Q: I recently took over managing a store where the assistant manager had also applied for the job. When I started, I knew her feelings were hurt and I tried accommodating her style and wishes in the first couple of months. I took off work for a few days last week; when I returned I found out that she had complained to my boss, the district manager, about my managerial style. My boss contacted me and is happy with my performance. I want to handle this situation with sensitivity, but I don't want her behavior to continue. Any suggestions?

A: You have a research job ahead of you. Don't assume you got the job simply because you were better. Find out why this assistant manager was not promoted. Was it her competency level, experience, lack of formal education, personality, or a combination of all of those that held her back? Had she been promised the promotion and then denied it? Is she as high as she is going to go at the company? Her history is important in how you handle the situation. It's good that your boss is happy with you, but you are still very new, so that could change, too. You say that you “tried to accommodate her style,” which immediately sends a negative message. Good managers take time to observe and analyze how things are run before jumping in to make changes. Managers hired from the outside first interview all their employees and ask for thoughts and suggestions before acting. If a problem seems obvious, they discuss it with assistant managers before reinventing the existing system. Your assistant manager could be too angry to contribute in a positive manner right now, and that is what you need to consider. Put yourself in her shoes. If the district manager avoided communication with her, you might need to clear the air before moving forward. You should also reflect on some of her criticisms. Despite her anger, you could find some truth in her complaints from which you can benefit. Everyone has room for improvement.

Good Employee Fired For Personality Clash And Trashed By Boss

Q: My son has been out of work for two years because every time he applies for a job, his former boss gives negative comments to potential employers. The employees at the company and the customers all know about my son's hard work and the amount of business he brought in. My son was railroaded, charged and convicted without proof to something he did not do, but a felony is now on his record. He is quite depressed about the situation, but wants to work and needs to provide for his family. What should he do?

A: First find a lawyer to file an appeal and get the conviction overturned. Also tell the lawyer the damage this former employer is doing through his negative comments to potential employers. Being fired for a personality conflict should not be made public, so your son might have a good lawsuit against his former employer. In the meantime, your son needs to meet with an organization that helps ex-offenders get jobs. He will need to address the situation in the interview so the interviewer sees he is honest. Your son should collect referral letters from the employees he worked with and the customers he serviced. Presenting these letters when interviewing will diminish the negative comments made by his former boss before he is stopped by legal means from doing so.

Please send your questions to: Lindsey Novak, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. E-mail her at LindseyNovak@yahoo.com, or visit her Web site at www.LindseyNovak.com. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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