Staff climbing over your head

[Raindrop100]

Hi I have a staff, looks smart and handsome too but have no work experience. For a start, I taught him how to do fixed asset listing and pass entries on that. It took him about two to three days to learn and remember the ways. After the work is done, he spread around that I have never teach him anything but he learnt it during his temp job previously. If that's the case, I didnt have to repeat so many times how to pass the entries in the first place.

 

He also always tried to outsmart me in front of bosses and colleages after he has learnt the ropes.

 

But I don't find him really smart because he always ask me silly questions in absence of other people. I have handled smarter staff before and they never have any behavioral problem like him.

 

How would you handle this kind of worker? Can anyone advise?

[Trialbyfire]

He is reliant on you for training and knowledge. He is also your inferior. You have the upperhand so try not to forget that and don't worry about his pettiness.

 

The reality is that almost all managers and supervisors are bad-mouthed by their staff at one time or another, or if they're terrible managers/supervisors, this will happen continuously. Hindsight is 20/20 and so is second-guessing. Most line staff aren't capable of making the shot calls, due to a lack of experience, personality or desire for responsibility, when a major crisis hits.

 

Consider it the price of being the baloney in a wonderbread sandwich. You have to accommodate management above you and staff below you.

 

If you're determined to act on it, you can either call him to task and ask what nonsense he's talking about or you can make certain that anything he asks you, is via email correspondence...which you will address when you have time...

[Raindrop100]

"If you're determined to act on it, you can either call him to task and ask what nonsense he's talking about or you can make certain that anything he asks you, is via email correspondence...which you will address when you have time..."

 

This is a good idea, I will use it in future.

 

What other actions I have taken were:-

 

1) Writing down review notes for all the points that I got when checking his work; if he is smart, he wouldn't have got two pages long review points during third round review!

 

2) I spent more time grooming another staff who has better attitude and honest.

 

Other issues I have with him are:

 

1) He always steals people's ideas including my ideas and tried to impress my bosses. My boss really thought that he is very intelligent. But it took him 2 months time to complete less than 50% of the fixed asset listing which in fact1-2 weeks is enough. What he did was after he has learnt the rope, he kept on wanting to learnt other skills and not focus on completing the task I have assigned to him.

 

2) He sometimes stay back till mid night. I thought he was hardworking. Till then I also worked late and realised during overtime he was not at his desk 99% of the time and just roaming around at the dining or bar areas. Since after I also worked late, he stopped working overtime.

 

3) He likes to take credit for work that was not accomplished by him. Example, work handled by a temp staff.

 

 

4) I realise he liked to backstab his fellow colleagues who have conflict of interest with him.

 

5) He liked to curry favor my bosses but badmouthing about them or pulling them down behind, I believe he would do the same to me too. It seems my bosses like him very much because he is very eloquent.

 

6) He always late to work, 30-60 minutes a day. My boss wants me to keep tab on late comers but when I feedback to him about his lateness, no action was taken. In fact, he was hoping I should give verbal warning to him whend my bosses and HR Officer can't be bother to take action. I have asked for his reasons for being late, he always give excuses such as study too hard at night etc.

 

7) He always tried to give training to my new staff and accidentally said that he was trying to 'brainwash" my new staff... I gave him severe warning as he is not very experienced and I don't want him to impart wrong knowledge and the new staff is not reporting to him.

 

8) He always smoke during working hours.

 

9) He was very new and inexperience but already demanded a lot such as bigger desk, bigger drawer, bigger pay cheque and managerial position etc.

 

10) He always stand close behind and observed what I am doing when he should have focus on the task I have assigned to him.

 

11) He is busybody and attended training that is not relevant to him and without my approval.

 

12) He always tried to talk me. From the way he talked I know he was trying to hide a lot of information and twisted the fact. I find him annoying.

 

Anyone to share any opinions please?

[bones]

Ask him to share his short/long term career goals and explain you would like to help him achieve them. Work together to design a development plan with specific action steps that will move him toward his aim. Document everything. He will no longer be able to claim you don't 'show' him anything. He may be more aggressive because he feels he is not using his full potential. Perhaps he doesn't see where he has skill gaps. Keep your conversation task and skill focused. Keep the emotion out of the conversation. See if there are extra things you can assign to demonstrate you are not concerned about your position. A show of your strength and willingness to collaborate may help.

 

Some people are just that way. If the above doesn't improve his behavior, at least you won't be on the hook for not managing/developing him.

[Raindrop100]

If his plan is to climb up and sit at your position in 1-2 years time? He has expressed his goal to be either Finance Manager or Operation Manager of our company in 1-2 years time. Be it a joke but it's definitely an off color joke.

 

[musikaprinsesa]

He is a try harder. O r maybe he likes you