- Original Poster
- #1
I require advice/feedback on dealing with a team member that i have mentor responsibilities for.
PERSON A
Was taken on 2 years ago, not due to levels of experience but because they were a nice guy.
I had no input into this decision but had dealt with him in the passed and he didnt strike me as the academic type.
He was given to me to train up in engineering project management in a nuclear site.
With zero experience in any field.
For first 6 month he followed me, we talked. I gave him small activities with a good team around him who were all briefed to offer guidance.
First issues started to raise when i gave more of a project management activity ie plan out a task with a 20yr experienced planner. He became so stressed, he started to fail at all timescales met no milestones.
So we took a backwards step put a training plan in for him to learn site supervision and work face activities.
Over the next 12 months he grew in confidence and as i gave him more responsibilities he appeared to progress.
I was promoted, ive been doing two jobs for a while 80% Person A isnt aware off, he supports me in 20% on 3 projects acting as the liason between three departments. And acting as site manager.
I interviewed for a promotion and recieved it, now doing 3 jobs plus mentoring. Which became sporadic, person A didnt really make efforts to grab me. Put we had fortnighyly slots to talk. And weekly meetings on the projects.
It took 9 months to fill my old position and that takes me upto today.
PERSON A interviewed for my job.
I informed him that he had no cost management and office based project management experience and ahead of the interview, 3 month duration, i gave him activities to use as evidence. I supported him in the interview, in my own time. Before he interviewed, i explained early in the process that it was unlikely he would be ready as a full PM and to use the interview as experience for next time when it really mattered.
He interviewed well, but didnt use any of the 12 months he had gained on the job. Which made me wonder why?
In fte excerises it became apprant that he was 80% loaded and on challenge got very defensive,
I got him a pay rise so its nearly at entry level PM levels anyway.
After the interview his demeanor changed.
All over the shop, stressed, appeared angry, waffled allot.
We had a few talks and i helped him through the difficulties he was having.
Be complained hos hours where overloaded.
So i began to manage his hours with him teaching him how to prioririse using fte exercises and it rapidly dawned on me, he was doing things that didnt need to be done, in other words standing over supervisors. Not following any guidance.
Compling reports or producing documents were sub par, to point of unable to issue after 3 revisions.
Further investigations, he was using remote working to his advantage, answering emails using work time to travel.
He had volunteered for any working groups going to work on those etc without informing me.
He then started get it done at all costs,
Three issues in one week.
despite being given full IOSH managing safely courses had an open row with me in the office when i advised him to halt a job he had planned due to lack of training
He is 6'6 with high degree of boxing skills within intimidation distance. I kept my calm and took him into a private area to explain what he was doing was unacceptable.
Second willfully mislead me over the scsle of work, putting into documents, usually tskes 7hrs to write (he took 2 month)
Which i now have been reprimanded for.
As i trusted that he knew the difference between 1 square metre and 100m square.
Third, after being told to halt a job, and pass all comms to me, he knowingly allowed a task to continue, with the excuse he stopped, taking things literally.
He now will only communicate via email.
Lastly, he has 2 100k projects to manage.
Over last 3 months ive told him what questions im going to ask, told him exactly where to find said information and how to check it. Each time the update meeting has occured he has had another meeting.
Or takes leave.
I moved previous meeting forward and he fell to pieces,
In the period theres been multiple issues of non conformance down to document filing and general professionalism.
In jsnuary this year while running two jobs while onbiarding my replacement i was near breaking point, stressed out, ill, plus personal issues, i hadnt slept in 3 days we were 1million behind our milestones.
and all the above occured. I put my head in my hands and said, For ****s sake, youve just piled extra onto me.
He then we t home and sent me an email
Saying i was unprofessional and unfit to do my job.
So i hrld a meeting, i was calm, kind and considerate. He just stared at me with either anger or hatred and spoke agressively. I explained that his take on my response on the three issues was serious enough that he should take it further, yes the contents of his email although grossly exagerated where final written warning levels. I said that it needs to go further. Ge rdfused as thats not his way.
I said well why write it?
He said he was intimidated, in a full office, with witnesses who saw and heard nothing.
We agreed to put it behind us,
Basically he is putting a defense case against himself for when he is accused of poor perfotmance by fabricating im a bully.
I just stuck to the profession.
Facts of poor conformance and support to correct. Ive taken work from him to ensure its a managable work load. And within his capabilities but he is still failing.
In our 1 to 1s ive explained to him, do an eisenhower matrix and he needs to take responsibility for his own learning.
I gave him a spreadsheet with tick boxes
That when done can then locate projects for development, hes not done that and instead volunteers for other non project related work.
Basically, he wants to be a project manager but lacks the ability.
He struggles to communicate and summarise.
He cant write clesr instruction
He cant take verbal direction.
He cant use create diagrams,
He cant manage time.
He takes constrctive critiscm to heart.
Handles pressure incredibly poorly
Cant ask for help.
Still after 2 years on talking about esrned value management fails to understand that if you plan to spend £40k in a month and dont its bad on governance.
So i believe ive failed in 2 years to get someone to read from a cell in a spreadsheet and what Estimate at completion is.
So im still trying to mentor him despite him not commination he just says he cant get hold of me and theres no issues.
Our work scope for next year has changed and ive had no alternative now to move him to another of my teams.
reasons
if this is a personal issue with me, he will now be working for a PM in my team
Another PM may be able go reach him.
His fte excerise ever since i challenged his activities and explained we dont pay him to travelled to work he has refused to take ownership of the fte and not prepared it for the 1 to 1s.
He has now left my wing and protection and will now need to undertake the role fully and report fully,the training wheels are off.
Plus if im unconsiously am bullying him, as ever since email every single convo has had witnesses, i highly doubt, whatever psyche issue he has may alleviate snd enable him to flourish.
He is now challenging the move and declared he would be working alongside the other Senior PM i again said no, your working for that PM he will set your duties.
And mentor you.
I said that work is a good career move for you as it gives you thrre years worth of projects, where my area hasnt got the capacity right now. Which it doesnt.
He just looked angry and hardly spoke.
I believe he will challenge the decision.
So all above will come out.
So thanks for reading. Ive really really tried.
I can sleep at night knowing ive done right by the lad. But he needs to now go into the big wide world and make the mistakes and suffer the consequences.
I think ive been too soft as im just a nice guy, but being called a bully for putting my head in my gands and saying for ****s sake. Is a bit much and quite hurtfull.
I had a break down after and suffered some anxiety attacks. Likely due to work load.
Oh hes requested that i watch my language infront of him as he finds swearing is highly offensive, now, after 2 years. i say shit, bugger nofficiall break times etc meetings. With my friends and close colleagues.
Never professionally
PERSON A
Was taken on 2 years ago, not due to levels of experience but because they were a nice guy.
I had no input into this decision but had dealt with him in the passed and he didnt strike me as the academic type.
He was given to me to train up in engineering project management in a nuclear site.
With zero experience in any field.
For first 6 month he followed me, we talked. I gave him small activities with a good team around him who were all briefed to offer guidance.
First issues started to raise when i gave more of a project management activity ie plan out a task with a 20yr experienced planner. He became so stressed, he started to fail at all timescales met no milestones.
So we took a backwards step put a training plan in for him to learn site supervision and work face activities.
Over the next 12 months he grew in confidence and as i gave him more responsibilities he appeared to progress.
I was promoted, ive been doing two jobs for a while 80% Person A isnt aware off, he supports me in 20% on 3 projects acting as the liason between three departments. And acting as site manager.
I interviewed for a promotion and recieved it, now doing 3 jobs plus mentoring. Which became sporadic, person A didnt really make efforts to grab me. Put we had fortnighyly slots to talk. And weekly meetings on the projects.
It took 9 months to fill my old position and that takes me upto today.
PERSON A interviewed for my job.
I informed him that he had no cost management and office based project management experience and ahead of the interview, 3 month duration, i gave him activities to use as evidence. I supported him in the interview, in my own time. Before he interviewed, i explained early in the process that it was unlikely he would be ready as a full PM and to use the interview as experience for next time when it really mattered.
He interviewed well, but didnt use any of the 12 months he had gained on the job. Which made me wonder why?
In fte excerises it became apprant that he was 80% loaded and on challenge got very defensive,
I got him a pay rise so its nearly at entry level PM levels anyway.
After the interview his demeanor changed.
All over the shop, stressed, appeared angry, waffled allot.
We had a few talks and i helped him through the difficulties he was having.
Be complained hos hours where overloaded.
So i began to manage his hours with him teaching him how to prioririse using fte exercises and it rapidly dawned on me, he was doing things that didnt need to be done, in other words standing over supervisors. Not following any guidance.
Compling reports or producing documents were sub par, to point of unable to issue after 3 revisions.
Further investigations, he was using remote working to his advantage, answering emails using work time to travel.
He had volunteered for any working groups going to work on those etc without informing me.
He then started get it done at all costs,
Three issues in one week.
despite being given full IOSH managing safely courses had an open row with me in the office when i advised him to halt a job he had planned due to lack of training
He is 6'6 with high degree of boxing skills within intimidation distance. I kept my calm and took him into a private area to explain what he was doing was unacceptable.
Second willfully mislead me over the scsle of work, putting into documents, usually tskes 7hrs to write (he took 2 month)
Which i now have been reprimanded for.
As i trusted that he knew the difference between 1 square metre and 100m square.
Third, after being told to halt a job, and pass all comms to me, he knowingly allowed a task to continue, with the excuse he stopped, taking things literally.
He now will only communicate via email.
Lastly, he has 2 100k projects to manage.
Over last 3 months ive told him what questions im going to ask, told him exactly where to find said information and how to check it. Each time the update meeting has occured he has had another meeting.
Or takes leave.
I moved previous meeting forward and he fell to pieces,
In the period theres been multiple issues of non conformance down to document filing and general professionalism.
In jsnuary this year while running two jobs while onbiarding my replacement i was near breaking point, stressed out, ill, plus personal issues, i hadnt slept in 3 days we were 1million behind our milestones.
and all the above occured. I put my head in my hands and said, For ****s sake, youve just piled extra onto me.
He then we t home and sent me an email
Saying i was unprofessional and unfit to do my job.
So i hrld a meeting, i was calm, kind and considerate. He just stared at me with either anger or hatred and spoke agressively. I explained that his take on my response on the three issues was serious enough that he should take it further, yes the contents of his email although grossly exagerated where final written warning levels. I said that it needs to go further. Ge rdfused as thats not his way.
I said well why write it?
He said he was intimidated, in a full office, with witnesses who saw and heard nothing.
We agreed to put it behind us,
Basically he is putting a defense case against himself for when he is accused of poor perfotmance by fabricating im a bully.
I just stuck to the profession.
Facts of poor conformance and support to correct. Ive taken work from him to ensure its a managable work load. And within his capabilities but he is still failing.
In our 1 to 1s ive explained to him, do an eisenhower matrix and he needs to take responsibility for his own learning.
I gave him a spreadsheet with tick boxes
That when done can then locate projects for development, hes not done that and instead volunteers for other non project related work.
Basically, he wants to be a project manager but lacks the ability.
He struggles to communicate and summarise.
He cant write clesr instruction
He cant take verbal direction.
He cant use create diagrams,
He cant manage time.
He takes constrctive critiscm to heart.
Handles pressure incredibly poorly
Cant ask for help.
Still after 2 years on talking about esrned value management fails to understand that if you plan to spend £40k in a month and dont its bad on governance.
So i believe ive failed in 2 years to get someone to read from a cell in a spreadsheet and what Estimate at completion is.
So im still trying to mentor him despite him not commination he just says he cant get hold of me and theres no issues.
Our work scope for next year has changed and ive had no alternative now to move him to another of my teams.
reasons
if this is a personal issue with me, he will now be working for a PM in my team
Another PM may be able go reach him.
His fte excerise ever since i challenged his activities and explained we dont pay him to travelled to work he has refused to take ownership of the fte and not prepared it for the 1 to 1s.
He has now left my wing and protection and will now need to undertake the role fully and report fully,the training wheels are off.
Plus if im unconsiously am bullying him, as ever since email every single convo has had witnesses, i highly doubt, whatever psyche issue he has may alleviate snd enable him to flourish.
He is now challenging the move and declared he would be working alongside the other Senior PM i again said no, your working for that PM he will set your duties.
And mentor you.
I said that work is a good career move for you as it gives you thrre years worth of projects, where my area hasnt got the capacity right now. Which it doesnt.
He just looked angry and hardly spoke.
I believe he will challenge the decision.
So all above will come out.
So thanks for reading. Ive really really tried.
I can sleep at night knowing ive done right by the lad. But he needs to now go into the big wide world and make the mistakes and suffer the consequences.
I think ive been too soft as im just a nice guy, but being called a bully for putting my head in my gands and saying for ****s sake. Is a bit much and quite hurtfull.
I had a break down after and suffered some anxiety attacks. Likely due to work load.
Oh hes requested that i watch my language infront of him as he finds swearing is highly offensive, now, after 2 years. i say shit, bugger nofficiall break times etc meetings. With my friends and close colleagues.
Never professionally
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