New supervisor must deal with insubordinate assistant
(this article was first published in the LifeStyles section of the May 10, 2010 edition of the Lowell Sun. If you're interested in viewing other articles, click here.)

Stress Unit
By MICHAEL HAYDEN, Sun Correspondent
Lowell Sun

DEAR MIKE: I was recently promoted to a supervisory position at the company where I have worked for 13 years. I have always worked very hard, gotten along with my peers and shown my bosses that I had what it took to take on challenging tasks. I believe that is why I was offered the position.

The problem is that I have inherited an assistant who has been with the company for many years and is very well liked. When I was a worker, I found her pleasant and likeable, although I had heard rumors that she felt she was entitled in her position.

All this aside, I decided to judge everyone in the office as I found them, not on rumors and stories heard from others. Well, after being in the job for a while, I found out all the stories about the assistant are true and then some. Her performance leaves a lot to be desired.

I am afraid that her performance, or lack of it, will make it look as if I cannot control my department. I've learned that she got away with so much with her past supervisor because she always threatened to sue for harassment if he bothered her -- and that he put in for a transfer because he did not want to deal with her any longer.

I always said that if I got into a supervisory position I would be fair, not a tyrant, like one of the bosses I had early in my career. This is starting to affect my personal life. I'm not sleeping or eating well and I'm taking it out on my family. Do you have any suggestions? -- Earl

DEAR EARL: First of all, you have to look at the big picture. You'll see that you have a worker who for years has used intimidation to get away with doing as she pleases and she needs to be stopped.

Explain what is happening to your immediate supervisor and let him know that you have to do something about this before it gets worse. Then, start documenting everything she does -- long lunch breaks, personal use of computers, anything that is out of the realm of her normal work duties.

Then go back to your supervisor and show him what you have. Let him know you plan to confront this worker. You might ask him if he could sit in on the meeting and observe. Even if he doesn't, at the very least he will be aware of what your plans are.

When meeting with this assistant, be assertive but not aggressive. Let her know that you are willing to work with her to improve her performance but this behavior can't be tolerated any longer.

If you don't deal with this situation, you risk losing the respect of the other staff members. Good luck. -- Mike

Michael Hayden is a certified anger management counselor who runs Bay State Anger Management and Counseling in Chelmsford. Contact him at stressunit@aol.com or (978) 459-4884.