypassed me and asked other colleagues to check Tim's work, despite me approving it (so lots of mixed messages).

This was unhelpful of MD. It sounds like he felt you were approving Tim's work when it shouldn't have been approved, so really he should have managed you at that point, not bypassed you! I think you need to ask for some time to sit down with him and ask him to be honest with you as to why he used other colleagues to check Tim's work, even though you'd approved it. Insist that he's honest with you - better to hear the honest response than something which doesn't help you.

Equally, the MD really shouldn't have gone to others, and you should say that to him, as it undermined you.

- MD wasn't too happy with how I was looking after Tim and just wasn't quite satisfied, so another colleague was drafted in to manage Tim's work - "Pete" - whilst I remained to deal with HR-related activity.

As above, you need to get feedback from him and ask him why. Managing people isn't easy - you have to adapt your style and approach for every person. If you have someone great, then you might not really have to do much, but if someone's performance isn't up to scratch then you need to be able to have those conversations with them, and you need to know what quality of work is required and be able to give guidance to get it to the required standard.

Really, leaving 'work' management to Pete and the process side to you was silly - that means decisions around things like probation are driven you and the process, but informed by someone else. That wasn't a sensible decision IMO.

- 8 months in, new person joined to replace Pete. MD extended probation to allow the new guy to get a feel for Tim.
- Long story short, Tim was let go this week - with the only reason being "reporting not up to scratch" or something completely minor.

But you didn't make that decision, and you weren't his manager at this point. Clearly there was an issue on reporting which the MD had. You didn't resolve it, Pete didn't resolve, and who knows whether the new manager did or the MD made a call. Either way, he wasn't doing the job that the MD wanted.

It seems that the MD has the final call on people, despite the managers saying it was going well (you and Pete), so you may need to adjust your expectations as to how much say you really have with anyone you're managing in this organisation. In another organisation, you might be left to it, so it really is different wherever you work.

I've been offering Tim support and a reference, but I just feel that I've let him down because of my lack of experience in knowing exactly what was required by MD as the role was new and kept being defined along the way.

You've not let him down. The MD overrode you, and that wasn't helpful. For you to actually manage Tim, the MD should have had these conversations with you, not gone straight to someone else. He's entitled to do that, of course, but it didn't help the situation.

What I'd say about managing people is to be really clear on what they need to do, and enable them to do it - and have the difficult conversations that you sometimes need to have. Great that you're offering a reference - but as you're new to people management I'll also say don't get too involved, and don't offer more support than a reference. He moved for a job - it didn't work out, it happens.

I don't think you're at fault; he had two managers after you. Either one of three things:
a) None of you communicated with him what he needed to do to improve - learning point for you.
b) He didn't actually have the capability for reporting, as that's not what the role originally was - but roles do change and that's just life
c) The MD just didn't like him - nothing you could have done.

Am not too sure what I should take away from this, and just from a personal perspective, how to deal with the sudden firing. Still in a state of shock, worried about Tim and am feeling guilty as I believe it could have worked out if I were more proactive at the start.

Thanks

Good on you for having empathy, but these things happen. The best learning I think you can take is that your MD wasn't helpful in the situation, and that you need to ask him why he didn't think you were managing Tim well enough, and what you can do to improve.

People management is often something you learn on the way, and you make mistakes, get too involved, are too harsh, too kind, suddenly realise that managing behavioural issues is a nightmare, get someone great who needs no management at all.... and hopefully you learn lessons and get better! I think if you can work on the basis that you don't try to be unkind and deliberately nasty, and don't manipulate people, and genuinely do your best to enable people to do their job (whilst not falling for anyone who tries to play you!) then that's a great start. A naturally brilliant people manager who doesn't need to put energy into it and never makes mistakes is rare!

Chin up!
KiKi