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This item is filed under these categories:
Assertiveness Meetings Blaming Conflict Criticism Interrupting

I was at a management meeting when one of the other managers said that several major problems have been caused by my employees. When I tried to defend myself and them, he interrupted me several times, and our manager (who was running this meeting) cut me off several times, too. After a few minutes, our manager stopped the argument and said it’s time to move on. The meeting continued, but I’m still burning and wonder what to do.



Two employees engaged in questionable behavior during this meeting, and you are not one of them. First, although it is possible that your fellow manager selected the right venue to raise questions about the your team’s work, it is wrong for him to present his thoughts in an attacking monologue, while denying you an opportunity to respond.


It is also possible that your fellow employee should not have brought up such concerns in this particular meeting. If your employees’ performance had nothing to do with the agenda or topics for this meeting, then the venue was totally inappropriate. And further, if the work of your employees was somehow part of the agenda, you should have been given advance notice as well.


The other employee whose actions missed the mark in this meeting was your manager. He should have either mediated the dispute or stopped it and set a time for the three of you to meet later. Simply cutting off this one-sided disagreement was unfair and unprofessional. You should meet with your manager, present your side of the issue, and then suggest that the three of you meet to discuss and resolve it. Although your manager said it is time to move on, that time will not arrive until this matter is fully and fairly aired.



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