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7 Things to Remember Before Approaching Your Manager with a Problem, Solution

Have you ever had a thought that popped into your mind about a good or poor manager or a workplace issue, but you didn't feel confident sharing it?  Did you run it by your spouse, a friend or even a coworker, but still didn't feel at ease about talking about it?  Those thoughts are usually the ones that need to be dealt with whether we like to verbalize them or not.  Sometimes it may be one issue/idea or a multitude of them, but whatever the case, it is best to sit down with self and think what is the most important.  Which workplace thought or idea might be of benefit to all and not just myself?  What time am I willing to put in to make some things happen? 

1)  Think before you speak.

How often have we been told this in our lifetime, "Think before you speak"?  The rushed response or the thought that comes out of nowhere did get us in trouble with some people (like parents) in the past, so we are careful, maybe too careful about what we say.  However, that is a good thing.  Sit down with yourself and really think the thought through then sleep on it.  Yes, sleeping will provide your mind with the rest that it needs before you say or do some thing that might promote or demote you.  In faith circles it is advised, "Pray on it."

2)  Is it really that serious or can the situation be managed without others' input?

The kind of employer related thoughts and actions that hurt others, deceive, lie, steal, or cheat, do need attention and may need counsel from others.  Maybe you don't trust your manager with the knowledge, then speak with a professional that doesn't know you or your company.  Your state's department of labor may be a good resource.  If it's personal, don't share with anyone you work with, seek a life coach, spiritual counselor, psychologist, or therapist.  No matter how personable a manager or coworker might be, he or she is not a friend.  Too much information both on and offline can be detrimental to your career.  Situations that you really don't need others to help you solve are those things that you know you are responsible for, paid to perform, or are in control of.  

You seek workplace resources or a trustworthy human resource that helps you manage those situations such as: a fellow coworker, register for a class about the topic that is giving you trouble, watch an instructional video, read a nonfiction book, or watch a documentary about it.  Too much asking questions about the obvious, the tasks that you claim you already know, does make you look like you don't know what you are doing and will make the manager second-guess his or her decision hiring you in the first place.    

3)  Will the thought, solution, concern, or idea help or hurt your reputation?

We like to make coworkers feel good by saying, "There are no dumb questions." Maybe not, depending on who you ask, but some statements will hurt a worker's reputation such as: personal comments, stories or phrases where there is no filter.  Unkind words, generalizations, false assumptions, bias words, etc. that insult, demean, or appear like you think you know more will upset listeners and cause them to tune you off. 

4)  Do you know for certain that others will support you on what you are thinking or planning to do?

Most job related bright ideas and criticisms require assistants.  If you aren't willing to put the work in, keep your mouth closed.  The workers who are often recognized for their accomplishments, are those who are not only willing to talk about it, but be about it.  Negative Nancy sitting in the corner with a mountain of issues concerning a company usually doesn't want to do anything more than what she is paid to do and upon closer inspection, she probably isn't even doing that much.  So if you are the one who is blessed with a gift, skill, talent, etc., you should be the one to not only open up your mouth about it, but have the plans to show for it.  Think about who wouldn't mind joining forces with you.  

5) How might your actions or lack thereof impact others?

So let's say that you have done your due diligence concerning your thought or concern about work.  Weigh in on whether it will bring about the peace of mind you seek while helping others.  If you find that you or the company doesn't have the time, money, energy, connections, etc. to make some changes, then reserve that thought for a future employer that might be willing to back you on it.  Companies that have a long history of shutting employees down when it comes to their suggestions usually lose good workers and you might be one of those that will have to walk one day.  If an idea is a burden, you will know, simply test it if you are able to and if it causes you a headache, you know what it will do for others.

6) Can your manager be trusted?

Notice what traits are important to your manager.  If for instance, if a manager says, "I appreciate honesty."  Really?  Watch how he or she reacts to someone who gives his or her honest opinion.  If he or she is defensive about it, chances are he or she may not be honest at times and has his or her issues with self-esteem.  Listen to how the manager responds or worse ignores others who share their problem-solving opinions.  If he or she doesn't take workers seriously and doesn't enjoy implementing new concepts, tasks, structure and other company related duties, it is safe to say not only is he or she not a good manager, but probably goes around complaining to others about what is being communicated at meetings.  Find someone else to talk to, better yet, you might want to plan to be a manager yourself one day.

7)  What might be your next move if the manager chooses not to listen to your advice/concern/thought?

The sky is the limit.  Research the competition, find out how other companies handle what you have suggested, spend your off time developing your idea and make plans to reach the ears of those who can do something about what you have suggested if you believe that the idea is definitely going to do one of the following or all: save the company time, make the company money, save the company money, help the team, create new business, stand out from the competition, build the company's reputation, etc.

No matter what the issues might be floating inside that wonderful mind of yours, know this, that all concerns are there to be processed.  Some are just fleeting harmless thoughts put on the back-burner for future employment, others are there to be dealt with sooner rather than later, and then there are those that are just what they are simple ideas for our enjoyment or life lessons to learn from.

Nicholl McGuire is the owner and contributor to this blog.  Feel free to reach out to Nicholl McGuire Media for business inquiries.

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7 Signs a Manager Cannot Handle Conflict, Workplace Challenges

Workplace challenges can be very difficult to manage.  Headaches, stomach upset, and more can result, but these are no excuses to avoid workplace conflict altogether.  Eventually issues will need to be dealt with before there are staff walking out the door, profit losses, and other issues that might put a manager’s head on the chopping block.

Upper management is sometimes not aware or doesn’t care when middle managers are often delegating responsibilities to staff that they should be handling.  When this occurs, a team can start to feel like fearful and/or lazy managers are getting away with something.  Why should they have to do the managers’ job?  Not every employee is looking to take on a leadership role and they shouldn’t be expected to, the manager is getting paid to lead not hide!

1.  Makes excuses to get out of work.  The fearful or often worried manager will make up excuses as to why he or she can’t be in the office during a challenging time.  “I have to take care of my relative…I can’t be there because something has come up…I really wish I could help but I have to leave early.”  How true are these statements during a time when the manager’s presence is very much needed?
2. Fakes busyness. The leader may not come up with an excuse to leave the office, but he or she will lie about being “busy” while conflicts are ongoing.  The instructions are given to team members “not to disturb…or interrupt” when the office doors are closed.  However, the conflict that is ongoing out on the floor ought to be addressed by the manager and not a staff member.  Issues are priority not making busy work for one’s self to avoid handling problems.
3. Takes days off. The manager conveniently takes personal or vacation days to do things like:  avoid critical meetings, train new staff, reorganize the office, assist out-of-state visitors, etc.  When a date is pre-planned or fast approaching, managers who don’t want to get involved, make certain they will be unavailable on those days.  Upper management, who isn’t carefully watching the timing or looking for any patterns when days are being taken off, will inadvertently approve time that shouldn’t have been approved in the first place making it quite inconvenient for the rest of the team.
4. Talks negatively about having to work.  There is a tendency to frequently complain about workplace conflicts or challenges, but management doesn’t do anything about them.  Instead, the manager hopes the problems will work themselves out.  When they don’t and they grab the attention of upper management, now he or she wants to write people up or terminate them.  Unfortunately, the manager should have been proactive from the start.
5. Ignores responsibilities.  An important thing to remember is that not every manager who is hired by a company is there for the right reasons.  The position could simply be a temporary gig until a better position comes around.  With that said, the nonchalant manager, who isn’t fearful or worried about the office conflicts or challenges, simply doesn’t address them because his or her mind is somewhere else.  This manager expects the office to be run on autopilot whether or not he or she is present.
6. Delegates tasks to people who are ill-equipped to handle them.  Whether pre-planned or requested at the last minute, work is given to those who really have no clue what they are doing.  Very little training or none at all occurs and when things are done incorrectly, the irresponsible manager blames those who he or she assigned to complete the tasks rather than hold his or herself accountable.
7. Calls off due to a myriad of genuine or conceived health issues.  Real or imagined health problems, managers, who slack on their duties, will share either in advance or at the last minute with select team members. They will do this when they don’t want to or can’t handle tasks by deadline.  Sometimes health woes really do show up because the manager is sincerely stressed out because he or she is doing poorly at his or her job.

Employees who notice leadership is not working up to par need not suffer through the excuse-making and ploys to get out of work, notify Human Resources or upper management about your concerns.  State what you are noticing and how the manager’s lack of enthusiasm, poor work ethic, and nonchalant attitude is causing the team to miss important deadlines and other relevant information. Managers, who behave in this way, bring employee morale down and ultimately cost companies more to keep them around while losing revenue.

Nicholl McGuire is the owner and contributor to this blog.