Management Scenario How Good of a Boss

Management Scenario

How Good of a Boss Can You Be?

Scenario

Your previous boss now reports to you. When you worked under her, you believed she was a good boss and had been helpful in your advancement. Now, she is 59 years old and three years from retirement age. She has been with the firm for over 25 years but she now seems indifferent to her work and often performs unsatisfactorily.

Response

The listed scenario is one that must be handled with the utmost care. After twenty five years of service, the employ has earned a level of respect that must be upheld at all times. Furthermore, since she also served as a mentor that was an asset in my career development then this also adds to the difficulty that will be experienced in any confrontation. However, as the new boss, it will be my responsibility to try to rectify the situation in regards to her poor performance and indifference toward her work. Even though she has such a long tenure with the company, allowing her to disconnect herself with her work could be a problematic situation that could damage the organization.

I believe the first step to confronting this issue would be to speak directly to the previous boss in private. Such an issue should not be addressed in front of other members of the organization and should be handled as a private matter. I would prefer to have some time to think about the best arena into which to have a conversation, however my first thoughts suggest that maybe an informal lunch meeting at casual restaurant might be an appropriate venue to address such an issue.

I believe that an informal setting would be appropriate because I think the best course of action in this situation would be to try to appeal to her as a friend more than as a supervisor. Since she was previously my supervisor then she should understand all of the challenges of this position and hopefully appreciate the respect that is being offered to her as well. I would be as respectful to her as possible but the issue would have to be addressed. I would frame it in terms of her being an asset to the organization and the organization still needs her to provide her full effort to her duties. Since she was a manager herself, she will likely quickly understand the situation that I am in and I would explain it to her as well.