QUESTION: I have repeatedly attempted to discipline one of my employees but it hasn’t done any good. “Shelby” likes to stir up trouble and constantly tries to intimidate her co-workers. Although I have warned her many times, her behaviour hasn’t changed at all.
The problem is that Shelby works closely with the owner of our business. If I give her a performance warning, she goes crying to him and says I’m picking on her. He has frequently told me to just leave her alone.
Because the owner won’t allow me to do my job as office manager, Shelby knows she can get away with anything. Everyone is frustrated with her behaviour, and several people have left because of it. What can I do about this?
ANSWER: To find a more effective approach, you need to consider three facts. First, without the backing of higher management, disciplinary actions are completely meaningless. Issuing empty warnings might make you feel more like a manager, but you’re actually just wasting time and energy.
Second, to have any hope of success, you must get the owner on your side. While a larger organisation might provide other avenues of support, in a small, privately owned company, the owner has complete control. Despite having the title of office manager, you only have as much power as he gives you.
Finally, your biggest obstacle is that Shelby currently has more leverage than you do. As long as the owner keeps ruling in her favour, she can safely ignore your warnings. So you must help him see that she’s a problem which needs solving.
To get the owner’s attention, keep the focus on business issues. Instead of complaining about Shelby’s irritating personality, calmly describe how her behaviour is hurting the company. If she’s driving people away, for example, you could discuss the cost of turnover and the time required to train new staff.
When employees gripe about Shelby’s behaviour, consider suggesting that they take their concerns directly to the owner. If he views this as a personal conflict between you and Shelby, hearing from her unhappy colleagues may paint a more accurate picture.

Transferring to another department

Q: I recently got a new manager who is giving me a hard time, so I’m hoping to transfer to another department. Because I have been in my current position for three years, this would also be good for my career. When I mentioned transferring, my manager said he wanted me to stay in this job for one more year. However, I would like to move as soon as possible. How should I handle this?
A: To avoid irritating your manager, you want to increase your odds of transferring without blatantly lobbying for a new position. Therefore, you should look for ways to interact with people who may know about available openings. As you grow your internal network, opportunities may appear.
At the same time, you should make every effort to get along with this challenging new boss. Remember that managers do talk to each other, so anyone who might hire you is likely to ask him for a recommendation.

*Marie G McIntyre is a workplace coach and the author of Secrets to Winning at Office Politics. Send in questions and get free coaching tips at http://www.yourofficecoach.com, or follow her on Twitter @officecoach.