Problems at Work: Picked on or Constructively Criticized?
This article is the second in the series “Problems at Work” submitted by Beth Turnage of Astrology Explored. Her experience in the corporate world allows her to offer solid advice on dealing with work place difficulties and utilizing the corporate stucture to resolve any issues you might face.
Picked On or Constructively Criticized? Know the Differance
You are just out of a meeting with your boss, who had less than complimentary things to say about your latest report. ‘”How dare he?” you fume. “That’s the last time I work overtime for him!”
For employees, nothing is more fraught with anxiety than hearing you are not perfoming well. For employers, nothing is more fraught with anxiety than counseling an employee on their performance. Believe it or not, most employers really do want your good will and may be afraid to disturb a productive working relationship. Some employers, being human, do not always handle these situations well, and may not issue critique in the most productive way. Sometimes, they even come off as jerks.
Some employees, after a less than stellar evaluation, may feel that the criticism was not deserved and that their value as an employee was called into question. It is natural to feel badly after a less than satisfactory review or counseling session. But is your boss really picking on you?
Did he criticize you in front of other employees (not another manager; one of your co-workers)? Or was the criticsm in private?
Did he deliver criticism in an angry manner or was he calm and on point?
Did he point out some of your good qualities as an employee or were there only negative comments?
Are the perfomance points valid?
As a the person who authorizes your paycheck, your employer has the right to set the rules at work. Issues such as tardiness, too many sick days (for anything other than serious illness), too many or too lengthy personal phone calls, too many breaks, inappropriate internet use, the methods used to perform the work, inability or refusal to follow instructions, inappropriate dress, (to name just a few issues) are well within the employer’s scope to monitor and regulate. When simple rules like these are broken, the employer has reason to mistrust other parts of your performance. If your employer feels it necessary to talk to you about these or other issues, then it is best not to take the counseling as a personal attack and work to reestablish the trust the employer had in you.
If the critique is issued in an abusive manner (and is not an isolated incident) with unfounded attacks on your intelligence, professionalism, or abillity, see the previous post “Problems at Work, The Bully Boss”.
Join us tomorrow for the next installment of this series: What to Do When You Make a Mistake.
women, working women, workplace, work problems, problem boss, work strategies
